It has the editions of the Pollard Pony Express newsletter, a blog, and a Pollard campus video tour.  On the blog, you’ll be able to see the recently named principal, Dr. Justin Bartholomew, who is currently the Moncure School principal.  An assistant principal will come on board in the middle of the school year.  Basically, everything related to Pollard will transition as of July 1 – principal changing from Moncure to Pollard, it officially being a school, N. Chatham & Harrison officially changing from K-8 to K-5 schools, etc.

Due to construction delays, the campus will not be open until sometime in the winter.   Chatham County Schools hopes to begin moving furniture & equipment in December & transition students & staff from their temporary locations on the N. Chatham & Harrison campuses to the Pollard campus after the holiday break at the beginning of January.  The temporary campus situations will keep middle schoolers who would currently attend N. Chatham & Harrison on those same campuses until the Pollard campus is complete.

Dr. Bartholomew will hold an information session/meet & greet with Pollard families on June 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the Northwood High School auditorium.

(The aforementioned information was obtained from Beth S. McCullough, Public Information Officer, Chatham County Schools.)

But what of the budget cuts? How will this new school as well as others in the county be affected? Rumors of cuts in PE, the arts, and foreign language are circulating. Until the state budget is known for sure, definitive decisions about course offerings and electives will not be shared.  Let’s hope that some of these questions will be answered at the information session.  Despite the budget cuts, our students deserve high academic standards which include PE, the arts, and foreign language!

Been thinking about the Chatham County courthouse fire. Very sad that such a historic place can be destroyed in an instant and right before your very eyes.  It has really brought out the nostaglia of everyone here in Chatham County.  No matter how long we’ve been here, that landmark means something to each and every one of us, even if you’ve never been inside.

So people have been reminiscing and coming together in support of the rebuilding of the courthouse. Bulletin boards and chatlists, facebook groups, everyone is buzzing.  The county commissioners did vote unamimously this week to rebuild it and today, the DOT presented its plan to redirect traffic around the Pittsboro circle. Click on the link below to check it out.

Temporary traffic pattern around Chatham County courthouse

So we may be inconvenienced for a bit, but it will be worth it. Please keep patronizing your local Pittsboro merchants during the clean up and rebuilding efforts. Thanks!

During its Board Summit on January 22, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners approved a Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan, which includes, among other things, a new high school in northeastern Chatham, a new jail, county-owned landfill site study, and moving ahead immediately with the judicial center.

“The commissioners feel that we need to move forward with the high school on Jack Bennett Road, even though this school was not recommended by the county manager. Recent school population projections did not take into account development that has already been approved, including Briar Chapel, said Commissioner Vice Chair George Lucier. “These projections were flawed and not useful for planning purposes.”

The approval of the plans to build the new high school by the commissioners is contingent on the Board of Education reaffirming their request for this new facility.

The high school, which would open in 2015, would have a capacity of 800 students, but the core facilities, such as the media center, cafeteria, and gymnasium would be constructed to accommodate 1,200 students so as growth occurs, the facility can be expanded.

The commissioners also directed the architect to continue finalizing the plans for the new judicial center. “We want to begin this project as quickly as possible, given the safety concerns and the crowded conditions at our existing court facilities,” said Commissioner Chair Sally Kost. “Acting quickly will also allow us to take advantage of current construction market conditions.”

The commissioners asked the architect to find ways to reduce the judicial center budget without impacting the function or general design of the facility. The commissioners trimmed the budget by roughly $4 million from the original estimated amount the county would have to borrow by taking advantage of lower construction costs and selecting other options for interior and exterior finishes.

“We can save substantial funds in the current construction market,” Kost said. “We also did what we could to reduce overall construction costs, but delaying this facility is not an option. As an example, District Court alone often has to handle more than twice the number of cases than it has capacity to handle during each session.”

The commissioners also approved a recommendation to fund a new jail, but asked county staff to work with a jail architect to reduce the total cost to $15 million, a reduction of 21%.

