Town of Carthage welcomed as newest TJCOG member Election of

Volume 10, Number 3, April 2012
Town of Carthage welcomed as newest TJCOG member
At its January 25th meeting, the Triangle J Board of Delegates unanimously approved
a request by the Town of Carthage for membership into the regional organization.
Carthage, the county seat of Moore County, is the county’s third municipality to join
Triangle J since 2001 when regional boundaries were shifted, adding Moore County
to region J. The Town of Carthage is Triangle J’s 36th member government.
Carthage Town Commissioner Artie Barber serves as the town’s delegate to the
Triangle J Board of Delegates; Commissioner Milton T. Dowdy, Jr. will serve as
the alternate delegate. Commissioner Barber represented Carthage at the Board
meeting and expressed the town’s excitement about becoming part of the regional
organization.
Election of Officers for FY 2012-13
At the March 28 Board of Delegates meeting, the Nominating Committee, comprised
of former TJCOG Chairmen Mike Cross, Thomas Crowder, Barry Jacobs and Frances
Dancy, presented a slate of officer nominees for Fiscal Year 2013. The following slate,
endorsed by the Executive Committee in February, was unanimously elected by the
Board of Delegates:
Chairman: Jeffrey Carver, Johnston County
First Vice-Chair: Pamela Baldwin, Town of Pittsboro
Second Vice-Chair: Tim Lea, Moore County
Secretary/Treasurer: Jennifer Robinson, Town of Cary
Eugene Brown, current TJCOG Chairman and delegate from the City of Durham, will
be the Immediate Past Chairman. Officers serve one year terms beginning July 1st.
Board members participate in PEV Ride and Drive
Delegates arriving early for the March
meeting gained first-hand experience with
Plug-In Electric Vehicles (PEVs), having
the opportunity to take a demo ride or
drive. Delegates had the opportunity to
check out three vehicles: Nissan Leafs
provided by Advanced Energy and Michael
Jordan Nissan, and a Chevy Volt provided
by Progress Energy. The Ride and Drive
Event was organized by Kathy Boyer,
TJCOG’s Energy and Environment Program
Manager, as a prelude to the PEV update
on the evening’s agenda.
Officers
Eugene Brown
Jeffrey Carver Pamela Baldwin Tim Lea
Chairman
1st Vice Chair
2nd Vice Chair
Secretary/Treasurer
Board of Delegates*
Mike Cross
Appointment pending
Pamela Baldwin
Pam Karriker Eugene Brown Jeffrey Carver William Massengill, Jr.
Butch Lawter Larry Smith
Donald Rains
Cheryl Oliver Perry Harris
Linda Shook
Tommy Beal
Rebecca Wyhof Tim Lea
Dawn Lenz
Artie Barber
George Erickson
Barry Jacobs Mark Chilton Ed Harrison
Frances Dancy Tony Gurley
Lance Olive
Jennifer Robinson
Ed Ridpath
Ronnie Williams Linda Hunt Williams
Terry Gleason Margaret Broadwell
Thomas Crowder
Ronnie Currin Greg Harrington
Tim Hinnant
Curtis Strickland
Chatham County
Town of Goldston
Town of Pittsboro
Durham County
City of Durham
Johnston County
Town of Benson
Town of Clayton
Town of Kenly
Town of Princeton
Town of Selma
Town of Smithfield
Lee County
Town of Broadway
City of Sanford
Moore County
Town of Cameron
Town of Carthage
Village of Foxfire
Orange County
Town of Carrboro
Town of Chapel Hill
Town of Hillsborough
Wake County
Town of Apex
Town of Cary
Town of Fuquay-Varina
Town of Garner
Town of Holly Springs
Town of Knightdale
Town of Morrisville
City of Raleigh
Town of Rolesville
Town of Wake Forest
Town of Wendell
Town of Zebulon
*Bold denotes Executive Committee members
Triangle J Council of Governments
PO Box 12276
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
Phone: (919) 549-0551 FAX: (919) 549-9390
www.tjcog.org
Printed on recycled paper
Audience Response System available for loan
to member governments
An Audience Response System (ARS) is a tool that can be
incorporated into interactive PowerPoint presentations,
allowing presenters to poll the audience, track attendance,
gage material assessment, track demographics and create
reports. These tools are especially useful when holding large
meetings, board retreats, and other participatory events.
Audience members use a handheld device to respond to
questions posed in PowerPoint presentations.
Triangle J recently purchased an ARS and is making it
available for loan to member governments. If you are
interested in learning more about this resource or in
borrowing the TJCOG system, please contact Renée Boyette at
[email protected] or (919) 558-9403.
Celebrate Older Americans Month 2012
May is Older Americans Month, a perfect opportunity to
show our appreciation for the older adults in our community.
