High Speed Rail Issues in Franklinton
So what’s the big deal about this High Speed Rail? I imagine that’s what a lot of folks outside of the Town of Franklinton are wondering…especially after seeing the story on WRAL that showed little or no traffic running through the Mason/Main Street intersection. Well…a couple of commissioners and I have been around that intersection several times in the evening over the past couple of months…and guess what? THERE’S A TON OF TRAFFIC! There was actually a LINE on West Mason Street turning south onto Main Street! Who knew?
Why was this such a big deal to me? Because I knew that if I was upset about it, you might be too. I’m fairly certain that none of the citizens of Franklinton want to see the east side of town several limited in their ability to get to the west side of town. I also know that closing off entire communities and neighborhoods, as would have occurred with the closure of both College and Hawkins Streets. To me, these things are simply unacceptable. I felt the need to express these thoughts – after all…I figured that’s what I was supposed to do!
In May 2008, I met with representatives from the NC DOT Rail Division, one of whom is our own Jimmy Harris. It was a GREAT meeting, and we had a wonderful time examining the possibilities of safely rerouting traffic while ensuring the safety of railroad crossings. I’m looking quite forward to speaking with Mr. David Foster of the Rail Division again regarding this. I’ll keep you posted!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Inaugural Ball
So, forgive me for taking so long to get this posted! I got home the night of the Inaugural Ball after 1am, and then had to hop up the next morning and head out so I could make it to my friend's house and get my car, drive back into the District, and go to the NEA's Martin Luther King service, and then drive home. Then...I came down with pneumonia. Yeah. No fun. But...the plus? I went to the Southern Inaugural Ball!
I attended with my friends and colleagues Nancy, Susan (who I still owe money to) and Dawn. We had a great time, but it was kinda boring. It became fastly apparent that such events are really for the politically connected and those who worked on the campaign. And here I thought it was a big party for those folks in town who could afford the ticket. The dancing wasn't great (you know I'm a dancer) because they alternated between a band and a DJ...neither of which were particularly jamming. (I wish we'd done the Mid-Atlantic Ball instead...because I could have met WAY more celebrities! Oh well.)
We did get to say hi to Speaker of the House (NC) Joe Hackney and his wife. They were very nice. Then we took our official Inaugural Ball portrait, which, to be honest...not worth the money. Then...the big ticket came. The band cleared out, and the Army Band came in...and soon, they were playing the Vice President's song. Then came in Joe Biden and his wife, Jill! YAY! He was eloquent, powerful, and most importantly...succinct. He danced with his wife, and they sashayed offstage. A few moments later, the band broke into Hail to the Chief, and in walked President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Wow! Michelle looked wonderful, she was so beautiful, and her dress was wonderful. Barack wore a tux. (He gave me pneumonia, so I'm not that thrilled with him in hindsight. ;)) He spoke to the crowd, everyone cheered him, and then he said, "And now, I wanna dance with the one who brung me." He walked over to Michelle, and they danced to their song - which, oddly enough, is MY song! (It's 'At Last,' which is also the first song Ed and I ever danced to.) It was lovely.
The next morning, I got up, took the Metro into Silver Spring, and then walked a couple of miles up to my friend Jennifer's house and drove back into DC to attend the NEA event, which was phenomenal. Then...I drove home. Now that was a drive. It took about two hours to get to Fredericksburg where I spent Saturday night - which normally is a 45 minute drive. Once I got there, it was easy peasy, and I slid on down the road. I got home around 8:30, and man...everybody at my house was happy to see me. LOL The dogs barked, the cats wound around my feet, and everybody slept in the bedroom that night. Even Sprite - who doesn't like people and feels that she's polite by letting me stay in her house!
So...that's my Inaugural adventure...and thank goodness I had it at 31...because I don't know that I'll be having another one!
I attended with my friends and colleagues Nancy, Susan (who I still owe money to) and Dawn. We had a great time, but it was kinda boring. It became fastly apparent that such events are really for the politically connected and those who worked on the campaign. And here I thought it was a big party for those folks in town who could afford the ticket. The dancing wasn't great (you know I'm a dancer) because they alternated between a band and a DJ...neither of which were particularly jamming. (I wish we'd done the Mid-Atlantic Ball instead...because I could have met WAY more celebrities! Oh well.)