Kost said that the county can no longer ignore the needs for a new jail. “The data strongly supports the need for this facility.”

The Sheriff’s Office reported that the current jail is over capacity about 62% of the time, a trend that could create unsafe conditions and, down the road, the potential for the state to force the county to address the problem through more costly options.

As part of the capital plan the commissioners agreed to hire a consultant to look at potential sites for a county landfill. Kost said, “It is important to point out that this does not mean that any decision on the size or location of a landfill has been made, including whether or not it will accept only waste generated in our county or waste from surrounding areas.”

The consultant will look at sites that would accommodate 180 to 500 tons per day, so that the county can weigh its options. The smaller size would accept Chatham-generated waste only. The landfill site study will be paid out of existing capital reserves.

Related to this decision, the commissioners voted to delay the opening of a new waste collection center in the northeastern part of the county by one year to 2015, mainly because usage of the existing Cole Park Collection Center has actually declined in the past year.

The commissioners also added the following school-related items to the updated capital plan:

• Replacement of roofs at nine older schools this year, using qualified school construction bonds to cover the estimated $2.2 million cost.
• Replacement of indoor gym bleachers at Chatham Central and Jordan Matthews high schools, because existing bleachers are in poor condition and pose a safety hazard. The estimated total cost is $310,000 paid over two years (2011 to 2012) out of fund balance.
• Improvement of lighting and sound for auditoriums at Chatham Central and Jordan Matthews so that all three high schools have upgraded auditoriums which will not only serve school functions, but will be able to accommodate many community activities. The estimated cost at each school is around $360,000.
• Replacement of lights at Northwood’s football field. Existing lights do not meet standards of the NC Athletic Association, which means the school could be forced to play on an opponent’s field during a playoff game. The commissioners moved this project up one year to 2011. The estimated cost is $116,000 and will be paid from county reserves.
• Replacement of broken or uneven paved areas at six schools, including sidewalks, driveways and play areas. Estimated cost is $150,000 over five years.

Other projects added or revised in the Five-Year Plan include:

• Reductions in the scope of renovations at existing county buildings.
• Improvements to Briar Chapel Park, a new park in a northeastern Chatham development. The park is expected to be donated to the county. Recreation fees paid by the developer will fund the estimated $300,000 needed to make improvements in 2010. The work includes restrooms, concession stand, fencing and more lighting. Community input from this past November will be considered in developing facility plans and operations of the park.
• Minor improvements to Northwest District Park on Woody Store Road so that it is open for full-time use in 2011. Work primarily includes repairs to existing facilities, such as the picnic shelter, activity center, dining hall roof and kitchen, pool house roof, fishing pier, gym roof, and roads and driveways. Work also includes a new playground and barriers to protect walkway users from vehicle traffic. The estimated cost is $100,000, paid out of the parks capital reserve.
• Improvements to the Law Enforcement Center site were moved up one year to 2011 so that the county can retain a $51,000 grant to help with the costs. It will provide additional parking and improved road access to the center, which is currently limited.

All of the new projects approved except one can be funded with existing borrowing capacity, capital reserves, fund balance, specified fees, grants and other revenues, according to Kost.

Building the new high school in the next five years means a potential property tax increase of 0.15 cents as of July 1, 2011 and an increase of approximately $700 in the school facility impact fee, effective January 1, 2011.

“To pay for the new high school, a slight increase in the property tax and an increase in the school facility impact fee will be necessary,” Kost said.

The commissioners explored various options regarding the impact fee, but tentatively approved an increase of around $700 to be effective January 1, 2011. As part of this impact fee decision, the commissioners made it clear that it included relief to builders by delaying the collection of the fee to a later point in the construction process. The fee is currently paid at the time of permitting. The change in when the fee is paid will be implemented January 1, 2011.

“We recognize that it is harder for smaller builders to pay the fee so early in the process. We can help by moving the collection of the fee to a point later in the construction cycle,” Kost said.

