The Easthom Page

Details to follow soon.
I plan to file this week!
Congratulations to those that have already filed, and I look forward to joining the field.
Laurin

I have begun working part time in a really rewarding place, Piedmont Health Services with its main office in Carrboro, and a satellite office in Prospect Hill, NC (Caswell County, about 10 miles north of Hillsborough). There are other satellite offices in Siler City, Moncure, and a few others. I’m practicing dentistry, but it is far from routine dentistry. This is community dentistry. We serve everyone regardless of ability to pay. Naturally nothing is for free, but we are able to provide low cost dentistry or payment plans for patients with no insurance. The Chapel Hill Herald actually ran a story on the center today citing good news for federal funding for community health centers. I guess that “community organizer” in the White House is responsible, and thanks to him, I have a job. Better yet, patients who otherwise could not afford to get good health care (and dental care), CAN.

The beauty of this particular community health center is that it’s similar to a miniature hospital (without the beds). There is a dental side, a medical side, and a pharmacy all right under one roof. If I have a pharmaceutical question about a patient who is taking unfamiliar drugs, I can walk right down the hall and consult with the pharmacist. If a patient has a medical emergency during dental treatment, the doctor is right down the hall. The patients also get great continuity of care.

I’m not sure how many people in town really know about Piedmont Health Services. The staff is excellent, very professional, caring and committed, and the patient is the focus, not the bottom dollar.

It’s great to be back doing more dentistry, and I look forward to serving the community in a different way!

I t was nice to think about a career change last year, but these economic times do not allow me to do that.  Especially since the contemplated career change was in real estate, a profession taking the brunt of the economic meltdown.   Sometimes you have to take a break and step away to realize how good you really had it.

As much as I’d like to retire from a day job, I have found that a dwindling retirement portfolio and two college expenses (and weddings) looming in the future do not lend me that luxury!    Thankfully town council is usually a night affair, and I can still do that, yet working and council and kids leaves me pretty exhausted and there is not much time for myself.  

I believe that the job of a council member is one of the most meaningful one can have, however balance is key.  Council keeps one pretty busy, and if your time is already filled with a full time job and children, then good time management skills become very important!  Should it be this way?  For the last four years I have been able to manage because I haven’t really worked full time (except for one of those years).  

I think we should always make sure that the job of council does not become a job that keeps out the voice of a working mom or dad with children, or single parents.  It is supposed to be a part time job.   Many times it isn’t when you add up the hours you spent doing council work.   I worry that the council becomes a group of nine members that are either retired or rich or basically in a financial position to perform the job, and it shouldn’t be that way for truly democratic representation.  I don’t think we are there yet, but I could see it happening in the future if we are not careful.  Certainly Carolina North presents this council with extra work and challenges, but there will always be something that is on the front burner that we have to work hard on.  We are getting more efficient overall in how we do things, but we can do better.

I look forward to learning who will jump into the political fray this summer by filing for election for Town Council.  I hope they know what they are getting into.  I have been able to handle it but I have much energy and a supportive spouse.   For those that are thinking of running, now is the time to think and plan before the actual campaign begins that keeps one pretty busy.  Best of luck to all. 

The Chapel Hill Town Council has been getting an earful lately from citizens about density in town.  There is also a perception that the Council is on a spree of approving dense, mixed use developments more than ever before, and people are worried about when the next huge condo building is going to go in their neighborhood, or dominate their view as they drive down a major road.   

Council is in fact getting more development applications that are large and dense, and these definitely get reported in the newspaper.  We obviously get smaller applications, as well, but they’re seldom written about.  One could argue that these smaller applications are not newsworthy because they don’t affect many people, but that is not always the case.    An example is the smaller Fraley project on Homestead Road that would be a dramatic change to the area with its commercial/dense condos set within existing neighborhoods.     

I do not feel the council is on some quest to turn the village into a city.  We are trying to balance what comes from developers and what is best for the Town.   If the Town never accepted more homes/units, then the county and region could see more sprawl.  Sprawl destroys natural open space and contributes to significant traffic from everyone driving in and out of town for work or services.   

