Archive for the ‘Government’ Category
August 19th, 2010
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The response to this morning’s Twitter takeover has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, Jeff Atkinson just stopped by our new office at Area Fifteen to interview Desiree Kane about what all happened, and what happens next.
Look for a mention of today’s #CLT2012 #DNC10 takeover on WBTV tonight, and on their website shortly thereafter. We’ll update this post with a link to the article/video when it’s available.
For ongoing DNC info, head over to cltblog.com/dnc.
Update
- New 96-gallon green bins collected once every other week
- Which week are you? Check this handy map produced by The Observer to see if you’re in an orange or green pickup zone (or search your address on GeoPortal, then refer to the calendar above
- Which day are you? Check out this PDF map of zones
- No sorting needed, new green bins accept everything recyclable
- New items can be recycled now, including aerosol cans, milk and juice boxes and cartons, and plastic #7. View this PDF guide for more info.
- Old red bins can be used to collect recyclables inside your house, or you can return them by placing them inside the green bins on pickup day
- If you don’t want to use the new green bins, call 311 and arrange for a pickup
- visit recycleit.charlottenc.gov for more information
watch this video in HD on YouTube
We’re wrapping up our series on the Mecklenburg County budget with County Commissioner Jennifer Roberts. Questions indexed below for easy reference.
- Just last week, you and the Board of Commissioners approved the final Mecklenburg County budget for the 2011 fiscal year. How do you feel now? (0:19)
- How do you deal with the pressure? (0:57)
- These are important decisions, but a lot of people aren’t engaged. That is, unless they’re part of an organization receiving big cuts. What’s wrong with the process? Why aren’t more people involved in the public debate? (3:26)
- You just got back from Boston on this year’s Inner City Visit. How was that? (6:07)
- Boston Mayor Tom Menino made a point to offer his assistance in bringing the 2012 Democratic National Convention to Charlotte. Are you involved in this process? What are city and county doing to bring this to Charlotte (9:56)
- The Board of County Commissioners managed to to lessen the blow of cuts by almost
$11.5 million$14 million compared to the recommendations given by County Manager Harry Jones. How is this possible? Where does this money come from? (10:55) - The libraries alone received $3.5 million less in cuts than recommended. But even that still leaves a $10 million dollar cut. A lot of people are asking how the county can justify taking so much money away from libraries, but I want to play dumb for a second: why are libraries important? (14:48)
- Some people might be surprised to find that it’s not all cuts across the board. Why are any programs at all seeing increases in funding from last year? (16:52)
- Let’s talk about city and county consolidation. I know this is a topic you and Mayor Foxx are particularly interested in. What are your feelings about this idea? (21:38)
- How does the board get along? Can politics get in the way of effective decision making? How do you manage this? (28:19)
- What role has media coverage of the budget played in your decision making? Do you feel coverage has been fair or too sensational? (32:08)
- Who can people talk to with questions about county operations? (34:50)
- What are we looking at next year? Do we have more cuts in store? (36:47)
Posted in City, Development, Economy, Feature, Government, Infrastructure, Mecklenburg County
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We’ll be interviewing Jennifer Roberts, Chair of the Board of County Commissioners, today at 5:30pm, about the county budget.
You can follow our live-tweets of the interview with the hashtag #meckbudget.
Last Tuesday, the board approved a budget of $1.35 billion for 2011. Their $71 million in cuts, is actually $9 million less than County Manager Harry Jones put forth in his recommendation.
“This budget is the most difficult one I have faced in my 3 terms as a County Commissioner. (…)
It is a budget that has been very painful to discuss, when we feel that most of our choices are not really choices but rather attempts to do the least harm.”
Jennifer Roberts, at DavidsonNews.net
What should we talk about with Jennifer Roberts today? What questions should we ask?
Leave your thoughts in the comments, or over on Google Moderator.
We’ll be interviewing Jennifer Roberts, Chair of the Board of County Commissioners, today at 5:30pm, about the county budget.
You can follow our live-tweets of the interview with the hashtag #meckbudget.
