Town Counsel

Tutoring Candidates by Asking Questions  

Cary voters elect the mayor and three Town Council members on Oct. 7.  

So that you have the information you want about candidates, we’ve enlisted outside help, the Wake County League of Women Voters.  

We’ve asked the league to manage the new Cary Community Candidate Forum for council candidates and for county School Board candidates in Cary .  

We want the forum to be an informative, even-handed and respectful way for you to learn about the candidates. In turn, candidates can learn from you.  

Cary citizens who provide their name and street can submit one question.  

Send it by Aug. 25 to the Wake County League of Women Voters (Attn: Cary Candidate Forum) at P.O. Box 10345 in Raleigh , 27605. Fax the question to (919) 856-1983 or send it by e-mail to lwvwake@aol.com.  

Then candidates’ statements and responses to questions will be taped Sept. 10 - 11 at Town Hall. You’re invited to sit in on the taping, but the league won’t be taking more questions at taping.  

Statements and responses will air unedited starting Sept. 19 on Cary TV, cable channel 11.  

If there’s a Nov. 4 runoff, there will be another forum for it.  

The Elections section in Site Index on townofcary.org has much more on the forum, the candidates and election procedure.  

Addressing Addresses  

About 3,000 homes and businesses in Cary receive  Cary mailing addresses this month.  

These include folks who’ve had Morrisville ZIP codes and southeastern residents with Apex or Raleigh addresses.  

The Postal Service sent out letters in July notifying those whose addresses are changing.  

Most Cary residents with other ZIP codes have said they want a Cary address. The Town, Congressman David Price, and the Postal Service have worked to try to make that happen.  

About 3,000 customers were switched in July 2002.  

Many firms rely on phone books for mailing addresses, and some organizations base eligibility on mailing addresses. Voter and vehicle registration are also considerations.  

Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival  

Saturday, Aug. 23
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Downtown Cary
(Rain date Aug. 24, 12 - 7)

Cary Tennis Center Fall Doubles  

Sept. 27 - 28
USTA combo format
Enter by Sept. 22
(919) 462-2061  

Rate Quote

Holding Down Water, Sewer Bills  

For most Cary households, changes in monthly water and sewer costs are almost a wash.  

We were able to reduce the water rate for the first 5,000 gallons to $2.80 per 1,000 gallons.  

Sewer charges must rise to pay for projects such as North Cary treatment plant expansion. 

Overall, monthly utility bills for the typical Cary customer - about 7,000 gallons usage - will rise about 1 percent, or $5.76 a year.  

Our rate structure encourages wise use of water. See “utility rates” in Site Index on the Web site for more information.

Bud Bits  

Monday, Sept. 1 is Labor Day, so solid waste crews won’t be gathering yard waste that day.  However, garbage and recycling collection that week will be on the usual schedule. Call (919) 469-4090 with questions.  

Come to a free workshop Saturday, Sept. 27 from 9 - 10 a.m. at the Compost Education Center in Bond Park.  

Master composter Jean Tracy will show you how to reduce yard waste and produce nourishment for plants and shrubs. Register at (919) 469-4090.  

Buy your Earth Machine Compost Bin after the workshop until 1 p.m. for $30. (Cash or check only, please.)  

Catch BUD-TV each month on Cary TV, cable channel 11.  

Where There's Smoke  

It’s about time for our annual sewer leak smoke-out.  

Our Public Works and Utilities crews test for leaks in the sewer system by forcing non-toxic smoke into the lines, choosing different parts of Cary late each summer and early fall.  

Testing this year is scheduled to begin Sept. 3 and take about five weeks if the weather holds.

Here are general boundaries for this year’s test area:

Western - Evans Road

Southern - Maynard Road

Eastern - Reedy Creek Road

Northern - Weston Parkway  

For a map and more details, check the Smoke Testing section under Current Projects on our Web site, townofcary.org.  

Smoke testing helps us determine where storm water is entering our sewer system as well as pinpoint sources of odor.
We’ll send letters to people in the area where testing will occur. If you have questions, call Public Works and Utilities at (919) 469-4090.

Where There's Fire  

Keeping lighted grills well away from your home is the safe thing to do.  

For folks in apartments and condominiums, it’s the law. And Cary firefighters say many people  don’t know that.  

The State Fire Code prohibits grills - charcoal, gas, etc., - from being used on balconies or within 10 feet of an apartment or condominium building.  

Grills can be stored on patios and decks at apartment complexes and condominium buildings.  

However, gas cylinders with 20 pounds capacity or more cannot be stored on balconies or patios of apartment or condominium buildings.  

Burning grills are especially hazardous in multi-family buildings since flames can spread quickly to so many people’s homes.  

Folks who break the safe grilling law risk a $50 fine. More important, they risk harming themselves and their neighbors.  

For more information on grills and other safety tips, call the Cary Fire Department at (919) 469-4056.  

Another Round of Applause!  

Applause! Cary Youth Theatre presents "The Jungle Book." Auditions held Sept. 22, 24 & 25 at Bond Park Community Center . Call (919) 469-4061 after Aug. 25.  

Bluffs Stuff  

When you clean the garage or attic this summer, set aside household items to donate to help raise money for Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. 

We need kitchen wares, clothing, home décor, toys and small appliances. (No large appliances, please.)  

The annual fund-raiser will be Saturday, Oct. 25 from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the preserve  on Kildaire Farm Road .   

Drop off surplus items on Thursday, Oct. 23 and Friday, Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. for this “Recycle Sale.”  

The stuff you save will be sold “yard sale style” to support environmental education programs and other offerings at Hemlock Bluffs.  

For more information, call (919) 387-5980.  

Talking Book

A New Speaker's Bureau Pamphlet  

We don’t speak just to hear ourselves talk. But if there’s anyone who’d like to listen …  

Our Speakers Bureau pamphlet was updated recently. In it, you can search by department or the

A-Z index to find interesting topics for free presentations tailored to your group’s specific interests.

The list runs the gamut - cable TV regulation, water conservation, bidding on Town projects, fire safety for kids, and much more.  

For a new brochure, call us at (919) 469-4001. Find the Speakers Bureau pamphlet under Site Index on townofcary.org.  

Conservation Corner  

Recycling Tip: Tired of wasting your time bagging grass, spreading fertilizer, etc., to keep a healthy lawn? Grass recycling is the answer. Cut your lawn once a week and leave the clippings in the grass to add a valuable fertilizer to your lawn with no extra work. Most any lawn mower will work. Grass clippings are mostly water, so they decompose relatively quickly. So, "Mow it high and Let it lie!" Come by the Cary Recycles Booth at the Lazy Daze festival. Pick up information about recycling, composting, and buying recycled. Register to win your own, Earth Machine Compost Bin.   

Storm Water Tip: Only rain should go down the drain. Cary ’s storm drains flow to lakes and streams in the Neuse and Cape Fear River basins .  For helpful hints on protecting Cary ’s streams, check out our public education section at townofcary.org. Select “Storm Water Management” from Site Index.  And come by our booth at the Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival to pick up a free gift!  

Water Conservation Tip: The Town has tiered utility rates to encourage customers to use water efficiently.  Most single family customers are billed according to a four-tier scale: Tier 1 (0-5,000 gallons) - $2.80 per 1,000 gallons; Tier 2 (5,000-8,000 gallons)--$3.36 per 1000 gallons; Tier 3 (8,000-23,000 gallons)--$4.91 per 1000 gallons; and Tier 4 (over 23,000 gallons)--$10.41 per 1,000 gallons. If you’d like advice on how to use less water, call Public Works and Utilities at (919) 469-4090.  

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