The smart way to accept density in some places is to balance.  I do not see a future of large dense projects lined up next to each other all up and down Martin Luther King Blvd or Raleigh Road, for example, just because the council might accept density on major corridors or downtown.   I think there is great value in preserving landscape and trees on parcels that have to abut denser buildings.  The vista should be balanced with green at every opportunity.   I hear a lot about East 54 and how that has really transformed the look and feel of the area.   What would happen if Glen Lennox across the street developed similarly?  Visitors to Chapel Hill who hadn’t been here in a while might have thought they were lost when coming down that road.  I accept density with great caution and feel the smartest way to accept any further density is to have an environmentally balanced vision.

I’ve already noticed two different newspaper articles about whether or not the mayors of those cities plan to run again or not.   For the politically aware, speculation has begun on who might run this year for mayor, or for council.   The deadline to file for municipal elections is only a short five months away.  It seems we are all taking a breather from the recent national and regional elections, yet municipal elections are just around the corner.

Since we have a little time before we know for sure who the candidates will be, I’d like to shed some light on what makes a good mayor or a good council member (in my opinion).  I think about these general things when I consider and vote for candidates for municipal office.     Disclaimer:   I may or may not fit the description of a good council member in your minds.  But AS a council member, I have a very informed opinion as to what works and what doesn’t.  Also, this is not an endorsement for anyone’s election, including my own.    

What makes a good mayor?  In my opinion, a good mayor has a good professional relationship with each council member. He or she has demonstrated this by meeting with them or talking with them individually to learn more of their desires and positions.   Being able to work as a team member and support other council members is integral to the successful mayor.    He or she is respectful of the council members’ opinions and allows sufficient time for them to make their point.  The good mayor does not push the council in a certain direction that is not consistent with the majority of the council’s position in order to further a personal agenda.  The good mayor is respected and probably generally liked by his/her fellow council members.

Meeting skills are extremely important. The good mayor has the ability to summarize the positions of the council and the citizens that spoke and move the council towards making a decision or taking some action (or deciding no action needed).   A mayor with institutional knowledge is extremely valuable when the discussion benefits from drawing in history or facts to shed some light.    Institutional knowledge is gained by having a history of working within the Town government or Town itself long enough to understand how things work.   The good mayor is patient and  looks at all different viewpoints, taking time to weigh the good with the bad of any decision.  Interestingly, the mayor must constantly juggle between being political and somewhat neutral, retaining professionalism and calm when presenting the consensus of the council.   The good mayor represents the Town professionally outside of Town, building and maintaining good relationships with neighboring governments.

Finally, a good mayor not only works well with other council members, but works well with the Town staff.  Respecting the staff and not attacking it, supporting and appreciating their work, and making suggestions for improvement for the benefit of the Town is important for the good mayor and the council. 

What makes a good council member?  A good council member (CM) works hard with their constituents by listening, recommending, empathizing, and ensuring they are truly “hearing” and understanding what the current opinions and issues are out there.    They then take those opinions to Town Hall and use those opinions to shape their own when a decision needs to be made.   The good CM recognizes that he or she serves as a voice of the people, and adequately represents those voices at the table.    

The good CM understands that sometimes their position is different from their colleagues, but they make their position known in public in a respectful manner.   Attacking other council members proves to be counterproductive.   The good CM works well with other council members outside of regular council meetings….and asks for help from his/her colleagues for prior history, facts, information, or anything that could help that CM make a good decision.   The good CM gives and takes, recognizing that not everything is going to go their way.  

Bill Thorpe was a “good council member.”  He knew his job was to reach out to people who might not otherwise approach a council member for issues that concern them, and he would try to help them to the extent he could.   Bill Thorpe would always ask for more information from someone speaking at a council meeting if they did not present such information themselves, out of his genuine interest in that person.   Bill would keep actively in touch with many different people in town about certain issues coming before the council, to make sure he knew how they were thinking so he could make better decisions.    And Bill would have no problem “reminding” the mayor of something he might have missed, advising a younger council member about the ways of the council in the past, and that the “little guy” in town must never be forgotten. 