We did get to say hi to Speaker of the House (NC) Joe Hackney and his wife. They were very nice. Then we took our official Inaugural Ball portrait, which, to be honest...not worth the money. Then...the big ticket came. The band cleared out, and the Army Band came in...and soon, they were playing the Vice President's song. Then came in Joe Biden and his wife, Jill! YAY! He was eloquent, powerful, and most importantly...succinct. He danced with his wife, and they sashayed offstage. A few moments later, the band broke into Hail to the Chief, and in walked President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Wow! Michelle looked wonderful, she was so beautiful, and her dress was wonderful. Barack wore a tux. (He gave me pneumonia, so I'm not that thrilled with him in hindsight. ;)) He spoke to the crowd, everyone cheered him, and then he said, "And now, I wanna dance with the one who brung me." He walked over to Michelle, and they danced to their song - which, oddly enough, is MY song! (It's 'At Last,' which is also the first song Ed and I ever danced to.) It was lovely.
The next morning, I got up, took the Metro into Silver Spring, and then walked a couple of miles up to my friend Jennifer's house and drove back into DC to attend the NEA event, which was phenomenal. Then...I drove home. Now that was a drive. It took about two hours to get to Fredericksburg where I spent Saturday night - which normally is a 45 minute drive. Once I got there, it was easy peasy, and I slid on down the road. I got home around 8:30, and man...everybody at my house was happy to see me. LOL The dogs barked, the cats wound around my feet, and everybody slept in the bedroom that night. Even Sprite - who doesn't like people and feels that she's polite by letting me stay in her house!
So...that's my Inaugural adventure...and thank goodness I had it at 31...because I don't know that I'll be having another one!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Happy Snow Day!
While I've been in DC, it turns out Franklinton got SOCKED by a snowstorm. (Who's surprised? The weather I love while I'm not even there.) I'm pretty happy for our Public Works Director, Raymond Bragg, though. He finally got to use that snow plow! That's some excitement around town!
Wish me luck as I drive back tomorrow evening!
Wish me luck as I drive back tomorrow evening!
Inauguration Day
WOW. I think that about covers it.
HA! What'd you think, I was done? MY WORD, I have too much to say! The morning started out at 6:00, when my friends woke up and started getting ready. I got up and got dressed. I discovered later, I should have worn more clothes. I had on a t-shirt, a button down, thermals, pants, and a big coat...and a scarf. I needed at least one other layer. My nifty hand warmers came in handy though! (Thanks to Mitchell Hardware - I'm glad you guys carry those!)
Jennifer (my colleague at NEA) and I set out from the Westin and started rolling down the street. We got down to NPR and picked up her friend Jody, and kept walking. We walked down the 395 tunnel. Jennifer and Jody are longtime locals, and both kept commenting about how weird it was, and how unprecedented this crowd was. Jody said he hadn't seen anything like it since the Bicentennial. I just wanted to sit down. (I'm fat and lazy, so the 4 mile walk wasn't in my plan.) We emerged from the tunnel, and kept walking, and finally managed to find out where the Silver ticket line was. This, apparently, was the big ticket - several thousand were given away. We fortunately got in a relatively short line...with only about 8,000 people in front of us. (A crowd estimate...)
It took us FOREVER to get moving. Once we got close to the gate, we got stopped...by horses. Then, it became a sardine can. I literally just got moved. I didn't do much walking, and the people around me propped me up. I made a lot of new friends. Most of them became friends because they were in very close proximity and got to know me far better than they likely ever wanted to. (Except the one woman who kept feeling me up...that was a little unnerving.) Finally, we got to the front of the gate line...and then we realized it was true pandemonium. The police lost control. They just got out of the way, and we snuck around the side of the gate, and walked right in like we owned the place. That's when Jennifer, Jody and I got separated. They went right when I went left. Glad I did, because that's how I managed to get into the Mall. Apparently, they let a HIGH number of non-ticketed folks into the Silver ticket gate area. Those folks just stood, and thus prevented those with tickets from being able to proceed to our area. I ducked and dived and flowed, climbed two barricades, and made my way to the Silver checkpoint. They frisked me (that was fun) and sent me in...and literally, just as Michelle Obama and Jill Biden arrived, I got close to a jumbotron...blocked by trees.
I didn't really care. I could see, in the distance, the Capitol, where my next President and Vice President were walking in. I stood just beside the Museum of the American Indian. I watched on the jumbotron as the First and Second Lady to be walked out to enormous cheers. I watched as the President walked out, and was historically and LOUDLY booed. Had it been a performance, he would have had to leave the stage. I was AMAZED. I've never seen anything like it. It bordered on disrespectful. Regardless of what's been, the man was still the President, and it was an Inauguration. Ceremonially, he was to be there, and had a role. I was a little surprised. And then it happened again, and again.