She emphasized that the commissioners would strongly prefer to fund all the critical needs in the five-year plan without any new revenues, but “we are dealing with a backlog of vital needs and have limited options to pay for them.” The impact fee can only be used for new school construction.

“It is important to note that legally we are not allowed to vary the level of the impact fee by the square footage or value of the home. Our hands are tied on those options,” Kost said.

She also noted that a 2009 study of the current school impact fee of $3,500 shows that the fee could be set much higher to reflect the actual cost of building new schools.

The Chatham County Manager’s Office presented a proposed five-year Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) for 2011-15 that includes several major changes to the currently adopted plan.

The major differences in the County Manager’s proposal compared to the current plan include:

• Starting construction of the county judicial facility in early 2010. This facility would provide courtrooms, and space for court related personnel. The current facilities are over-crowded and unsafe. The new building will increase security for court-related activity.
• Constructing a county-owned landfill in 2015: A landfill has been recommended by the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, based on a 2009 waste disposal study. No decisions have been made on the size or location of the proposed landfill.
• Building a new jail in 2012: The current jail is over capacity about 62% of the time. The current facility is inefficient and ineffective. If over-crowding is not addressed, the state or a judge could order Chatham County to pay to transport and house inmates outside the county.
• Postponing the new high school: Without additional revenues, this postponement is being recommended by the County Manager so that the judicial facility and the jail can be constructed earlier than previously planned.

“Given the additional capacity at the high school level and the fact that residential construction has slowed substantially, staff does not see the high school demand being as immediate as the need for a new jail and the judicial facility,” said Paschal.

He added that “it is clear that we cannot delay the new high school as recommended. We will look at every option to fund this school sooner than what is recommended by county staff.

Want to weigh in on this proposal? Be sure to attend the public hearing on December 14 at 6:00 pm. We happen to agree with Commissioner Lucier. The new high school should not be delayed!

What follows is an excerpt of a press release from U.S. Senator Kay Hagan’s website dated Monday, November 23, 2009.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D-NC) today announced that Piedmont Biofuels Industrial in Pittsboro will receive a $139,249 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant for innovative clean energy research and development.

“Last year, I visited Piedmont Biofuels and saw firsthand their groundbreaking work in green energy,” Hagan said. “Today’s grant is a critical investment in a North Carolina small business that is helping to ensure that the state is a leader in the sustainable energy economy.”

“Our research staff at Piedmont Biofuels is delighted to partner with the Department of Energy and continue our work in the next generation of biofuels production. At Piedmont Biofuels we are actively evaluating and analyzing materials and technology to bring low-carbon fuels from concept to reality,” said Rachel Burton, Director of Research at Piedmont Biofuels.

Piedmont Biofuels will use the funds to develop advanced biodiesel production processes. These processes will enable biodiesel producers to reduce water usage and waste byproduct, as well as use lower grade feedstocks, such as poultry renderings. The company currently has 19 employees, and it believes the proposed innovation will lead to the hiring of additional research staff. The company’s commercial production facility in Pittsboro produces approximately 4,000 gallons of biodiesel a day using waste poultry fat or used cooking oil.

The Recovery Act funding is part of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which works to increase the participation of small, innovative companies in federally-funded research and development. Hagan, a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, voted to extend the program in July.

Hagan worked with her Senate colleagues to craft the Recovery Act to create and save jobs.

http://hagan.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=390

According to REALTOR® Magazine, home sales will increase 15 percent to about 5.7 million units and REALTOR® income will be up 20 percent in 2010, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun told a packed room of REALTORS® in a residential economic update at the 2009 NAR Conference & Expo.

Yun credited the home buyer tax credit with unleashing sales on the lower-end of the housing market this year, bringing up to 400,000 first-time buyers into the market who wouldn’t have bought otherwise. That influx tightened inventories of starter homes, shored up prices, and helped reduce households’ fear over continuing price drops.