Public service is not a right, but a privilege.  Holding public office can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life.   Being a good mayor or a good council member certainly comes by trial and error and by experience itself.   The bottom line is to never lose sight of what drew you to the position in the first place.  

Now is the time.  Now is the time to comment on Carolina North, the largest development to ever hit the Town of Chapel Hill.  The Town Council and UNC Trustees are meeting monthly to hash out a development agreement that will allow UNC flexibility and assurances in its development of Carolina North.   If we come to an agreement by June on how Carolina North will develop, we may be done for years in decision making on how things are done.    It’s time to wake up, and get active, and come to these meetings so that UNC can hear what you think.

If you have a concern about traffic from this massive development, air quality, the environment, etc., now is the time to comment!   If you live in the northern part of Chapel Hill, you may not be aware that UNC is proposing a new road from their project which would connect to Homestead Road and carry through along Weaver Dairy Extension.  This road would function as Martin Luther King Blvd. does with thousands of cars and transit and serve as a new outlet to I-40.  Others may not be aware that there has been discussion that significant transit improvements may come only after enough development has happened to warrant the need.  Parking lots first?  Buses second?   With the law school building being one of the first of Carolina North, there has been discussion about housing those graduate students.  What about the professors and their families?  Are all professors and other employees affiliated with Carolina North to live off site and commute in?  Will UNC participate in the Town’s Stormwater Management Program?  What about the mutual town/gown Carbon Reduction goals?   These are just a few of the many issues at hand necessitating public input. 

Please keep track of our meetings and when they occur on the Town’s website, www.townofchapelhill.org.   Click the left tab for “Carolina North Planning.”  Watch the newspapers as well for upcoming meetings.  All of the meetings of the council and UNC trustees are open for comment on anything related to the Carolina North project.   Let us know how you feel!  I appreciate and value the comments that have already been made.    We want the development to work well for both the University AND the Town.   Please voice your concerns now at these meetings, or for the next several years, hold your peace. I and the rest of the town council encourage you to attend and voice your opinions.   

Last night at roughly 1 a.m., during our regular business meeting, the Council adopted its process for seeking a candidate to fill the “vacancy” on the council due to the untimely and sad ( and,  I could go on……..) passing of my friend and council colleague Bill Thorpe.  At the beginning of our marathon meeting (which has become more common lately as I will allude to later) Mayor Kevin Foy read a proclamation for Bill Thorpe.  Bill’s family was there to receive a copy of it.  Before the meeting started, I hugged Bill’s wife for a very long time and told her how hard this was and must be and that I missed him terribly.   I thought seeing her and going through this whole event would leave me balling up there in my council seat and it was tough keeping myself in tact, but I did so.  Yet when I walked up to the dais to sit for the first time since Bill’s death,  I was overcome with emotion when I noticed Bill’s nameplate was gone.  The spot next to Ralph our attorney looked strangely bare.  The point of all of this is this:  Bill Thorpe didn’t just fill a seat.  The council will never “fill” the “spot” that Bill occupied.   We will simply find someone else to bring whatever THEY have to bring to the town council this upcoming year.   Whomever fills Bill’s physical seat will not be filling Bill’s shoes.  He was of his own kind.

I will be grateful for those that choose to apply for this position, because serving on the Town Council is not easy.  I will welcome them as a colleague and look forward to working with them.  However, before applying and/or accepting the job on the council for this year, it might help to realize what you are getting in to.  I’ve done a similar post in the past, but I’ve got another year under my belt and have spent 3 years at it now.  So here is a list of some things to consider:

1.  Do you work full time and have a family?   I ask this question because you need to realize that council meetings can run way into the next day, like our meeting last night.  Our meeting ended somewhere around 1:30 a.m.  So think about this:  If you have a business meeting on a Monday night, and you work all day on that Monday and see your family briefly for dinner then go to the 7 pm council meeting, you may be there working and thinking until 1:30 a.m.   Then if you have kids or a job that starts at 8 a.m. then you will be getting up at 6:30 a.m. to go to work for the whole next day, and each day thereafter if you work full time.  It is possible that you might have another night meeting on Wednesday that week.   Getting by on little sleep is difficult and if this happens and happens on a Monday, it sort of sets your week off in the tired mode…..and it’s not even Friday yet.  Prepare for that.   