Then, Joe Biden walked in and the crowed went wild. Then Dick Cheney was rolled in...and the crowd again booed. Loudly. And then...the moment happened. The President Elect walked out and the nearly 3 million people on the Mall with me went wild, waving flags, screaming, and taking photos. We listened as Dianne Feinstein welcomed the participants and public; we listened as Justice Stevens swore in Vice President Biden, and we cheered. Then we listened to some of the most beautiful and soothing music ever...which wasn't a good idea given we were all sleepy. After it was done...Justice Roberts walked down, and welcomed the new President, who then swore his oath (with a slight abberation, thanks to Justice Roberts). It was wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. When President Obama turned to wave to the crowd, everyone went hoarse. We cheered. We cried. I cried. I couldn't believe it. The moment we had all been so excited about for two and half months had finally came true. It was amazing.
Once it was done, we all started to move. I missed the poet. Alas, I needed to start moving, because I had a ticket to the parade! A nice blue ticket! And then I gave up the ghost. I started walking. There was NO WAY in the WORLD I was going to be able to get on the Metro. The Federal Triangle Metro station was closed. Thousands were there waiting. So I set out walking...across 395, behind the Capitol, up New Jersey SE, down, down, down, all the way to Union Station. That's when I got the call from my new friend Chad Flowers over at WRAL. He wanted to know if I could come by for an interview!
It took me a second, but I finally made it down to the building they were in for an interview with David Crabtree, one of the best anchors on local news and the main reason I listen to Bill and Sheri in the Morning on WRAL-FM. Chad met me down on the bottom floor to take me up. This building was where all the networks and local tv stations were headquartered. Chad took me up on the roof, and we passed several local tv stations, even passing BET Networks! As we exited the elevator, Chad says, "Hey Debbie!" I looked to the right - and it was Deborah Norville! (I liked her on Today, even though there was drama.)
We went up, and after David did the live feed for the noon news, he interviewed me. It was nice. I wore my Elon toboggon, so I got to give a shout out to my alma mater, which was crucial! David was very nice, and he even called me Mayor! (Chad was unaware that I was the mayor of Franklinton...so when he asked me where I live, I told him. He said he thought I lived in Raleigh, and I said, "Chad, you kind of have to live in a place to be mayor." Even cold and tired, I try to be witty.) After that, Chad was nice enough to introduce me to Deborah Norville (and I got a picture!). I hung out there for awhile, and then started the trek back. The LOOOOONG trek back. I walked from Union Station back to my hotel at 14th and M. That took me through several tent cities.
What were the tent cities you ask? Literally HUNDREDS of street vendors. It was like Frankenfest and Mistletoe Market merged, multiplied and threw up. I did buy a couple of things, but so much of it wasn't that great in my opinion...it didn't look quality 'Obama' to me. (I'm a paraphenalia snob...) I came back to the hotel and found out about Senator Kennedy, which was a bit of a jolt. After that, I came back up to the room and hung out with the crowd here and watched the parade. I felt like I had much better seats here than I could have gotten fighting my way down to F and 14th where I would have entered. YAY FOR WARMTH AND TV!
Now? I'm off to get ready for the Southern Inaugural Ball. I think if I ever run for office again I want a 21 gun salute with cannons. (Don't know where we'd find them in Franklinton, so I may have to just be happy with my dad and his friends and their 21 guns...) Okay, I'm off! Catch ya later!
HA! What'd you think, I was done? MY WORD, I have too much to say! The morning started out at 6:00, when my friends woke up and started getting ready. I got up and got dressed. I discovered later, I should have worn more clothes. I had on a t-shirt, a button down, thermals, pants, and a big coat...and a scarf. I needed at least one other layer. My nifty hand warmers came in handy though! (Thanks to Mitchell Hardware - I'm glad you guys carry those!)
Jennifer (my colleague at NEA) and I set out from the Westin and started rolling down the street. We got down to NPR and picked up her friend Jody, and kept walking. We walked down the 395 tunnel. Jennifer and Jody are longtime locals, and both kept commenting about how weird it was, and how unprecedented this crowd was. Jody said he hadn't seen anything like it since the Bicentennial. I just wanted to sit down. (I'm fat and lazy, so the 4 mile walk wasn't in my plan.) We emerged from the tunnel, and kept walking, and finally managed to find out where the Silver ticket line was. This, apparently, was the big ticket - several thousand were given away. We fortunately got in a relatively short line...with only about 8,000 people in front of us. (A crowd estimate...)