This virtuous cycle will continue now that the federal government has extended the credit to mid-2010 and expanded it to make a smaller credit available to repeat buyers and to households with higher incomes. “The key is stabilizing prices and preserving household wealth,” he says.

The tightening inventory at all price points will help improve market performance by bringing supply into better balance with demand, but the added sales, particularly on the higher end, will also increase the number and quality of the market comparables used by appraisers to assign valuations. Once appraisals improve, foreclosures will ease, blunting their drag on the market and making it less likely that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and even FHA will need help from the taxpayer.

“Then we’ll be set for a durable economic expansion,” he said.

New-home sales, which comprise about 10 percent of the market, will continue at suppressed levels–about 550,000 units, down from more than a million during the boom–mainly because builders have scaled projects way back, in part because financing isn’t available.

“Weakness in new-home sales shouldn’t be viewed as tepid demand,” he said.

Even under the most positive economic scenario, unemployment will remain elevated through 2010. Yun is predicting unemployment to stay near double-digits going into 2011, qualifying this recession, as some economists have, as the “Great Recession.”

For the longer term, the huge deficit run up by the federal government to shore up the economy remains the big question mark. Although the deficit is expected to improve each of the next three years, it will remain at historic highs. Unless the federal government releases a credible plan for shrinking it, investors will start to balk and interest rates will need to rise to bring them back. Should inflation be the result, the housing recovery will be set back.

Source: Robert Freedman, REALTOR® magazine

I know we’ve been away for a while but after a summer and early fall focusing on the family, we are back to blogging.

Here is some great news that I received from Mark Wooten of SunTrust Mortgage in Cary, NC.

President Obama has signed a bill that extends the tax credit for first-time homebuyers (FTHBs) into the first half of 2010. This program had been scheduled to expire on November 30, 2009.

In addition to extending the tax credit of up to $8,000 through June 30, 2010, the extension measure also opens up opportunities for others who are not buying a home for the first time.

So Who Gets What?
The program that has existed for FTHBs remains intact with the one exception that more people are now eligible based on an increase in the amount of income someone may now earn.

Additionally, the program now gives those who already own a residence some additional reasons to move to a new home. This incentive comes in the form of a tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified purchasers who have owned and occupied a primary residence for a period of five consecutive years during the last eight years.

Deadlines
In order to qualify for the credit, all contracts need to be in effect no later than April 30, 2010 and close no later than June 30, 2010.

Higher Income Caps in Effect
The amount of income someone can earn and qualify for the full amount of the credit has been increased.

Single tax filers who earn up to $125,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, single filers who earn $145,000 and above are ineligible.

Joint filers who earn up to $225,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, joint filers who earn $245,000 and above are ineligible.

Maximum Purchase Price
Qualifying buyers may purchase a property with a maximum sales price of $800,000.

First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit – Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about the tax credit.

What is a tax credit?
A tax credit is a direct reduction in tax liability owed by an individual to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In the event no taxes are owed, the IRS will issue a check for the amount of the tax credit an individual is owed. Unlike the tax credit that existed in 2008, this credit does not require repayment unless the home, at any time in the first 36 months of ownership, is no longer an individual’s primary residence.

What is the tax credit for first-time homebuyers (FTHBs)?
An eligible homebuyer may request from the IRS a tax credit of up to $8,000 or 10% of the purchase price for a home. If the amount of the home purchased is $75,000, the maximum amount the credit can be is $7,500. If the amount of the home purchased is $100,000, the amount of the credit may not exceed $8,000.

Who is eligible for the FTHB tax credit?
Anyone who has not owned a primary residence in the previous 36 months, prior to closing and the transfer of title, is eligible. This applies both to single taxpayers and married couples. In the case where there is a married couple, if either spouse has owned a primary residence in the last 36 months, neither would qualify. In the case where an individual has owned property that has not been a primary residence, such as a second home or investment property, that individual would be eligible.