Since 1963, communities across the nation have joined in the
annual commemoration of Older Americans Month—a proud
tradition that shows our nation’s commitment to celebrating
the contributions and achievements of older Americans.
The theme for Older Americans Month 2012—Never Too Old
to Play!—puts a spotlight on the important role older adults
play in sharing their experience, wisdom, and understanding,
and passing on that knowledge to other generations in a
variety of significant ways. This year’s celebrations will
recognize the value that older adults continue to bring to our
communities through spirited participation in social and faith
groups, service organizations, and other activities.
As large numbers of baby-boomers reach retirement age,
many communities have increased their efforts to provide
meaningful opportunities for older adults—many of whom
remain physically and socially active through their 80s and
beyond. Current trends show that people over age 60 account
for an ever-growing percentage of participants in community
service positions, faith-based organizations, online social
networking as well as arts and recreational groups.
Celebrate Older Americans Month and have fun – we are
Never Too Old to Play!
Going Green to Save Green
The Triangle Green Business Challenge makes saving the planet a real savings.
The Green Business Challenge is coming to the Triangle! On April 23,
2012, area businesses celebrated Earth Day by kicking-off a friendly
competition that encourages local businesses to improve their
efficiency and sustainability. The Challenge focuses on reducing waste
and energy, making greener purchasing, and commuting choices.
Participants will track their efficiency improvements and commitment
to sustainability over the course of eight months.
Free trainings and resources will be provided to participants throughout the Challenge to help improve the
success of their sustainability choices. Those most successful will be recognized during the Triangle Green
Business Challenge Awards Ceremony at the end of the Challenge. Winners receive a free entry into the award
winning Green Plus business sustainability certification program to continue their efforts.
For more details about the challenge or to become a participant visit: www.TriangleGreenBusiness.com or
contact Brennan Bouma at [email protected] or (919) 558-2710.
TJCOG workshop examines issues and impacts of hydraulic fracturing
In response to the interests of local
government leaders in the region,
TJCOG presented a March 29 workshop,
Hydraulic Fracturing – Practical
Considerations and First-Hand
Experience. Some 70 elected officials,
staff, environmental advisory board
members and members of the public
attended the afternoon workshop at the
Lee County Auditorium in the McSwain
Extension Center in Sanford.
Kirby Bowers worked with his
counterpart in the Southwest
Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), Jim
Hassinger, to bring in officials from this
Pennsylvania region where hydraulic
fracturing is underway. Rod Ruddock,
Chairman of the Indiana County Board
of Commissioners (also Chair of SPC),
and Byron Stauffer, Executive Director
of the Indiana County Office of Planning
and Development, spoke about their
experiences and the impacts their
community has realized.
Ryke Longest of Duke University’s
School of Law outlined the issues that
local governments face when hydraulic
fracturing opens shale gas production.
He also identified the differences in
North Carolina’s situation, as compared
to Pennsylvania. Richard Whisnant of
the UNC School of Government provided
comments on the regulatory framework
and issues of authority to be addressed in
North Carolina as the General Assembly
considers allowing the practice of
hydraulic fracturing in our state. All of
the presenters contributed to a panel
discussion, responding to questions
raised from the audience.
Bob Sepe, consultant for the TJCOG
Broadband Consortium, produced a video
recording of the program and prepared
it for posting on the TJCOG website.
Both the video and the presentations
are available at www.tjcog.org/regplan/
fracking-workshop.shtml.
TJCOG launches NC Tomorrow
economic development project
Leadership Triangle class examines government
connections with focus on aging
Councils of Governments across North
Carolina are developing regional
Comprehensive Economic Development
Strategies, or CEDS, as part of the
statewide NC Tomorrow initiative. On
March 22, TJCOG launched its CEDS effort
with the initial NC Tomorrow Advisory
Committee meeting.
Early in March, TJCOG collaborated with Leadership Triangle
to present the Government Connections session for this year’s
Regional Leadership class. Looking for a regional topic addressed
at all levels of government, Leadership Triangle Executive
Director Winkie LaForce and TJCOG staff member Marla Dorrel
chose “Preparing for the Aging Population Boom” as the theme
for the daylong session.
The Advisory Committee is comprised
of more than 40 leaders in business,
economic development, government,
education and community organizations
across our seven-county region. The
Advisory Committee will provide guidance
and direction for the CEDS, while a
Technical Review Subcommittee will work
closely with TJCOG staff, contributing
background and providing periodic
feedback and input.
The regional CEDS will be submitted
to the US Economic Development
Administration for approval later this year.
Once approved, the CEDS will open the
door to funding opportunities in public
works, economic adjustment and planning
programs through the EDA. The regional
CEDs will be combined to produce a
statewide CEDS, a first of its kind in NC.
