Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Nov. 4, 1983, edition 1 / Page 8
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8The Daily Tar HeelFriday, November 4, 1983 latlg ular 9.st .year 0 editorial freedom Kerry DeRochi, Editor Alison Davis, Managing Editor Jeff Hiday, mocm Editor LISA PULLEN, University Editor JOHN CONWAY, City ifcr CHRISTINE MANUEL, State and National Editor KAREN FISHER, Features Editor Michael DeSisti, Sports Editor Jeff Grove, Am Editor Melissa Moore, News Editor Charles W. Ledford, photography Editor For Chapel Hill council The race for Chapel Hill Town Council this year can be measured in degrees of the candidates' "concern." Each of the six candidates vying for four seats is concerned with the Thoroughfare Plan. Each is concern ed with the water supply. From this ballot, four candidates, however, deserve special commenda tion for their knowledge of the town and its needs. Bill Thorpe, Nancy Preston, Jonathan Howes and Joe Straley, if elected, would serve Chapel Hill with the knowledge of how the system works and the foresight to make that system better. Plainly speaking, former councilman Bill Thorpe is the student's candidate. Of the six, he is the only one who has devised concrete methods to increase student participation in town government. He's call ed for each town board to reserve an open student spot each year, which could be an important step in improving student and town relations. Nancy Preston, a newcomer to the Town Council race, through her work in the Chapel Hill Preservation Society and the Historic District Commission will bring to the board the experience in keeping the town's "village" atmosphere, a goal held by previous councils and most towns people. Throughout her campaign she has stated that now is the time for the town to move to a middle ground, that of accommodating growth with the sensitivity to the surrounding areas. Of all the candidates, incumbent Jonathan Howes promises the stable leadership needed to control town growth. His work as the director of the UNC Urban Studies Center arms him with the experience from helping plan towns and cities across the state. Joe Straley, another incumbent, is known for his wildly liberal views and his blunt, sometimes outspoken manner. As the champion of human rights, he has brought to the council a sensitivity to the needs of Chapel Hill's poor. And his experience as a professor emeritus in the UNC departments of physics and astronomy has enhanced his ability to meet student concerns. There's no denying that with the Town Council race as low-keyed as it is, the two other candidates could be interchanged easily for the above with little harm to town government. Both Katherine Wright and incum bent R.D. Smith recognize the need for balanced growth and develop ment. If elected, they would most certainly provide competent leadership. However, for the furthering of student concerns and the betterment of a growing Chapel Hill, Thorpe, Preston, Howes and Straley represent the better choices. They deserve your vote on Nov. 8. For Carrboro Aldermen In this year's Carrboro Board of Aldermen race, the candidates have, as expected, bantered about issues familiar to Carrboro municipal politics, the Thoroughfare Plan and its effect on Carrboro's appearance and traffic. Six candidates are in the running for three spots on the Board of Aldermen. In choosing three, students should weigh the candidates' knowledge of Carrboro and their ability to provide progressive, effective leadership for the town. Under these guidelines, Doug Anderson, John Boone and Bill Koole are the candidates best suited to serve on the board. Doug Anderson, who puts forth realistic solutions to many of the town's problems, is perhaps the most impressive candidate in the field. Anderson, a four-year resident, has attended meetings and public hear ings regularly and should provide the town government with a new perspective. Anderson readily acknowledges the lack of "controversial" topics in this year's election, but he demonstrates a firm grasp of the 'issues at hand. Just as the other candidates, he stresses the need for volunteerism but takes it one step further, providing concrete proposals such as delivering newsletters and listing activities on the cable TV channels to ensure improved communication between citizens and the board. As the only incumbent seeking re-election, 12-year veteran John Boone, if elected, would provide valuable experience on the board. Boone is a lifetime resident of Carrboro and his knowledge of the area is well-respected. True, he offers few concrete proposals, instead putting forth more goals, which, unfortunately, are unaccompanied by well defined means to achieving them. Still, of note is his tenure on many committees within town government, among them the Board of Directors of the Carrboro Art School an encouraging sign that this member of the conservative Association for a Better Carrboro would work to preserve and not neglect that important cultural center. Although Bill Koole is making his first local bid for public office, the accountant is no stranger to the Carrboro political scene. Koole has spoken out forcefully on environmental issues such as protecting the area's drinking water, and he recognizes the need to address growth and development. If elected, any of the candidates Doris Foushee, Zona Norwood and B. Willis Wilson II included would be effective, responsible board members. However, students on Nov. 8 should vote for Anderson, Boone and Koole, all three of whom would provide the leadership necessary to best promote and control the