It took us FOREVER to get moving. Once we got close to the gate, we got stopped...by horses. Then, it became a sardine can. I literally just got moved. I didn't do much walking, and the people around me propped me up. I made a lot of new friends. Most of them became friends because they were in very close proximity and got to know me far better than they likely ever wanted to. (Except the one woman who kept feeling me up...that was a little unnerving.) Finally, we got to the front of the gate line...and then we realized it was true pandemonium. The police lost control. They just got out of the way, and we snuck around the side of the gate, and walked right in like we owned the place. That's when Jennifer, Jody and I got separated. They went right when I went left. Glad I did, because that's how I managed to get into the Mall. Apparently, they let a HIGH number of non-ticketed folks into the Silver ticket gate area. Those folks just stood, and thus prevented those with tickets from being able to proceed to our area. I ducked and dived and flowed, climbed two barricades, and made my way to the Silver checkpoint. They frisked me (that was fun) and sent me in...and literally, just as Michelle Obama and Jill Biden arrived, I got close to a jumbotron...blocked by trees.
I didn't really care. I could see, in the distance, the Capitol, where my next President and Vice President were walking in. I stood just beside the Museum of the American Indian. I watched on the jumbotron as the First and Second Lady to be walked out to enormous cheers. I watched as the President walked out, and was historically and LOUDLY booed. Had it been a performance, he would have had to leave the stage. I was AMAZED. I've never seen anything like it. It bordered on disrespectful. Regardless of what's been, the man was still the President, and it was an Inauguration. Ceremonially, he was to be there, and had a role. I was a little surprised. And then it happened again, and again.
Then, Joe Biden walked in and the crowed went wild. Then Dick Cheney was rolled in...and the crowd again booed. Loudly. And then...the moment happened. The President Elect walked out and the nearly 3 million people on the Mall with me went wild, waving flags, screaming, and taking photos. We listened as Dianne Feinstein welcomed the participants and public; we listened as Justice Stevens swore in Vice President Biden, and we cheered. Then we listened to some of the most beautiful and soothing music ever...which wasn't a good idea given we were all sleepy. After it was done...Justice Roberts walked down, and welcomed the new President, who then swore his oath (with a slight abberation, thanks to Justice Roberts). It was wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. When President Obama turned to wave to the crowd, everyone went hoarse. We cheered. We cried. I cried. I couldn't believe it. The moment we had all been so excited about for two and half months had finally came true. It was amazing.
Once it was done, we all started to move. I missed the poet. Alas, I needed to start moving, because I had a ticket to the parade! A nice blue ticket! And then I gave up the ghost. I started walking. There was NO WAY in the WORLD I was going to be able to get on the Metro. The Federal Triangle Metro station was closed. Thousands were there waiting. So I set out walking...across 395, behind the Capitol, up New Jersey SE, down, down, down, all the way to Union Station. That's when I got the call from my new friend Chad Flowers over at WRAL. He wanted to know if I could come by for an interview!
It took me a second, but I finally made it down to the building they were in for an interview with David Crabtree, one of the best anchors on local news and the main reason I listen to Bill and Sheri in the Morning on WRAL-FM. Chad met me down on the bottom floor to take me up. This building was where all the networks and local tv stations were headquartered. Chad took me up on the roof, and we passed several local tv stations, even passing BET Networks! As we exited the elevator, Chad says, "Hey Debbie!" I looked to the right - and it was Deborah Norville! (I liked her on Today, even though there was drama.)
We went up, and after David did the live feed for the noon news, he interviewed me. It was nice. I wore my Elon toboggon, so I got to give a shout out to my alma mater, which was crucial! David was very nice, and he even called me Mayor! (Chad was unaware that I was the mayor of Franklinton...so when he asked me where I live, I told him. He said he thought I lived in Raleigh, and I said, "Chad, you kind of have to live in a place to be mayor." Even cold and tired, I try to be witty.) After that, Chad was nice enough to introduce me to Deborah Norville (and I got a picture!). I hung out there for awhile, and then started the trek back. The LOOOOONG trek back. I walked from Union Station back to my hotel at 14th and M. That took me through several tent cities.
What were the tent cities you ask? Literally HUNDREDS of street vendors. It was like Frankenfest and Mistletoe Market merged, multiplied and threw up. I did buy a couple of things, but so much of it wasn't that great in my opinion...it didn't look quality 'Obama' to me. (I'm a paraphenalia snob...) I came back to the hotel and found out about Senator Kennedy, which was a bit of a jolt. After that, I came back up to the room and hung out with the crowd here and watched the parade. I felt like I had much better seats here than I could have gotten fighting my way down to F and 14th where I would have entered. YAY FOR WARMTH AND TV!
