You told us you wanted more opportunities to participate in decision-making. We heard you.

That’s why we’ve launched Focus on Cary, a continuing effort to ensure plenty of opportunities to tell us how we’re doing and what we should be doing.

Focus on Cary will include online surveys. We will send out postcards alerting you to upcoming surveys and how you can participate if you don’t have e-mail.

In addition to the surveys, we’ll be doing more representative samplings of property owners or other affected groups over the telephone and also draw focus groups from them.

This year we’re focusing on citizen participation in planning and how much you know about, and what you think of, the development process.

For more details, see Focus on Cary in the Current Projects section of townofcary.org.

Cary Kwanzaa is for all people, focusing on family, friends and the fruits of the earth, symbolized by an African harvest.

This year’s event has moved to Bond Park Community Center because of construction at Town Hall. Admission is free.

Kwanzaa is an international celebration that Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga founded. It focuses on the Nguzo Saba—seven principles derived from African heritage for taking stock, celebrating achievements and entering the future renewed.

The celebration will include a guest speaker, performers and community market. Co-sponsors are the Ujima Group, Inc., and the Town. Call (919) 460-4963.

Here’s the schedule that week - Tuesday customers on Monday, Dec. 30, Wednesday customers on Tuesday, Dec. 31, and Thursday and Friday customers on the regular days.

Yard waste will not be collected the week of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Garbage, recyclable materials and curbside trash will be picked up on the regular days.

Please bring your garbage cans to the curb when the ground is icy. It helps collection go faster and more safely, and saves wear and tear on your yard.

Town baseball and softball stresses fun, participation, sportsmanship and skill development for boys and girls.

Baseball

Seven age groups ranging from co-ed T-ball for 6 & 7 year olds to Sr. Babe Ruth for ages 17-18.

Machine flat-pitch for ages 8-10. Fast pitch and slow pitch for ages 11-12, 13-15 and 16-18.
Ages determined as of 1/1/03.

Mail In only: Feb. 10 - 14 - All Cary residents; non-residents returning to same league. Postmarks Feb. 7-10 receive priority.
Mail in/walk in: Feb. 17 - 23 - All Cary residents; non-residents returning to the same league.
Walk in only: Feb. 24 - March 2.

Cary residents - 6-12 year olds ($27); 13-19 year olds ($39)
Non residents - 6-12 year olds ($47); 13-19 year olds ($59)

Call (919) 469-4062 or visit townofcary.org for a registration form starting in February 2003.

Information packets about Senior Care, the state’s prescription drug assistance plan, are at the Cary Senior Center.

A properly operating backwater valve allows flow in one direction, preventing wastewater from entering your home or business during regular sewer system maintenance or inadvertent backups. To find out if you have or need one, check plumbing plans or talk with your builder or professional plumber. For more details, check under Services at townofcary.org or call Inspections and Permits at (919) 469-4340.

MLK Jr., Dreamfest 2003 includes events on Jan. 11, Jan. 17-19 and Feb. 8 celebrating the life, work and vision of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Call (919) 460-4963 for more information.

To continue making steady progress on roads and parks, the Town Council has decided to call for a $150 million bond referendum on April 8, 2003.

The referendum will ask Cary citizens to give the Town permission to once again use as needed a special type of financing—general obligation bonds, which will allow us to finish projects faster and at lower costs than do other sorts of financing.

The focus will be on improving roadway capacity and constructing parks and recreation facilities. The Town is evaluating which projects might be funded.

Cary citizens will have several opportunities to learn about and give input into the referendum, including two public information sessions in January and a formal public hearing in February.

State law requires voters’ OK for such bonds since governments must agree to use their ability to tax as collateral. But they are not required to use tax revenues to pay back the bonds or to raise taxes.

The Town of Cary did not raise taxes after either the 1994 or 1999 bond referenda. In fact, taxes in Cary haven’t been raised in over a decade.

Just what the annual property tax implications of the bonds might be will depend on how much of the $150 million the Town actually ends up using, how quickly we use it, and what other sources of money we have to pay it back. With all that in mind, citizens should vote knowing that paying back the entire $150 million in bonds could take at least 7 cents added to the current property tax rate.

The blue bus can get you to all your important engagements … door to door. You set the schedule and concentrate on the details. C-Tran will keep you moving.

C-Tran is for anyone, anywhere. It’s Cary’s door-to-door transportation solution.

Call (919) 481-2020.

Pick a tree that is not dropping needles. Choose a sturdy stand. Keep the tree fresh - water daily.

Some lights are designed for either indoor or outdoor use, but not both. Larger tree lights should also have some type of reflector rather than a bare bulb.

Lights should have a testing laboratory’s seal. Discard lights with worn or loose connections.

Never use electric lights on a metal tree. Artificial trees should be flame-retardant.

Keep trees at least 3 feet from any heat source or exit and avoid running cords long distances.

Unplug tree lights before leaving home or going to sleep.

Don’t discard a tree in the garage or prop it against the house. Move it well outside the house.

From Dec. 16 through Jan. 17, the Town will have three places to drop off old Christmas trees. They are the Citizens’ Convenience Center at 313 N. Dixon Ave., and Oak Grove and Green Hope elementary schools.

Town-wide curbside collection begins Monday, Jan. 13. Trees must have no tinsel, lights, ornaments, etc. Trees not part of the first sweep will be collected during Monday yard waste collection starting Jan. 27. Call (919) 469-4090 for more information.

The Fire Department has six stations and a staff of nearly 200. Our firefighters work a 53-hour average week through three rotating 24.5 hour shifts. We average 4,000 calls per year.

Cary is a Class Three Fire Department – all homes inside Town limits are within five miles of a station and within 500 feet of a hydrant.

Cary firefighters are highly-motivated men and women. Recruits must be at least 18, have a high school diploma or equivalent, not be colorblind, and have a valid North Carolina driver’s license and good driving record. The recruit academy lasts about 22 weeks.

To learn more about how and when to apply, visit us online at www.townofcary.org or call the department weekdays between 8 and 5 at (919) 469-4056.