growth and development of Carrboro in the coming years. THE WEEK IN REVIEW Chapel Hill, Carrboro mayoral raoes ' ' '1 L AJ Lm.m,mJ Porto Porto vs. White Jim Porto, chairman of the Carrboro Appear ance Commission and Carrboro resident for 10 years, is a candidate for mayor of Carrboro. James G. White Jr., presently serving in his sec ond year of a four-year term on the Carrboro Board of Aldermen, is a candidate for mayor of Carrboro. What would you identify as the major issue, con cern or problem facing the town of Carrboro at this time? How would you address this matter? Porto: Carrboro is rapidly approaching a major crisis in its corporate life. Carrboro has the choice between two major long-term directions. (1) Carrboro can resolve to maintain and to develop its unique identity, or (2) Carr boro can elect to merge with Chapel Hill as the dif ferences between the two communities fade. My pre ference is to see the con tinuation of a unique Carrboro. White: I believe the major concern of citizens and the greatest problem facing the town to be that of growth and development. Due to the complexity and magnitude of these problems, I have proposed a two-year Community Planning Task Force to ad dress these concerns and needs. Of current town issues, which one has the greatest impact on UNC students? How would you address the issue or concern? Porto: As your student body president has told me, transportation and housing are the issues that most con cern UNC students. I sup port both the public trans portation and the bicycle systems. Housing demands are being met by private White .developers within the market place. As chairman of the Appearance Commission, I have advocated that new housing developments be within the proper scale so as to in tegrate into the community, and that they be pleas ing in appearance. The net result will be a pleasing environment in which to live, learn and play. However, a more vital issue, though less concrete than the above, is the issue of attitude. The town owes much to the University and to UNC students. Jobs and incomes come from both. In any action that affects the community, student interests must be taken into account when weighed against the in terests of others in the community. I am committed to including the interests of students into the deliberations of public policy. White: I believe transportation to be the issue of greatest impart on UNC students the imple mentation of an effective Thoroughfare Plan and the completion of the bikeways. I have proposed immediate adoption of the Thoroughfare Plan along with a capital fund bond referendum. How does the existence of political factions in Carrboro government affect decisions made by the board? Porto: While political factions within a com munity make for interesting academic analysis, I believe in the case of Carrboro their existence causes more harm than good. Here's why: By organizing into fairly intractable factions, we become self absorbed with our differences. We become isolated from the larger regional community of which we are a part. We cannot concentrate on developing a con sensus for the future of Carrboro because we have become so polarized that we cannot see the points upon which we agree. In addition, since voter apathy prevails, a well-organized, well-financed political faction can capture elected positions through running "slates", easier than candidates running independent campaigns. A board domi- f V 't I I V ' ' nated by a faction cannot adequately represent the entire community. White: I do not see the existence of political fac tions in Carrboro affecting appreciably the decisions made by the board. The nature and purpose of these groups is such that once the election process is over the candidates are really free to decide issues on their merits. What are your specific goals or objectives as a candidate for mayor of Carrboro? Porto: My specific goals as candidate for mayor are the following: To represent vigorously Carrboro in the regional community. To see additional sources of new, permanent revenues to cut the tax rate. If elected I will assume a majority of Carrboro's citizens do not want to cut taxes without first finding permanent new sources of revenue. To adopt a Central Business Development plan. To support water quality and continued pro tection of the watershed and the environment. White: My primary objective is to complete a planning process that will identify and prioritize problems and needs in short term (three to five years), intermediate (five to 15 years) and long range (15 to 25 years) goals and to identify possible means and sources for meeting those goals. Can you identify any areas of waste or inefficien cy in the operation of town government? How would you correct the deficiencies? Porto: In my Tax Action Plan, I have targeted selected line items for improved operations. My goal is to find 7.7 percent increase in efficiency in the purchasing and inventory control of these items. Carrboro may be doing an excellent job now, but my experience as a management consultant tells me that there is generally room for improvement. White: While there are areas where we need to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness in the operation of town government, I believe that the only constructive way we are going to do this is through a management study, a proposal that I willl continue to push for with the board. How important is the revitalization of downtown Carrboro to the town's continued growth and development? Porto: Revitalization of downtown Carrboro is extremely important. Without a commitment to build a unique