As mentioned above, the tax credit has been expanded so that existing homeowners who have owned and occupied a primary residence for a period of five consecutive years during the last eight years are now eligible for a tax credit of up to $6,500.

How do I claim the credit?
For those taking advantage of the tax credit in 2009, you may choose to either apply for the credit with your 2009 tax return or you may apply for the credit sooner by filing an amended 2008 tax return with Form 5405 (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5405.pdf).

Can you claim the tax credit in advance of purchasing a property?
No. The IRS has recently begun prosecuting people who have claimed credits where a purchase had not taken place.

Can a taxpayer claim a credit if the property is purchased from a seller with seller financing and the seller retains title to the property?
Yes. In situations where the buyer purchases the property, even though the seller retains legal title, the taxpayer may file for the credit. Examples of this would include a land contract, contract for deed, etc. According to the IRS, factors that would demonstrate the ownership of the property would include: 1. the right of possession, 2. the right to obtain legal title upon full payment of the purchase price, 3. the right to construct improvements, 4. the obligation to pay property taxes, 5. the risk of loss, 6. the responsibility to insure the property and 7. the duty to maintain the property.

Are there other restrictions to taking the credit?
Yes. According to the IRS, if any of the following describe your situation, a credit would not be due.

You buy your home from a close relative. This includes your spouse, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild.
You do not use the home as your principal residence.
You sell your home before the end of the year.
You are a nonresident alien.
You are, or were, eligible to claim the District of Columbia first-time homebuyer credit for any taxable year. (This does not apply for a home purchased in 2009.)
Your home financing comes from tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds. (This does not apply for a home purchased in 2009.)
You owned a principal residence at any time during the three years prior to the date of purchase of your new home. For example, if you bought a home on July 1, 2009, you cannot take the credit for that home if you owned, or had an ownership interest in, another principal residence at any time from July 2, 2006, through July 1, 2009.
Can you buy a home from a step-relative and be eligible for the credit?
Yes. Provided the person you are buying a home from is not a direct blood relative, the purchase would be allowed.

Can parent(s) who will not live in the property cosign for a mortgage for their child and the child that is a qualifying FTHB still be eligible for the credit?
Yes.

Can a separated spouse who has not owned a home for four years qualify for the FTHB tax credit if the spouse has owned a property anytime in the last three years?
No. However, the spouse may be eligible for the repeat buyer credit. The best path to take in any situation regarding income taxes is to speak with a professional tax preparer or CPA.

If you have any questions that fall outside the situations here, check with your REALTOR, mortgage broker, or accountant.

Thanks again to Mark for this great info.

Raleigh-Cary saw its population climb 4.3 percent between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008, to 1.1 million.

Some other highlights of the report are as follows:

• Large metro areas — those with 2008 populations of 1 million or more — were home to nine of the 10 fastest-growing counties.
• All in all, 94 of the 100 counties (with a population of 10,000 or more) with the fastest population growth last year were in either the South (71 counties) or the West (23 counties). The remaining six were in the Midwest.
• Among the 10 counties that added the largest number of residents during the period, four were in Southern California (Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside and Orange), three were in Texas (Harris, Tarrant and Bexar), and one each was in Arizona (Maricopa), Nevada (Clark) and North Carolina (Wake).
• Among the 100 fastest-growing counties, the majority were in Texas (19), Georgia (14), North Carolina (11) or Utah (nine). 
• Twenty-seven of the 50 fastest-growing micro areas were in the South, 21 in the West and two in the Midwest.
• Between April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2008, the fastest-growing metro area was Palm Coast, Fla., increasing by 83.1 percent. (Its single county, Flagler, was the second-fastest growing county.) Four western metro areas (St. George, Utah; Provo-Orem, Utah; Greeley, Colo.; and Bend, Ore.) rounded out the five fastest-growing metro areas. Three of the 10 fastest-growing metro areas had 2008 populations of 1 million or more: Raleigh (sixth), Las Vegas (seventh) and Austin (10th).

