Chatham Chatlist Highlights

Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 05:10:49 -0800 (PST)
From: Meg Miller
Subject: BOE has tough job

Reading the list of cuts the BOE will have to make this year is tough.  Please remember it’s tougher for them. We have all had to make changes to our lifestyles and do without, some more than others and that is not different with CCS. Jobs will be lost and that’s a hard choice these board members will make.

[Read more →]

Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 07:57:17 -0500
From: Backwater Environmental
Subject: General Store

My experience with the General Store over the years has been almost exclusively with fund raising functions for local charities and non-profits in Pittsboro.  They have brought thousands to these services over the years. This service to the community alone places the General Store above all others in my book.

Wes Newell

[Read more →]

Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 20:11:07 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
From: Mia Munn
Subject: School budget cuts for 2010-11

The school system needs to find $2,624,604 in budget cuts/savings for the 2010-11 school year. The board tentatively selected the scenario below, but may tweak it some at the meeting next week.

[Read more →]

Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 15:10:46 -0500
From: Lesley Landis
Subject: Best of 2009 – Thank you!

The Chatham County Arts Council Gallery (a.k.a. ChathamArts Gallery) is very grateful to those Chatham Chatlist readers who voted us as the “Best Place to See Local Art”. To be recognized for this honor among so many possible contenders including honorable mention award-winners NC Arts Incubator, Pittsboro General Store Cafe, Carolina Brewery, and
the Raleigh Street Gallery is an honor and a privilege.

[Read more →]

Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 15:07:55 -0500
From: Mary Donna Pond
Subject: Hygiene Kits for Disaster Assistance

In light of the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church will join churches across America to create Gift of the Heart hygiene kits.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, an emergency and refugee program of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., is working with Church World Service to provide these needed essentials. Kits are kept on hand to enable quick movement of the supplies in the wake of a national or international crisis.  Current supplies have been depleted. The national group creates baby, cleaning and school supplies kits as well.

[Read more →]

Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 13:35:18 -0500
From: Marissa Jelks
Subject: Health Department Offers Free Smoking Classes

The Chatham County Public Health Department is offering a free four week smoking cessation class starting in March.

The dates are: Tuesday nights, 6-7:30 pm, March 16th to April 6th at Mina Beana’s Café in downtown Siler City

On January 2nd, restaurants and bars went smoke free in North Carolina. If you want to be smoke free, come and get the support you need to successfully quit!

For more information or to register, please call  Kelly Evans at 919-545-8519 or email kelly.evans@chathamnc.org.

[Read more →]

Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 09:51:13 EST
From: JOHNSMD
Subject: Seagulls on Jordan Lake

At least one reason the gulls come is to feed on the Threadfin Shad. These little fish can’t survive cold water, and can be seen just below the surface, obviously in trouble, or already dead. The gulls don’t have to work very hard to have a feast. The water temperature has been very low for quite a while this winter, and business must be good. A look at Wikepedia will fill you in on these fish.

John Shillito MD

[Read more →]

Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 08:37:37 -0500
From: Tom Glendinning
Subject: Survey of Chatham Taxpayers

Request to participate in a survey of Chatham County taxpayers:

Since 2005, Chatham County spending has increased by 63 %, from $ 49 million to $ 80 Million.  This survey asks what you think is proper and right about
this trend.  It also asks how you rate services among the departments.

The survey is a query to determine the opinions of Chatham citizens on the quality of government and the relevance of this trend in these economic times.  Many lost fifty percent of their portfolio strength in 2008-9, lost jobs, suffered foreclosures, lost home value below recent appraisal levels, and can not borrow or refinance with current banking practices.

[Read more →]

Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 21:51:26 -0500
From: Victor D’Amato
Subject: Re: Chatham Tax Survey

My pleasure, Steve.

A survey is (supposed to be) a scientific instrument – a tool to
collect non-biased, statistically sound data.  For the results to mean
anything, the administrator of the survey needs to ensure that the
population of respondents is representative of the population of
interest (in the case, presumably the populous of Chatham County) and
that the instrument itself (the questions) does not introduce bias.
It doesn’t appear that any attempt has been made to properly
administer this particular survey.  The results, therefore, will be
completely worthless – i.e., junk science.

[Read more →]

Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 16:42:22 -0500
From: Rita Marley-McKenzie
Subject: response to Steve Candelori’s post

Steve, I too felt the survey was unscientific with its pre-question “narrative” post on the chatlist and leading questions. It would have been much improved with a neutral party creating the questions in an un-biased way. There really was no way to quantify the data collected. For example, who is to say what “sacrifices” I am making versus the “sacrifices” my neighbor is making? What bearing does that have on government spending? When the economy is in a slump, that is the time that more government services are utilized by its citizens, increasing the burden on government spending. It stands to reason that the government will need to spend more money during these hard economic times in order to support the citizens until they can get back on their feet. This survey makes it sound as if it is a bad thing when it is not.

[Read more →]