Now? I'm off to get ready for the Southern Inaugural Ball. I think if I ever run for office again I want a 21 gun salute with cannons. (Don't know where we'd find them in Franklinton, so I may have to just be happy with my dad and his friends and their 21 guns...) Okay, I'm off! Catch ya later!
Monday, January 19, 2009
So I'm in DC...
As many folks know by now, I'm in DC for the inauguration. I'm REALLY excited to be here! (Of course, part of that is that DC is one of my FAVORITE places on Earth.) Part of me wishes that I'd known before Tuesday that I was going to be able to make it (and that I had tickets for the standing area) and part of me is just grateful that I'm here in the first place. I have several friends in the area and colleagues that are up for the event. I'm a little jealous of some of them!
I started the drive up on Saturday, and stayed in Fredericksburg, VA. Getting up here was no problem...everybody and their mother told me about how it was going to be traffic, traffic, traffic...and it took me less time than it normally does, and I didn't even speed. (That much.) I got into the District around 11:00, and to my friend Jennifer's house (she works at the NEA, and is a colleague of mine) about half an hour later. Thanks to Jennifer, I have a place to stay inside the District, which is AWESOME. (As opposed to having to stay outside, and train my way in tomorrow...which would be grueling...)
Once I got settled into the hotel room yesterday, my friend Susan and I went down to the Washington Monument for the Inaugural Concert. We both wished that we'd gone earlier! We got there for the last 45 minutes or so. But let me tell you - singing 'This Land is Your Land" with 600,000 people is one amazing experience! It was awesome! Everybody was cordial, people held the chains for other people to go over or under...it was just amazing. (This, as opposed to what I'm used to - 'Get out of the way!')
After that, we came back to the hotel, and went over to the NEA Building for the reception there. Because I'm no longer a classroom teacher (and therefore an active fulltime member), I didn't know very many folks...so...it wasn't the greatest, but I had great food (and GREAT chocolate covered strawberries!). I came on back after about an hour, and had dinner. I didn't really have anything to do or anybody to do it with, so I just kinda stayed in the room. (Sad, I know. I was disappointed in myself. As many friends as I have in this area, and I didn't have contact info for about half of them. The ones I called were all busy.)
This morning turned out different, though. I was up and at 'em by 9:00. I went down to the Mall, and walked around. That's when I got on MSNBC! It ROCKED! Of course, nobody I sent a text message to was able to get themselves to a tv, so I don't know that anybody I know saw it, but I saw myself on the monitor! It rocked! And Morning Joe is actually a nice guy...
I wandered down to the Capitol, where the stage is ready and set. There were hundreds of people down there. I met a nice family from Bethesda who came in for the day to let their children (5 and 7) see it. The older one was all into it...the younger one was crying because she was bored. I can understand that.
I got lots of pictures of the Capitol. It's amazing! Tomorrow, I'll be standing about 1000 feet away, but I'll have a jumbotron to look at, which will make it just as good as being in the orange section. :) I need no seat. I just need to be able to be there while the candidate I voted for and supported makes history. I cannot wait.
I started the drive up on Saturday, and stayed in Fredericksburg, VA. Getting up here was no problem...everybody and their mother told me about how it was going to be traffic, traffic, traffic...and it took me less time than it normally does, and I didn't even speed. (That much.) I got into the District around 11:00, and to my friend Jennifer's house (she works at the NEA, and is a colleague of mine) about half an hour later. Thanks to Jennifer, I have a place to stay inside the District, which is AWESOME. (As opposed to having to stay outside, and train my way in tomorrow...which would be grueling...)
Once I got settled into the hotel room yesterday, my friend Susan and I went down to the Washington Monument for the Inaugural Concert. We both wished that we'd gone earlier! We got there for the last 45 minutes or so. But let me tell you - singing 'This Land is Your Land" with 600,000 people is one amazing experience! It was awesome! Everybody was cordial, people held the chains for other people to go over or under...it was just amazing. (This, as opposed to what I'm used to - 'Get out of the way!')
After that, we came back to the hotel, and went over to the NEA Building for the reception there. Because I'm no longer a classroom teacher (and therefore an active fulltime member), I didn't know very many folks...so...it wasn't the greatest, but I had great food (and GREAT chocolate covered strawberries!). I came on back after about an hour, and had dinner. I didn't really have anything to do or anybody to do it with, so I just kinda stayed in the room. (Sad, I know. I was disappointed in myself. As many friends as I have in this area, and I didn't have contact info for about half of them. The ones I called were all busy.)
