Mid-January is the time to start speaking up on street and recreation projects you’d like in the bond package next spring.

Cary voters will go to the polls April 8 for the two-part referendum. They’ll vote on whether to authorize borrowing for about $130 million in street projects and about $30 million for recreation facilities.

Bonds are the fastest, cheapest way to finance projects.

We’ve been spreading the word on public information sessions scheduled for Jan. 14 & 15 at 6:30 p.m. in Town Council Chambers.

But you can also express your views from home. Go online between Jan. 14 and Feb. 4 to let us know what you think of the preliminary street and recreation project lists.

Those lists currently contain more projects than could be funded through a $160 million bond referendum. So we need to hear from citizens on which projects they feel would best serve the entire community.

You can learn much more about the upcoming bond referendum and about our Web Polls through the Shortcuts or Current Projects menus at townofcary.org.

Cary's fifth annual celebration of African-American history will be Saturday, Feb. 22 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Herb Young Community Center. Admission is free.

Visit exhibits of local art and artifacts, books, clothing and other items of interest. The celebration will also include entertainment appropriate for the entire family. Refreshments will be available as well as children's activities.

Call it cowboy music, folk music or best in Western music.

By whatever name, Riders in the Sky will herd it into Herb Young Community Center on Town Hall Campus Feb. 5.

From the moment these cowpokes step up to the microphone the magic begins. Listeners lose themselves in the romantic, comical and whimsical world of the singing cowboy.

As a Marvelous Music Series bonus, award-winning actor Frank Ferrante recreates his acclaimed portrayal of comedian Groucho Marx on Feb. 23.

Tickets are sold at all Town of Cary community & arts centers.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Call (919) 469-4061 for more information on the series.

The Town of Cary has been declared the sixth safest of 342 large cities in the U.S. and the only southern city among the 10 safest.

This is the fourth year in a row that Cary has been among the 10 safest cities in the country.

The rankings come from the 9th annual Morgan Quitno Safest (And Most Dangerous) City Award.

The safest city again is Amherst, N.Y. The most dangerous is St. Louis, Mo. The rankings were based on 2001 statistics.

Morgan Quitno, a publishing and research company in Kansas, uses rates for six basic crime categories. They are murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and vehicle theft.

All cities of at least 75,000 people that reported crime data to the FBI for the six categories were included in the rankings.

Police Chief W.J. Hunter said that Town officials continue to recognize the importance of conflict resolution, crime prevention and community involvement.

"We’re very happy with our ranking in this year’s study and with the great job our Police Department does every day for the citizens of Cary," he said.

SeniorNet computer classes at the Cary Senior Center are for anyone 50 and over, from novices to veteran Web surfers. Volunteer coaches offer instruction at all levels. For more details, call the center at (919) 469-4081.

Town baseball and softball leagues for girls and boys stress fun, participation, sportsmanship and skill development. Mail-in registration for Cary families is Feb. 10-14, with postmarks Feb. 7-10 receiving priority. Cary residents may register in person beginning Feb. 17. For more details, call Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources at (919) 469-4062 or go online in February. Subscribe to the Town’s electronic mailing list service and receive free updates on a variety of topics. Sign up at www.townofcary.org by going under the Shortcuts menu on the home page.

In the age of Enron, it’s news when an audit of a publicly-held corporation turns up nothing.

So we’re happy to report that one of the Triangle’s largest, purely public corporations - the Town of Cary - is making financial headlines for the right reasons.

A four-month, comprehensive audit has provided a clean bill of health for the Town’s financial statements. The Town has more than $787 million in net assets.

Results of the 2002 audit, which are in the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, were released in early December. They report that the Town’s internal controls are "very good" and that Town staff demonstrated a "high degree of integrity." There were no calls for significant changes in audited processes.

"The bottom line for our citizens is that the audit and the report show that we're truthful, transparent, and trustworthy," Finance Director Karen Mills said.

The Town's audit was performed by Cherry, Bekaert & Holland LLP (CBH), certified public accountants from Fayetteville.

Until the document is online, you can review the annual financial report at Town Hall or the public library in downtown Cary.

A Cary family whose home lost power during the ice storm in early December required hospital treatment for carbon monoxide.

The family was using a kerosene heater that was powered by a gasoline generator in the garage.

Carbon monoxide has no color or odor. It can kill. Mild symptoms resemble flu. Learn more from the Winter Weather page at townofcary.org or call Cary firefighters at (919) 469-4056.

Maybe you’re the low impact type. You don’t need a car. Who wants to sit in traffic anyway? You ride your bike … walking is good.

For that trip across town, you call C-Tran. The buses are comfortable. The drivers are really friendly. And taking the bus is good for the environment.

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

Call (919) 481-2020.

Artists and craftspeople, please step forward.

Applications for the 10^th annual Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival are available in January.

Download an application from townofcary.org or call (919) 469-4061 for a printed copy.

Join the best local artists in clay, jewelry, sculpture, painting, and more on Saturday, April 26 in a new location—Bond Park.

Most of these folks don’t get to stay home when the weather’s the worst. In fact, their jobs become even more important.

The Public Works and Utilities Department has more than 400 employees serving Cary citizens with a wide variety of skills.

They provide our drinking water. They maintain the wastewater treatment system through which water is reclaimed for irrigation to help preserve a precious resource. They keep our parks looking great.

They repair our streets throughout the year and clear them of ice and debris when we’re hit with storms like the one in early December. That’s just some of what they do.

Most full-time employees are chosen for their skill, experience, education and professional certifications. Seasonal and part-time workers usually must be at least 18, have a valid North Carolina license with a good driving record, and be able to work flexible hours.

Want to join this team of highly-motivated men and women?

Recycling Tip: Last year Cary citizens sent more than 5,800 tons of yard waste to the Raleigh Yard Waste Facility. This cost the Town over $222,000 in hauling and disposal. Save the Town and yourself money by beginning a compost pile today. Compost provides a free soil amendment that reduces your need for fertilizer and pesticides. For more information on how to start backyard composting today or for more information on spring workshops call (919) 469-4090.

Water Conservation Tip: If your family uses too much water, do you wonder what appliance or habit is causing your water bill to be so high and what you can do to reduce it? Throughout February, call the water conservation hotline at (919) 469-4090 weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. 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 your water consumption by retrofitting plumbing fixtures.