Back on Campus  

Here’s a way to become a college student of sorts without facing tuition or final exams.

Apply now for the new Town of Cary School of Government, a “citizen’s college” about your Town government.

The school features eight sessions organized around Town Council focuses. These include community planning, infrastructure, budget and finance, and municipal services.

Classes will run from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesdays from April 2 through May 14, plus a Saturday tour of a utility plant on April 12.

For the Class of Spring 2003, we’ll choose 15 citizens representing a cross-section of Cary .

We want to have a relatively small group for lively discussions and for activities instead of long, dry lectures.

The Town Council hopes the school of government will educate citizens on how they can become even more involved in their community.

The application period runs throughout February. You can download an application from the Town Government section of townofcary.org or call (919) 469-4007 and we’ll send one to you in the mail.

We hope to see you around campus.

Bonds - Registering Your Opinion

To make your opinions count on bonds for streets and parks, ensure you’re registered to vote in the April 8 referendum.  

March 14 is the last day to add your name to the registration rolls or change your address or party affiliation to vote on April 8.

Your voter registration form must be postmarked or delivered in person to the Wake County Board of Elections in Raleigh by March 14.

You can register at the driver’s license office in the train station in downtown Cary or by mail.

Forms are at public libraries and at the Town Clerk’s office in Building A on Town Hall campus, 316 N. Academy St .

Return forms to the Wake County Board of Elections, P.O. Box 695 in Raleigh , 27602. The elections office telephone number is (919) 856-6240.

You can get to the elections Web site through Voting under Site Index on townofcary.org.

The April 8 referendum will give Cary citizens the opportunity to decide on debt financing for two ballot issues totaling about $130 million for streets and $30 million for recreation facilities.

Bond financing is the fastest, cheapest way to pay for big ticket items. Learn more about the bond referendum in Current Projects on townofcary.org.

Kite Flight

When we say, “Go fly a kite,” we mean it in the nicest way.

The Kite Festival is March 22 at 1 p.m. on the multi-purpose field next to Bond Lake . (The rain date is Sunday, March 23.)  

The event includes stunt kite demonstrations, kite flying, and kite-building (for a fee) classes.

A variety of certificates and awards will be given. The event is free and open to all. Call  (919) 469-4100 for details.

Literal Interpretations

“We Come in Time: The Immigrant Experience” will be presented Sunday, March 9 from 3-5 p.m. at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center next to Town Hall.  

It’s part of a new series called “Community … Literally” that examines our community through the region’s literature. You will learn more about the rich inspiration that the area provides historically and literally.

Programs will be the second Sunday of the month.

The March 9 program includes Frank Pettinelli (“ A Faraway Place ”), Marjorie Hudson (“Searching for Virginia Dare”) and Latino community writers.

The programs are free and open to the public. Please call (919) 460-4963 to receive more information about the “Community … Literally” series.

Bud Bits

Town of Cary utility bills have a new look to help you find information on utility service more easily.

Return envelopes have an address window. On the back of bills, find information on service disconnection and reconnection and on ways to pay.

Call the Finance Department to learn more at (919) 469-4050.

The annual Spring Daze Arts and Crafts Festival will be Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. in a new location - Bond Park. More details next month.

To report a street light outage, call Progress Energy at (919) 508-5400. To request a new light, call us at (919) 469-4030.

Catch BUD-TV on Cary TV, cable channel 11, starting the 10th of each month.  The TV schedule is under News on townofcary.org.

Beans that Clean - Friendlier Fuel

Backhoes, excavators and diesel fuel dump trucks in the Town of Cary fleet are operating more cleanly than ever.

The Town is among the first governments in the area to switch to “bio-desel” fuel to help improve air quality. The environmentally-friendly alternative has a 20-percent soybean mixture in the diesel fuel.

“It’s starting to catch on with various municipalities across the country,” said Juan Vega, fleet division manager for the Town.

More than 150 diesel-burning trucks and pieces of equipment already are using the fuel with more switchovers coming.

Bio-diesel requires no equipment conversion, and Vega said engine performance is not affected. The switch to bio-diesel,  or B20 fuel, began last spring.

Wash Cycles for Water

Disinfecting procedure at area water treatment plants, including the Cary and Apex plant, change during March each year.  

Those who use kidney dialysis machines should be aware that water may contain chlorine, ammonia or a combination in March.

The water may smell more like chlorine, but daily tests will ensure levels are safe. Check for discoloration before washing white clothes. Run the faucet if necessary.  Call Public Works & Utilities at (919) 469-4090 for more information or to report problems.

C-Tran

Have you taken your child or grandchild on a train ride, like on a day trip to Charlotte ? You’ll get a kick out of the train whistle … WOOO! WOOO!  

Taking C-Tran to the station is smart. No worry about parking, and one phone call sets it up. The little one will get excited when the blue bus pulls up.

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

Smoke Brake

About one in four fire deaths is related to smoking. Put a stop to the risk of a cigarette causing a fire if you allow smoking inside your home.

Don’t risk falling asleep with a lighted cigarette. Don’t smoke if drowsy, medicated or drunk.

Use large ashtrays that won’t tip over and spill ashes. Don’t rest ashtrays on sofas or chairs.

Check around cushions after someone  has sat there smoking. Check the trash cans, too.

Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet.

For more safety tips, call Cary firefighters at (919) 469-4056.

Expert Service - Table Tennis Tournament

The Town and Cary Table Tennis Association will present a free table tennis coaching clinic and exhibition on March 14 by Ms. Chen Wang, formerly of China and the No. 4 ranked female athlete in the world.  The clinic is 1-3 p.m. , and the exhibition 3-4 p.m. at Bond Park Community Center . Registration for the clinic is required.

A tournament will take place the next day on March 15. 

For more details, call Bond Park Community Center at (919)  462-3970.

Jazz That's All That  

back by popular demand …  

 Cyndra  Fyore Jazz Quartet

Sunday, March 16 at 7 p.m.

Page-Walker center

Friends of the Page-Walker Spring Concert Series  

Call (919) 460-4963 for details.

Joining our Team - Cary Police Department

Cary is one of the safest large cities in the U.S. Our nationally-accredited Police Department is a big reason why. 

The department focuses on community-oriented policing while enjoying the  full support of citizens and elected officials.

The Cary Police Department has 125 sworn officers. The Town’s 911 center handles hundreds of thousands of calls per year.

To become a Cary police officer, you must be a U.S. citizen at least 20.5 years old with a high school degree or equivalent and vision correctable to 20/20. You must be proportionate in height to weight, have a good driving record and no felony convictions.

Pay is higher with experience or certification.

We seek highly motivated men and women with a dedication to community-oriented law enforcement. Visit us online or call the personnel services officer weekdays at (919) 460-4916.

Conservation Corner

Recycling Tip: The 2003 annual phone book recycling drive will start Feb. 10 and last through April 12. Locations in Cary are Reedy Creek Middle School , Ritter Park , and Davis Drive Park . Last year Wake County recycled more than 575 tons of telephone books. That means that citizens saved 958 cubic yards of landfill space, 9,775 trees, 1,725 barrels of oil, and 33,110 gallons of gasoline. Recycling also creates more jobs. Call (919) 469-4090 or visit the Wake County Web site at www.wakegov.com for more information.

Water Conservation Tip: If your water bill is too high, call the water conservation hotline at (919) 469-4090 weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. during February to better understand your water consumption.  Find out what the average indoor water use is in Cary ; what the most common leaks are, and how to correct them. Also learn how to reduce water use by retrofitting plumbing fixtures.  

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