downtown Carrboro, we are faced with only the practical long-term option of merging with Chapel Hill, an option, by the way, Carrboro citizens may elect either to take informally by not supporting fully downtown revitalization or to take formally through a referendum. White: The revitalization of downtown Carrboro is crucial to the town's continued growth and development. Two years ago, I submitted the plan of organization and work for our current Downtown Revitalization Task Force and have sup ported their efforts to bring about a plan. Why do you consider yourself the best candidate for mayor of Carrboro? Porto: I have served the community for the past 10 years in the following capacities: Board of Directors, YMCA; Board of Directors, Carrboro Economic Development Corp.; Mayor's task force, Community of Excellence Award; Chairman of the Appearance Commission. I am a management consultant, with experience in governmental jurisdictions. I have a master's degree in public affairs, and I have worked for the State Budget Division for four years. I am a moderate and am independent of any faction. White: I feel that my grasp and understanding of the problems facing Carrboro today, growing out of my experience on the board, my closer relationship with Carrboro citizens, extending over a 10-year period and my flexible work schedule, providing the time, make me the best candidate. Chapel Hill, Carrboro elections Tuesday, Nov. 8 Today: Incumbent Joe Nassif is running un opposed in the Chapel Hill mayoral race, and two candidates are fighting to become Carrboro's next mayor. Their platforms are express ed on this page today. Endorsements: Also today, the DTH endorses candidates for Chapel Hill Town Council and the Carrboro Board of Aldermen. Monday: The DTH endorses a candidate for the Carrboro mayoral race. j Nassif Incumbent Nassif running unopposed Joe Nassif, a practicing architect who has resided in Chapel Hill for the past 19 years, is seeking a second term as mayor of Chapel Hill. What would you identify as the major issue, concern or problem facing the town of Chapel Hill at this time? How would you address the matter? The major issue is an adequate and pure source of water for the Chapel Hill area. That source has been identified as Cane Creek and the acquisition of Cane Creek has been primary to me during my four years as mayor. No other source or system would supply us with the amount of water we need as well as the pure source of water for the next 25 to 35 years. Of current town issues, which one has the greatest impact on UNC students? How would you address the issue or concern? I would assume that the single most important issue that will affect students would be housing and transportation. The University does not house but ap proximately 8,000 students and the re maining 13,000 are located within and outside the Chapel Hill area. This is a fast growing area and land speculation and desirability of this area have put rental units and home owner ship almost out of reach of students. It will become more severe in future years. Unfortunately, the town has no way to remedy this situation but the University and state of North Carolina could remedy the problem by a more aggressive building plan for dormitories. Is there a parking problem in Chapel Hill? If so, how should the problem be eliminated? Obviously the problem is one of growth and too many automobiles. In the late 1960s and early 1970s we initiated the transportation system which has greatly relieved the traffic, and I shudder to think what it would be without the transportation system. However, the traffic keeps coming and the problem gets more intense. If I said I had a remedy for the problem I would be a fool. The University must take an active role in resolution to the problem and until it is faced between the town and the University there will be no solution. What are your specific goals or objectives as a candidate for mayor of Chapel Hill? I set about three goals to be achieved as mayor and theyare: adequate water supply, fiscal management and growth management. We are on our way to achieving all three of these. What is the proper direction of growth and development in the Chapel HUl area? Are we growing too fast? Whether we are growing too fast or too slow is simply a matter of opinion. Construction and development has been stymied since 1974 and only during this year, 1983, has the economy been such that would permit development. I do not believe it is any faster or any greater than it was in the late 1960s and early 1970s. LETTERS TO THE EDITO . r - - Go Heels! To the editor: On Saturday the Clemson Tigers will be in Chapel Hill again bringing with them as many orange-clad, loud fans from their Death Valley as possible. To combat this often overwhelming show of support, we need to generate some excite ment of our own. We've come up with four countermeasures to increase spirit: A Spirit Contest Pep Rally will be held tonight at 7:30 in Carmichael Auditorium featuring Woody Durham, , the UNC band and varsity cheerleaders. Domino's will give a pizza party and free keg to the most spirited group there. In addition, Domino's is offering another 10 free pizzas for the best Spirit Banner hung at the Clemson game. We want everyone, including Mom, Dad and siblings to wear Carolina Blue at the game Saturday to dilute some of that obnoxious orange. We need every Tar Heel fan in the stadium to cheer with us in support of our football team and show our Carolina spirit as well as our famous Carolina class. So come to the Pep Rally, paint your Spirit Banner, wear your Carolina Blue, and