Last Tuesday, the board approved a budget of $1.35 billion for 2011. Their $71 million in cuts, is actually $9 million less than County Manager Harry Jones put forth in his recommendation.
“This budget is the most difficult one I have faced in my 3 terms as a County Commissioner. (…)
It is a budget that has been very painful to discuss, when we feel that most of our choices are not really choices but rather attempts to do the least harm.”
Jennifer Roberts, at DavidsonNews.net
What should we talk about with Jennifer Roberts today? What questions should we ask?
Leave your thoughts in the comments, or over on Google Moderator.
Why yes!
The Charlotte Geeks (@cltgeeks) have produced a few PSAs to help support Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (@cmlibrary) in their time of reduced funding. Why ‘Zombies for Libraries’? Because “libraries feed brains and brains feed zombies – so zombies love libraries!”
Check out this post on SaveLibraries.org for more Zombies for Libraries videos. Then when you are done, visit cmlibrary.org to learn more about how you can assist and feed the zombies!
Posted in Charity, City, Feature, Fundraising, Government, Mecklenburg County, Outreach, education
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Comments Closed
Why yes!
The Charlotte Geeks (@cltgeeks) have produced a few PSAs to help support Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (@cmlibrary) in their time of reduced funding. Why ‘Zombies for Libraries’? Because “libraries feed brains and brains feed zombies – so zombies love libraries!”
Check out this post on SaveLibraries.org for more Zombies for Libraries videos. Then when you are done, visit cmlibrary.org to learn more about how you can assist and feed the zombies!
Posted in Charity, City, Feature, Fundraising, Government, Mecklenburg County, Outreach, education
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Comments Closed
photo: James Willamor
The official word is that she passed away at 6:25 Wednesday morning, with her family by her side.
Her son, Dr. Jason Burgess, began his first day filling her place on the City Council yesterday.
“Former Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Susan Burgess died Wednesday morning after a three-year battle with cancer.
Burgess, 64, is survived by her husband, Patrick Burgess, four children and six grandchildren. One of her children, Dr. Jason Burgess, a vascular surgeon, was approved by council Monday night to fill her unexpired term.
The funeral will be Saturday.”
Read more at the Charlotte Business Journal.
Other links from this morning’s sad news:
- Longtime City Council member Susan Burgess dies (Charlotte Observer)
- Susan Burgess never slowed down (Jim Morrill, Charlotte Observer)
- ‘I’m going to give it my all,’ In his first day as city council member, Jason Burgess meets with mayor, city manager (Jim Morrill, Charlotte Observer)
photo: James Willamor
The official word is that she passed away at 6:25 Wednesday morning, with her family by her side.
Her son, Dr. Jason Burgess, began his first day filling her place on the City Council yesterday.
“Former Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Susan Burgess died Wednesday morning after a three-year battle with cancer.
Burgess, 64, is survived by her husband, Patrick Burgess, four children and six grandchildren. One of her children, Dr. Jason Burgess, a vascular surgeon, was approved by council Monday night to fill her unexpired term.
The funeral will be Saturday.”
Read more at the Charlotte Business Journal.
Other links from this morning’s sad news:
- Longtime City Council member Susan Burgess dies (Charlotte Observer)
- Susan Burgess never slowed down (Jim Morrill, Charlotte Observer)
- ‘I’m going to give it my all,’ In his first day as city council member, Jason Burgess meets with mayor, city manager (Jim Morrill, Charlotte Observer)
image credit: The AARoads Blog
“Gov. Bev Perdue made it official Thursday morning, signing a contract with Blythe Construction Inc. to finish the I-485 beltway.
Perdue, standing in front of a backhoe and a dump truck at the local offices of the state transportation department, called the controversial design-build-finance plan ‘a new chapter’ in how North Carolina handles its overwhelming roads and highway needs. The funding plan allows the state to stretch its payments over five-and-a-half years even though the work will be completed in four-and-a-half years.
“
Read more by Erik Spanberg at Queen City Agenda (a Charlotte Business Journal blog).