This morning turned out different, though. I was up and at 'em by 9:00. I went down to the Mall, and walked around. That's when I got on MSNBC! It ROCKED! Of course, nobody I sent a text message to was able to get themselves to a tv, so I don't know that anybody I know saw it, but I saw myself on the monitor! It rocked! And Morning Joe is actually a nice guy...
I wandered down to the Capitol, where the stage is ready and set. There were hundreds of people down there. I met a nice family from Bethesda who came in for the day to let their children (5 and 7) see it. The older one was all into it...the younger one was crying because she was bored. I can understand that.
I got lots of pictures of the Capitol. It's amazing! Tomorrow, I'll be standing about 1000 feet away, but I'll have a jumbotron to look at, which will make it just as good as being in the orange section. :) I need no seat. I just need to be able to be there while the candidate I voted for and supported makes history. I cannot wait.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Downtown Revitalization
URC and Grants in Downtown Franklinton
So, you may recall that there’s been a little bit of a ruckus about the Uptown Revitalization Committee and a potential grant program in downtown Franklinton. I can certainly understand some of the challenges therein. I understand the argument that we shouldn’t use public money for private benefit. However…I’d also argue that we’re doing just that all over the place – why can’t the Town of Franklinton? Private contractors build roads – public money used for a public project, but private enterprise benefits. That may seem like a stretch, but it’s real. I’ve always felt like there were times where we sometimes have to make a small investment to realize a much larger payback.
That’s where the URC grants program comes in. For some property owners, fully correcting the problems of a property they own on Main Street (or Mason Street) in the downtown business district may be a challenge they’re not able to tackle. On the other hand, it may also be a property that fifteen heirs own, and none of them can agree, but one is willing to take the lead and try to get the property sold or rented – but they need to do some minor repairs that nobody has the money for. That’s where I do believe the Town of Franklinton could step in, if in a minor role. If, for instance, an awning costs about $2,000, and that amount is not something the business or property owner can afford, but is a major step in securing an occupant for the building, then yes, I do believe that if the Town has a method of providing a grant for up to half of the amount, then we should. The façade grant program that the URC had planned would have provided up to six grants of $1,000 each, or four grants of $1,500 each, to downtown property owners in an effort to improve the façades of their buildings. This is in the continual effort to improve downtown Franklinton.
Contrary to some opinions, all of the business in Franklinton cannot locate on US 1. There is plenty of room for the ‘mom and pop’ shops to come downtown – and for the bigger box stores to head out to the highway. My hope is for both. Sometimes, we have to stimulate the improvement of buildings to make them attractive to those who are seeking to rent them but can’t fully renovate. However, once they have a patient tenant, they’ll be able to fully renovate over time. That’s the purpose of those façade grants.
As well, there’s been an idea bandied about of a downtown special overlay tax district, where the property tax for the downtown business district would be set at a certain amount, but would be frozen at that amount for a number of years. For instance, the current property tax rate in Franklinton is $0.68 per $100; an overlay might add $0.17 to that to bring it to $0.85, but that figure would not change, and the $0.17 would be directed into a fund specifically to attend to the issues and redevelopment of the downtown business district. Even if property taxes went up, the $0.17 would be redirected to the downtown fund. This tax rate could also have a sunset clause in it, as well. So…is this a great idea? It has its pros and cons. Pro – there’s now funds that benefit all of a specific community of property and business owners. Everyone benefits from upgrades to streets, new streetlights, better sidewalks, etc. Con – it’s more taxes, and everybody’s broke. Where do we draw the fine line? That’s the conversation at hand now.
The URC is still trying to figure out how to make things happen in downtown Franklinton. Wanna help? C'mon out on the second Thursday! We could use the help!
So, you may recall that there’s been a little bit of a ruckus about the Uptown Revitalization Committee and a potential grant program in downtown Franklinton. I can certainly understand some of the challenges therein. I understand the argument that we shouldn’t use public money for private benefit. However…I’d also argue that we’re doing just that all over the place – why can’t the Town of Franklinton? Private contractors build roads – public money used for a public project, but private enterprise benefits. That may seem like a stretch, but it’s real. I’ve always felt like there were times where we sometimes have to make a small investment to realize a much larger payback.