SAS Institute is working with the NC
Department of Commerce to bring a
unique tool to the NC Tomorrow initiative:
a performance measurement dashboard,
the Regional Economic Prosperity
Solution, or REPS, which will provide
county-by-county and regional data for
use by professional planners, economic
developers, elected officials and others.
For more information about NC
Tomorrow, contact TJCOG Executive
Director Kirby Bowers at (919) 558-9395
or [email protected].
Heather Burkhardt of the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services
presented demographic projections for growth in the older adult
population across the region. Mary Bethel of NC AARP shared
her experiences as a lobbyist advocating for older adults at the
General Assembly. The class welcomed NC Representatives
Nelson Dollar and Verla Insko, who offered their perspectives
and opened the floor for Q&A. The afternoon segment tasked the
class with reviewing the readiness of their own organizations
or businesses to address the aging population boom, using a
questionnaire adapted from the Orange County aging readiness
assessment tool.
Jane Armstrong, TJCOG’s Regional Coordinator for Living Healthy,
led what was perhaps the most interesting and challenging part
of the day: a simulation of aging. The simulation had participants
working in pairs to
overcome loss of
vision (accomplished
with a plastic wrap
eye mask), arthritic
foot pain (delivered
via popcorn kernels
in their shoes), and
hearing impairment
(using cotton stuffed
in the ears), among
other limitations.
The purpose of the aging simulation was to shift the thinking of
the participants to help them realize the challenges many older
adults face, as well as the challenges for service providers, as our
aging population booms.
Local Green Development projects receive awards
Four local land development projects received awards on Tuesday, April 24th from the Greater Triangle
Stewardship Development Awards Program (GTSDA). The event was held in conjunction with the City of
Raleigh Environmental Awards and at the brand-new Nature Resource Center at the North Carolina Museum
of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh.
These winning, innovative projects were recently constructed and include a mix of public and private projects:
• White Deer Park, Garner
This local park for the Town of Garner with greenways, interpretive trails, harvested rainwater, and
numerous green building features received a GOLD Stewardship Development Award.
• West Village Phase II Expansion, Durham
This tobacco warehouse redevelopment by Blue Devil Partners which includes a green roof, innovative
stormwater treatment and reuse, and other green design features by Evolution SE, LLC and a visionary
consulting team received a GOLD Stewardship Development Award.
• The Market at Colonnade, Raleigh
This commercial infill project by Regency Partners and Soil & Environmental Consultants that harvests,
stores and reuses rainwater, received an HONORABLE MENTION for Water Quality Protection.
• The Courtyard at Duke Hospital, Durham
This renovation of an institutional concrete patio into a greener space for recreation and contemplation
received an HONORABLE MENTION for Integration with the Community.
An expert panel of impartial judges evaluated the projects for achievement in multiple areas of sustainability:
• Natural resource assessment,
• Water quality protection,
• Wildlife habitat protection,
• Vegetation protection and enhancement,
• Green building,
• Integration with the community,
• Long-term management and maintenance, and
• Community outreach and education.
Modeled after a sister program in the Coastal NC area, the Greater Triangle Stewardship Development Awards
Program is a partnership established in 2010 among local businesses, academia, state agencies and local
governments. More information about the program and past winners is available online at
www.trianglestewardship.org.
COG CONNECTION is published by the Triangle J Council of Governments.
Questions or comments should be submitted to Renée Boyette.
Call (919) 558-9403 or e-mail [email protected].
Electronic copies of this newsletter are available at www.tjcog.org.
If you prefer to receive only the electronic version of COG CONNECTION,
contact Renée at [email protected].
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is June 15th!
June 15th is designated as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day!
Elder abuse is a growing problem in our communities and often
goes unreported. It is important to educate ourselves about this
issue and tell others. Wear something purple every June 15th
to show support for a world without elder abuse! For more
information about elder abuse awareness and/or World Elder
Abuse Awareness Day events, please contact Jennifer Link at
[email protected] or (919) 558-9404.
May 22, 11:30 a.m. - Region J Managers meeting - LOCATION TO BE
DETERMINED. Contact: Renée Boyette, (919) 558-9403, rboyette@
tjcog.org.
May 23, 6:00 p.m. - Triangle J Board of Delegates meeting. RSVP:
Ellen Norris, (919) 558-9393, [email protected].
June 12, 11:30 a.m. - Triangle J Mayors and County Chairs meeting.
Contact: Renée Boyette, (919) 558-9403, [email protected].
June 27, 6:00 p.m. - Triangle J Executive Committee meeting. RSVP:
Ellen Norris, (919) 558-9393, [email protected].
Triangle J will be closed Monday, May 28th for the Memorial Day
Holiday.