Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2015 07:12:54 -0400
From: Heather Johnson
Subject: Clarification regarding V Penleys post
I have been an active participant in the process you are referring to as the Downtown Vision Plan. I never claimed any credit at all, rather that I have been a part of the process along with my fellow downtown business owners and residents. We have had the opportunity to weigh in on likes, desires, and planning for our Historic Downtown District. To be clear many dedicated folks have been meeting for years about improving downtown through the Main Street Program – I have never been a part of that program and never claimed to be. I am so thankful to the good folks in Main Street who laid the groundwork we needed to get the Streetscapes program going.
Here is the post to which you refer:
I am referring in this post to the materials that Casey Mann is distributing. my associates who have participated in the Streetscapes Downtown Vision Plan development are puzzled that she would distribute a sampling of the work that is not complete. It is still in the planning stages and nothing has been approved at this point. Some residents are upset about materials that Ms Mann is distributing. Even at the Town Board meeting last week a sitting commissioner talked about the upset people he has heard from – people upset about losing parking to the plan that Ms Mann is distributing and I had the opportunity to clarify that it is an incomplete plan. So yes, I think it is prudent to let people know not to worry.
Ms Mann’s personal Facebook Page says she moved here in February. It is understandable that when she’s only been here a few months, some information will get mixed up.
Ms Penley is with Casey Mann at every meeting I have attended. She is with her as she canvasses. There is a close association there. Ms Mann has made the Downtown Vision Plan a campaign talking point, but the information being distributed by Ms Penley and Mann is not accurate and I stand by that.
From: virginia penley
Subject: Some Clarification about Heather Johnson
Heather Johnson is placing erroneous information on her website and
Facebook page concerning her involvement in the Pittsboro Downtown Vision
Plan that was presented to the Town of Pittsboro in June of 2014.
Pittsboro Roadhouse proprietor, Gregg Lewis, along with other local
leaders helped to arrange the first meetings with the Pittsboro Business
Association and Chatham Park early in 2014 to discuss securing the funds to
ensure the approval of the Pittsboro Downtown Vision Plan, which needed
participation from the NCDOT and the Town of Pittsboro.
General Tata came to a large meeting in Pittsboro after those initial
meetings and where he committed to finding some of the funds to implement a
downtown plan.
This was likely the first meeting Ms. Johnson attended concerning the plan.
Chatham Park committed to fund the design at this meeting for NCDOT to
utilize and the design which was later presented to the Town for approval.
Although Ms. Johnson should be commended for supporting an excellent
Downtown Pittsboro Vision Plan, Ms. Johnson does not get credit nor can
she imply credit for an outcome that has proven popular, but did not
involve her in the initial meetings, the planning stages, or the approval
by the appropriate authorities.
—
Heather Johnson
919-444-1186