That’s where the URC grants program comes in. For some property owners, fully correcting the problems of a property they own on Main Street (or Mason Street) in the downtown business district may be a challenge they’re not able to tackle. On the other hand, it may also be a property that fifteen heirs own, and none of them can agree, but one is willing to take the lead and try to get the property sold or rented – but they need to do some minor repairs that nobody has the money for. That’s where I do believe the Town of Franklinton could step in, if in a minor role. If, for instance, an awning costs about $2,000, and that amount is not something the business or property owner can afford, but is a major step in securing an occupant for the building, then yes, I do believe that if the Town has a method of providing a grant for up to half of the amount, then we should. The façade grant program that the URC had planned would have provided up to six grants of $1,000 each, or four grants of $1,500 each, to downtown property owners in an effort to improve the façades of their buildings. This is in the continual effort to improve downtown Franklinton.
Contrary to some opinions, all of the business in Franklinton cannot locate on US 1. There is plenty of room for the ‘mom and pop’ shops to come downtown – and for the bigger box stores to head out to the highway. My hope is for both. Sometimes, we have to stimulate the improvement of buildings to make them attractive to those who are seeking to rent them but can’t fully renovate. However, once they have a patient tenant, they’ll be able to fully renovate over time. That’s the purpose of those façade grants.
As well, there’s been an idea bandied about of a downtown special overlay tax district, where the property tax for the downtown business district would be set at a certain amount, but would be frozen at that amount for a number of years. For instance, the current property tax rate in Franklinton is $0.68 per $100; an overlay might add $0.17 to that to bring it to $0.85, but that figure would not change, and the $0.17 would be directed into a fund specifically to attend to the issues and redevelopment of the downtown business district. Even if property taxes went up, the $0.17 would be redirected to the downtown fund. This tax rate could also have a sunset clause in it, as well. So…is this a great idea? It has its pros and cons. Pro – there’s now funds that benefit all of a specific community of property and business owners. Everyone benefits from upgrades to streets, new streetlights, better sidewalks, etc. Con – it’s more taxes, and everybody’s broke. Where do we draw the fine line? That’s the conversation at hand now.
The URC is still trying to figure out how to make things happen in downtown Franklinton. Wanna help? C'mon out on the second Thursday! We could use the help!
Family
Family is a wonderful thing. I have a great one. We're a bag full of nuts. That's what I love about them. Every person I've ever brought to meet my family...they've always fallen in love with 'em. It's understandable. They're pretty great. By now, you're likely thinking I'm just talking about my mom and dad. (Lord knows I'm not just talking about my brother.) I have relatives stewn across Franklin County. They're all special, in their own way. And most of them are pretty doggone wonderful.
Unfortunately for Franklinton, and for my family, we lost one of our own this past Thursday morning. My grandmother's sister Jean, whom the world knows as Jean Pace, passed away after short battle with cancer. Some of you may know Jean from her time spent working as the bookkeeper at Franklinton High School. For the six years I was at FHS (from 7th - 12th grades...before the advent of Cedar Creek Middle School), Jean helped make sure nothing I did went unreported...because she saw my mom every day around 1:00 at First Citizens. And if something happened at school, my mom knew it.
Jean was a part of that village that helped raise me. During the summers, her family - my cousins Steve and his wife Kim and son Garrett, Randy (also known to us as Possum) and his wife Donna, son Mitchell and daughter Randi Lynn, Rusty and his wife Tina, son Blake and daughter Jenny, and Teresa and her husband Dan - lived across the path from us at our place on Kerr Lake. Summers were spent splashing in the water, and sitting around the table under the canopy or on the back porch. Jean loved the lake, and spent countless hours there. She is so inextricably tied to my memories of the lake, I truly don't know what it's going to be like to go up there next summer and find her not there.
As I mentioned, she was my grandmother's (my dad's mom) sister. I visited with my grandmother tonight, and she said to me so many times how much she loved Jean, and how close they were. They shared many wonderful times - some of which I'll be more than happy to tell you about, but I'd prefer to wait until my grandmother isn't within earshot, as she'd surely die of embarrasment. As my grandmother and Jean were close, so were my own mother and Jean. (Technically, Jean is my great aunt, but I never really paid much attention to that. She and my mom and dad were always so close, and she wasn't much older than my mom, and they spent a good deal of time together, also.) Jean's passing has hit my mom pretty hard, as well as my dad. I kind of expected that. What I didn't expect was how much it affected me. As my grandmother said tonight - I guess you don't realize how special people truly are until they're gone. Sitting at Ebeneezer Baptist Church today, it hit me.
It's odd how small things can affect us in such large ways. I saw my great uncle Willie wiping his eyes. Then I saw two of my own high school teachers standing on the side of the church, because there were so many folks there wasn't any room to sit. Hearing Edward Wheeler sing took me back to my other grandmother's funeral. And then, it began - I suppose it's what I hear Oprah Winfrey call the 'ugly cry.' I have a hole in my bottom lip from where I bit it so hard trying not to cry. But out it came. I realized how much life would change for so many folks. And I realized how much she would be missed.