I am not sure why these recent business meetings have been going on into the wee hours but want to explore this further and see how we can be more efficient in our time.  I find it difficult to be energetic on agenda items past 11 p.m. having spent all day working and fixing dinner and having kids to drive around.  I am going to raise this issue because for the last 3 years I’ve been on council we have had only a rare occasion that meetings have lasted so long, but now it’s becoming more routine.  It makes it very difficult to juggle everything and be so tired the next day.

If you work full time, you need to be your best at your work, too.  So maybe you could plan for some flexibility in your schedule on Tuesday mornings or Thursday mornings after council meetings. 

Be aware, too, that not all meetings are on the Monday or Wednesday that you see on television or see advertised as a “Town Council Meeting”.  There are committees that you serve on that could very well meet during the day and other committees meet on other nights of the week.  For instance, tonight after having been to our 1:30 a.m. meeting last night, and working today, I will go to a 6 p.m. meeting over in Carrboro for the Land Trust board I sit on.  Not that I don’t want to go, it’s just difficult.   The Land Trust doesn’t plan its schedule with the Town Council’s schedule on its mind, and it shouldn’t have to.

In addition to those meetings which you attend that are scheduled, be aware that there are extra meetings.   The Council member serving new this year must know that the Council and the University are having “special” meetings of the Town Council each month, or more frequently than that, to work on a Development Agreement for Carolina North.  Those are to be nightly meetings, as well.   Sometimes during budget season we’ll schedule an extra work session or two, and they occur frequently around 4 in the afternoon.  So plan on those in the spring.  There might be other additional meetings that I am not aware of.

Our agendas are very large at times.  I’ve weighed a couple of agendas that have come to us, for fun, and have gotten some weighing 11 pounds or more.   You have to figure out when to read these during your free time.    Getting through the agendas become a lot easier once you’ve been at it a while, because you may already know a lot of information that is presented.  But it takes a lot of time and thought and often very difficult personal decision making. 

Don’t like email?  Don’t apply for the council job (just kidding—-I’m just trying to make a point).   If you don’t check your email after several hours or a full day at work you may be surprised later to find a filled inbox that you have to get through related to council matters in some form or fashion.  Going on vacation?  Might want to put your vacation responder on so people know.

Decide what you want to do in a proactive way on the council.  It would be easy to sit up there and just vote on things as they come along in reactive mode, but most council members have areas that they really want to work on making changes and spend extra time on those issues that are important to them.  These are not always items on the agenda and things the public might see every day.

I am not trying to scare anyone off for applying for the position, but aim to present some cold hard reality about the amount of time and energy.   The Council member WILL be rewarded with the ability to have that “seat at the table”  (Bill Thorpe’s words) in deciding how to make Chapel Hill a better place.  Working hard for your community, in my opinion, is one of the most important things one can do in life.  It is truly a pleasure to serve, and to make a visible difference.  It feels great to help others in this way.  

I look forward to working with the next new council member who has chosen to make such a contribution.  The choice will undoubtedly be very difficult, and perhaps all candidates are good choices.    It will be quite an interesting year.  Good luck.

Bill Thorpe was not just my fellow colleague on the Chapel Hill Town Council, he was my friend. He was such a unique and caring person, and never hesitated to say exactly what he thought during our meetings. He and I experienced a campaign together, and got to know each other well during that time and especially right after when he and I went through “new council” orientation (although he was certainly no “new” member!). He said then that he wanted to go through it with me because things had probably changed since he was last on the council, and that didn’t want me to be alone in my endeavors! So Bill and I toured Public Works, Transit, and the Fire Stations with much interest and joviality.

