Orange County NC Website
DocuSign Envelope ID:B2959B23-1DFC-4D77-BF91-33A27D171752 <br /> • Matt Gladdek—Executive Director, Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership <br /> - Chapel Hill had a good holiday season although the cold weather is hurting our outdoor dining a <br /> bit but we are hoping UNC coming back in session will help. <br /> - As we've mentioned in previous meetings, we've hired Kaze Thomas with VibeHouse to work on <br /> a "Save the Music" series. We are beginning to have discussions with our partners in Carrboro <br /> and venues about how to revive second Fridays and make it an event which really catches <br /> people's imaginations and brings people down town in bigger numbers. We're hoping to launch <br /> that by March. <br /> • Mayor Pam Hemminger—Town of Chapel Hill <br /> - We started the process for 150 East Rosemary Street, which is a new office building, a majority <br /> of which will be wet lab. We're looking at it from many different perspectives but also <br /> enhancing the pedestrian experience on that side of town along East Henderson and Rosemary <br /> Street. The building is projected to be 6 to 8 stories tall, a bit more modern than we normally <br /> see but will complement the historic district with materials and hopefully have a lot of glass, a <br /> great view back at campus, and maybe some outdoor space on top of the building. <br /> - The parking deck project is moving along quite well. Demolition should start sometime in April <br /> or May and reconstruction of the new deck starting right after that with it being complete and <br /> open in a year from the start of construction, hopefully. The goal is to have it open before <br /> UNC's fall semester 2022. <br /> - Budget season has started so finances are on the top of everyone's minds. Occupancy taxes are <br /> down but sales taxes are actually better than they've ever been. Fees for services are down <br /> over$500,000 and parking revenues are worse than that and there are other categories where <br /> we just aren't seeing those revenues. We're meeting with our legislative reps on Monday to talk <br /> more about that. <br /> - Wegman's is opening February 24tn <br /> - We're doing well in Orange County with a lower percent positivity rate of the COVID-19 virus <br /> and we are also doing really well in vaccine distribution. We're doing better than the state level <br /> and we don't have the long lines that we are seeing on the news. As a North Carolinian <br /> resident,you can get vaccinated anywhere in the state. It doesn't have to be in the county in <br /> which you live. You can make an appointment anywhere in the state to receive the vaccine. <br /> - The recent drug busts of several UNC fraternity houses has prompted better discussions with <br /> the university about joint jurisdiction over Greek houses in our town. There's a better <br /> opportunity to curb behavior because UNC can respond in different ways than we can as a town. <br /> - Very excited with the new Booker Creek Basin Park. We have made a huge storm water basin <br /> but we've also made it into a park with a natural area, art,walkways and wildlife. The bridge is <br /> already in and you can check it out if interested. Eastgate has not flooded since this basin went <br /> in. <br /> - Because of the current virus statistics, we are going to continue to be virtual through June, at <br /> least. <br /> •Tanya Moore— Associate Vice Chancellor, UNC-Chapel Hill <br /> - Classes started on a remote basis on Tuesday. We had 1,430 students move in,joining the 1,000 <br /> that were with us last fall. <br /> - The big difference this semester is testing. We have three testing centers and have done more <br /> than 9,000 tests of students, faculty, and staff. We've had 83 positives, so far. That's a .9% <br /> positivity rate. Also, our prior-to-arrival test kept 88 students from returning to campus as <br /> planned and they will come after quarantining. <br /> 5 Page CHOCVB BOD Meeting January 20 , 2021 <br />