It stinks that so many folks won't get to meet Jean. It stinks that Teresa, Rusty, Steve and Randy don't have their mom anymore. You will likely never meet four more wonderful people. Rufus and Jean just raised some damn fine people. They, in turn, have done the same. Because Blake, Garrett, Randi Lynn, Mitchell, and Jenny are all younger than me, I've had the privilege of watching them grow. They all have, or will as they grow, made their grandparents proud. It stinks that my grandmother and her sister can't sit and talk on the phone anymore, and can't sit and chatter around the table at the lake anymore. And it stinks that this stupid, horrible, vengeful diseases struck someone so wonderful. My heart simultaneously breaks and goes out to all of them, because I nor anyone else can truly understand what they've lost. For those of you who are people of faith, please keep them in your prayers.
For those of you who knew Jean, I hope you know as I do that she will live on in many truly wonderful memories, and thanks to Teresa, some great pictures. For those of you who didn't, I'm truly sorry. Stop me sometime. I'll be glad to tell you about her. So will the rest of us.
Unfortunately for Franklinton, and for my family, we lost one of our own this past Thursday morning. My grandmother's sister Jean, whom the world knows as Jean Pace, passed away after short battle with cancer. Some of you may know Jean from her time spent working as the bookkeeper at Franklinton High School. For the six years I was at FHS (from 7th - 12th grades...before the advent of Cedar Creek Middle School), Jean helped make sure nothing I did went unreported...because she saw my mom every day around 1:00 at First Citizens. And if something happened at school, my mom knew it.
Jean was a part of that village that helped raise me. During the summers, her family - my cousins Steve and his wife Kim and son Garrett, Randy (also known to us as Possum) and his wife Donna, son Mitchell and daughter Randi Lynn, Rusty and his wife Tina, son Blake and daughter Jenny, and Teresa and her husband Dan - lived across the path from us at our place on Kerr Lake. Summers were spent splashing in the water, and sitting around the table under the canopy or on the back porch. Jean loved the lake, and spent countless hours there. She is so inextricably tied to my memories of the lake, I truly don't know what it's going to be like to go up there next summer and find her not there.
As I mentioned, she was my grandmother's (my dad's mom) sister. I visited with my grandmother tonight, and she said to me so many times how much she loved Jean, and how close they were. They shared many wonderful times - some of which I'll be more than happy to tell you about, but I'd prefer to wait until my grandmother isn't within earshot, as she'd surely die of embarrasment. As my grandmother and Jean were close, so were my own mother and Jean. (Technically, Jean is my great aunt, but I never really paid much attention to that. She and my mom and dad were always so close, and she wasn't much older than my mom, and they spent a good deal of time together, also.) Jean's passing has hit my mom pretty hard, as well as my dad. I kind of expected that. What I didn't expect was how much it affected me. As my grandmother said tonight - I guess you don't realize how special people truly are until they're gone. Sitting at Ebeneezer Baptist Church today, it hit me.
It's odd how small things can affect us in such large ways. I saw my great uncle Willie wiping his eyes. Then I saw two of my own high school teachers standing on the side of the church, because there were so many folks there wasn't any room to sit. Hearing Edward Wheeler sing took me back to my other grandmother's funeral. And then, it began - I suppose it's what I hear Oprah Winfrey call the 'ugly cry.' I have a hole in my bottom lip from where I bit it so hard trying not to cry. But out it came. I realized how much life would change for so many folks. And I realized how much she would be missed.
It stinks that so many folks won't get to meet Jean. It stinks that Teresa, Rusty, Steve and Randy don't have their mom anymore. You will likely never meet four more wonderful people. Rufus and Jean just raised some damn fine people. They, in turn, have done the same. Because Blake, Garrett, Randi Lynn, Mitchell, and Jenny are all younger than me, I've had the privilege of watching them grow. They all have, or will as they grow, made their grandparents proud. It stinks that my grandmother and her sister can't sit and talk on the phone anymore, and can't sit and chatter around the table at the lake anymore. And it stinks that this stupid, horrible, vengeful diseases struck someone so wonderful. My heart simultaneously breaks and goes out to all of them, because I nor anyone else can truly understand what they've lost. For those of you who are people of faith, please keep them in your prayers.
For those of you who knew Jean, I hope you know as I do that she will live on in many truly wonderful memories, and thanks to Teresa, some great pictures. For those of you who didn't, I'm truly sorry. Stop me sometime. I'll be glad to tell you about her. So will the rest of us.
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