A special memory is during that orientation when Bill and I were showed the “bucket” on a firetruck at the Fire Station on Weaver Dairy Road. We were offered a ride up, and Bill enthusiastically got on in. He had to convince me to get in that thing—-and we both were lifted almost 100 feet into the air and could basically see Raleigh! Given my fear of heights, Bill was the one who kept me very calm and joked along the way…..and he put his every trust in the fireman that stood with us in the bucket, which transferred over to me and made me feel better. Bill had taken his camera with him, and when we got back down, he made sure the fire man took a picture of us in that bucket. I am going to try and post it when I figure out how to do that! It is really a great picture. He had a calm way about him and an excellent sense of humor!

He had told me later that he was glad that “the mayor” had put us sitting next to each other on the council bench. He was not happy that we were not assigned to share the same office, but I assured him that I really wouldn’t spend much time in that office because I preferred to work at home and so it wouldn’t matter. He was okay with that. We had a great time sitting next to each other for those first two years, and unfortunately expressed his dismay to me again after the recent election that our places were moved and we were separated. He and I shared many a miniature conversation while sitting next to each other, and sometimes we didn’t even need to say anything but we would just look at each other when something raised our eyebrows—we both understood and were on the same page. I so much enjoyed his unique perspective and his sense of humor. He could look at things happening before the council in a far broader way than I, and when I would get upset about something, he always provided that sense of experience and perspective that helped me through.

Outside of the council meetings, he wanted to stay in touch. During the first two summer breaks he took the initiative and called me and said we needed to get together. He always picked the Cafe Carolina and Bakery in Meadowmont, and we would try to sit outside. During those lunches he would talk about recent council activities and how he interpreted the current political scene in light of the “council-manager form of government”. He always made me laugh about things with his sense of humor and his interpretations of events. He had a lot to say during those lunches! The last time I went to that Cafe was with him, so it will be hard when I go back there. This past summer, I was out of town a lot, and I hadn’t heard from him. I knew something was up. He was not feeling energetic and was trying to rest given his condition.

While on the council he would occasionally say “that’s the Bill Thorpe way of doing things,” or “that’s Bill Thorpe.” I know exactly what he meant. He would often coach me after a meeting, saying “that was great. You did a great job,” or very discreetly would tell me “maybe next time we should do it this way…”

One of the funnier things I remember about Bill’s statements actually occurred during his last council meeting in June. The council had just been through listening to petitions by a few citizens related to the council’s decisions on public financing, the budget, and the health care issue. Bill was very serious when he said this, but what he said was so true and I laughed about it. He said to the citizens in the audience: “Looks like to me that the political season has already opened up……I’m very busy trying to get Obama elected President of the United States, and I hope you’d hold off till after November, then start the season to run for town council, which starts NEXT year…. I say all that to say we have a lot before us tonight….this is strictly political….let’s wait till after November…..those who are interested in running for town council, let’s get by the election in November until we start….”

Bill called me “Laurie”, not because he didn’t know my name, but because he liked that better for me. I loved it that he called me that. I won’t forget Bill Thorpe. He was a true friend. He showed me the sense of history on the council and the Town, and a bit about life.

Who can help be inundated with reports about the speeches at the Democratic National Convention? I must admit I was pretty excited with the start of the convention. How does the national political scene affect us at home? Plenty.

North Carolina, according to the Obama campaign, is a state that very well could turn Blue in November (no surprise with this statement). Obama has visited here several times, and may indeed come back before November. If he does start to show some strong polling results here in the state before then (if he hasn’t already), he could pull US Senate candidate Kay Hagan right along with him. However, she is indeed holding her own right now against Elizabeth Dole. Having a democratic senator will mean big changes here in NC. Kay has such a large, strong constituency here in the state and she will work hard with every individual in mind, versus working in Washington with George Bush and special interest groups in mind as Dole has done. Dole needs to go on out with Bush, especially since she voted with him most of the time. She also is ranked in the bottom ten of all US Senators in effectiveness. Why on earth would we put her back in Washington for North Carolina? I consider myself a politically aware and engaged citizen (and elected official) and I cannot give you one example of anything she has done to make our lives better here.