really cheer for the Tar Heels as we put the Clemson Tigers to rest in Blue Heaven!! Michele Bartram, Publicity Chairman UNC Marching Tar Heels Varsity Cheerleaders m,j 'r"n"" "r"'"" " Part of U.S. forces leaving Grenada By BILL RIEDY After just more than a week in Grenada, the United States announced that 2,300 of the 5,300 American troops on the strife-torn island would be leaving today. On Wednesday it was announced that all hostilities on the island had ended. Most of the remaining U.S. forces will move to the north of St. George's,the capital, to flush out any remaining resistance to the eight-day-old inva sion. Meanwhile, opposition to the invasion was strong in the United Nations as the General Assembly voted 108 to 9 Wednesday for a resolu tion deploring the "armed intervention" on the tiny Caribbean island. Joining the United States in voting against the resolution were the six Carib bean states requesting U.S. aid in the invasion, along with Israel and El Salvador. Sentiment prevailing on Capitol Hill was to remove U.S. presence from the island as soon as possible as the House invoked the War Powers Act on Tuesday requiring the President to withdraw U.S. forces from Grenada by Christmastime. The administration is in the meantime preparing to release documents showing that Grenada had secret military aid arrangements with the Soviet Union, Cuba and North Korea totaling nearly $37.8 million. The intention is to boost ad ministration claims that the United States was justified in its invasion, although skepticism re mains over administration claims that Cuba had planned to take over the island for use as an out post for communist revolution in the Caribbean. As it becomes increasingly clear that the United States knew little about the situation in Grenada, it seems more likely that the president authorized the invasion as much to flex his muscles, perhaps over frustration of the losses in Beirut, as to ensure the safety of Americans in Grenada. But now that the invasion has been, for the most part, completed, it is a positive step by the administration at least nartially withdrawing U.S. presence from the island. Lack of consent Earlier this week it was announced that the Legal Defense Fund, formerly a part of the NAACP, has asked the Supreme Court to hear an appeal involving the consent decree governing the UNC system's desegregation policy. The desegregation dispute began in 1969, and in 1981 U.S. District Court Judge Franklin T. Dupree Jr. in Raleigh signed the consent decree to end the 11-year dispute between UNC and the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. A Washington attorney representing UNC said, "Currently, the University is meeting all re quirements both in the letter and in the spirit of the consent decree." But the LDF claims the policy is inadequate in protecting minority rights. It appealed Dupree's decision in the District of Columbia Court of Ap peals, but the court upheld Dupree's decision. The LDF has also claimed UNC is avoiding the jurisdiction of Washington courts, although the Supreme Court has held that local federal courts have primary authority to oversee desegregation matters in their locale. Green's next task What it boiled down to was a case of whose word to accept that of the lieutenant governor of North Carolina or an undercover FBI agent. And the jury took Lt. Gov. Jimmy Green's word as it acquitted him Oct. 28 on charges of accepting a bribe and agreeing to accept others. The charges against Green came up as part of the Colcor probe investigating corruption in Col umbus County. But after Green's and, earlier, state Sen. R.C. Soles' acquittals, the probe's wor thiness was questioned by its critics, as the two "biggies" had gotten away. Nevertheless, it resulted in 36 indictments and 29 convictions. The probe had done some good in uncovering corrup tion in the state, at all levek. Green's next big test will come in November 1984. On Monday he said he would be running for governor. "The only question is when I will for mally announce." Not quite. It still remains to be seen whether Green's trial will have any adverse effects on his campaign. Problems on the gridiron The UNC-Maryland game Saturday got its fair share of attention this week. First it was UNC placekicker Rob Rogers who claimed that a Maryland player touched the football before it had traveled 10 yards on the Tar Heels' onsides kick attempt with 0:22 to play in the game, UNC trailing 28-26. Then Tuesday, at his regular press conference, Coach Dick Crum called for crowd control guidelines among ACC schools after an onslaught of Maryland fans rushed onto the field Saturday. The failure of the onsides attempt led to the first Carolina loss of the season and one of Maryland's biggest wins. Not so serious, unless you happen to be born and bred a Tar Heel. But the mob of Terrapins was a little more serious. The incident resulted in a number of in juries, confirmed by Maryland officials. Crum said he feared for the safety of his players. The crowd situation was "intolerable," and Crum said he had never seen anything like it in his 27 years of coaching. Like Crum said, something needs to be done to ensure the safety of the players. But in Chapel Hill the fans seem to get more agitated about their losses than their wins, so we really don't need to worry about the same thing happening here. Or do we? Bill Riedy, a junior English and political science major from Raleigh, is a staff writer for The Daily Tar Heel.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Nov. 4, 1983, edition 1
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