This information obtained from http://www.census.gov.

Starting with its summer session, Central Carolina Community College will  offer an Ecotourism Certificate program in Pittsboro, the first in the state community college system. 

Courses to be offered include Introduction to Ecotourism, Natural and Cultural Resources, Safety and CPR, Interpretation and Guiding, Nature-Based Law, and Business of Ecotourism. The program will appeal to a variety of audiences, including students who might go on for higher education in tourism, business owners, and entrepreneurs who might be inspired to venture into ecotourism.

The 10-week courses to be offered in the summer session are:
1. Introduction to Ecotourism, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Tuesdays, May 26-July 28
2. Natural and Cultural Resources, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Thursdays, May 28-July 30
3. Safety and CPR, whose meeting times will be announced later.

Vacations and travel are getting “greener” as people opt for visiting national parks, taking nature adventures, hiking, biking, birding, or any of the many leisure activities that involve getting closer to nature.

According to the travel website, www.tripadvisors.com, more Americans plan to be environmentally conscious about their travel and vacation decisions. Seventy-three percent said they plan to visit a national park, up from 62 percent a year ago. Forty-seven percent plan to engage in a nature adventure activity, up from 40 percent in 2008.

Enjoying nature as it is, without damaging the environment or ecological system, has spawned a branch of the tourism industry known as “ecotourism.” Tourism industry workers trained in ecotourism are needed to serve this growing industry.

Students will be able to take classes at the college’s Chatham County Campus in Pittsboro for personal enrichment or to earn the certificate. The program was developed in conjunction with an advisory committee led by the Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau, and included recreational and environmental organizations in the county.

The Chatham County Economic Development Corporation recently unveiled a plan for the county. It noted that “quality of place” is necessary for economic development.

Chatham County offers many locations for nature-based activities: Jordan Lake State Recreation Area; Lower Haw State Natural Area; many nature preserves; Jordan Lake State Educational Forest (and its Talking Tree Trail); championship golf; birding, hiking, and cycling trails; three rivers – Deep, Rocky, and Haw; and much more.

On April 6, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution in support of the college’s ecotourism program.

“We are very pleased to offer support for the new ecotourism program at Central Carolina Community College,” said Chatham County Commissioner Carl Thompson Sr. “Chatham County is ripe with nature-based assets. The introduction of this program is therefore most timely, appropriate and needed. It will also impact directly on our economy by generating new ecotourism entrepreneurs and tour guides, thereby creating more green jobs and businesses.”

“We are delighted to see a certificate program offered through the community college that considers the growing trend of our largest visitor draw, the nature-based traveler,” said Neha Shah, director of Travel & Tourism for the Pittsboro-Siler City CVB. “It is exciting for Chatham County and for tourism. We hope to see students who take what they learn one step further, whether higher education, further certifications, developing current nature-based ventures and/or creating an entirely new venture that serves a tourism niche to further enhance what we do.”

The college is seeking individuals interested in teaching ecotourism classes in the fall semester. Contact its Continuing Education Department, 919.542.6495, ext. 223, for more information.

For more information about the ecotourism program, contact the Chatham County Campus, http://www.cccc.edu/green/ecotourism/courses.php or call 919.542.6495. For more information about Chatham County tourism, contact Director of Travel and Tourism Neha Shah at neha@visitpittsboro.com or 919-542-8296.

Fast facts about tourism in Chatham County:

• Domestic tourism in Chatham County generated an economic impact of $24.83 million in 2007, a 6 percent increase from 2006.
• More than 170 jobs in Chatham County were directly attributable to travel and tourism. 
• Travel generated a $3.16 million payroll in 2007. 
• State and local tax revenues from travel to Chatham County amounted to $1.87 million. This represents a $30.43 tax saving to each county resident.

CONTACT:
Katherine McDonald
Central Carolina Community College 
919-718-7265
ksmcdo15@cccc.edu

This information obtained from http://www.chathamnc.org.