Kay will bring positive change and it will be palpable on a local level. I’ve talked with Kay about it and I trust her. She invited me to participate in a conference call that included about ten people: state representatives and national ones, most notably US Senator Claire McCaskill from Missouri. I highlighted some of the issues facing Orange County (as I was designated the conference call “rep” from Orange County) and was able to participate in a very lively conversation about what others are experiencing around the state and how Kay will work to solve the local problems. Sen. McCaskill was there to offer up the more global, senatorial experience and what it would take to get Kay elected here in NC. She is a great supporter of Kay, and also gave a speech at the convention in Denver.

Obama winning the national election is not a given, even though there is much excitement about it. Democratic supporters must work hard here on the grassroots level in NC as they always have to spread the word and encourage people to get out and vote.  This is the most important election of our time.  Change is so desperately needed, locally and nationally.   Please participate in the process and realize the importance of national politics and how it plays a part in our local lives.

Various news media have written not only about the “health care issue” of the town council, but have also reported on the “outcry” from citizens on the 11% tax increase and public financing of campaigns. While the council may have made a mistake on the health care ordinance, it is my opinion we made no mistake on the tax increase or on the public financing of campaigns.

It should also be noted that the council unanimously passed this budget. The voters in 2003 approved a bond referendum for the aquatics center and parks, and we had to build and move to a huge town operations center (we had no choice.) For the past three of the past five years it has been remarkable that we have had no tax increase, given that the these projects were well underway or near completion. We’ve even been able to maintain our AAA bond rating throughout all of these projects. But now, unfortunately, we have to pay for these. The voters made a choice in 2003, and now we have to make those payments on the debt. I believe this was the worst year for a tax increase, and our budgets should improve in the next several years. The voters essentially put some nice things on the credit card, and now the payments are due. I believe these projects will make the Town a better place.

As far as public financing of campaigns, the argument that this keeps incumbents in their seats is weak and unfounded. If anything, it opens doors to many more people to run for office. We will have to see how this goes. It is a pilot project for a city in North Carolina, and I’m proud Chapel Hill is the first.

I am really interested in the fact that the health care issue brought out both town council supporters and non-supporters to speak against a decision. That is fine! Not everyone is going to agree. The issue brought out both Republicans and Democrats. Municipal decisions are not partisan, but it is always interesting to take note of the background of those that speak to such issues as tax increases. An interesting fact is that some of those that have been the most outspoken, and continue to criticize and continue to threaten to put out petitions on other items other than health care, and continue to complain, are Republicans. It is just an interesting fact.

And as people continue to complain, I understand they are in part due to frustration with regional and national issues like gas prices and the price of private health care, etc. all compounded with the local issues. Even after the council rescinded the health care vote, a recent complaint has been: “Those council members are flip-floppers”. I guess those that complain that the council flip flopped on the health care issue should rather the ordinance stay the way it was.

Ironically, the lone initial vote and the most ardent opponent to the health care ordinance will have to quit receiving this health care benefit the Town is currently paying for him, citing “now is not the time for the council to be spending money on itself” .  It should be noted that not all council members actually receive the health care benefit.    Perhaps we should study this health care benefit issue further in the future. Instead of the Town paying for the benefit, perhaps a council member leaving after 2 terms would have the option of paying the total cost for the same insurance themselves…that way they avoid having to change health insurance companies and risk not getting insurance if they have a preexisting condition. However, I never want to bring back up the issue of the Town paying for continued coverage after 2 terms, at any percentage.

Call me cynical, but I think this issue has been completely overblown….the fire was indeed started but I think it is continuing to be fueled by a group of individuals who would love nothing more than to “stick it” to the council and pave the way for their candidates next year to run.

It just makes me want to run more.