Green task force OK'd

Chatham also to tweak planners

PITTSBORO -- The new Chatham County Commissioners continued to flex their slow-growth muscle Monday night.

First, Commissioner George Lucier proposed creating a green building task force, which the board unanimously approved during their afternoon work session.

The task force will review and advise the commissioners on green building strategies for all new county buildings, including libraries and schools, and renovations of existing buildings. The seven to nine members will be appointed by the commissioners.

Lucier also suggested adding a section to the county's ordinance on Planning Board membership that would allow commissioners to terminate members at any time.

Right now, each commissioner appoints two Planning Board members to represent their district for a three-year term.

Lucier's representative is Mary Nettles, who ran against him in the May Democratic Primary. She was appointed by Lucier's predecessor, Carl Outz. Also on the Planning Board are Clyde Harris and Martin Mason. Both accepted personal loans from former commissioners chairman Bunkey Morgan.

"All of us want to implement the land-use plan, and I'm not sure if we can do that with the current Planning Board," Lucier said.

In addition, Lucier wants to add an 11th member to the Planning Board, who would be appointed by all five commissioners.

The board agreed to add the extra member and hold a public hearing Jan. 16 on amending the board membership ordinance.

In other business, the commissioners:

* Finalized job descriptions for a full-time staff attorney and a public works director;

* Scheduled their annual summit for Jan. 2, 8 and 9 at the county complex;

* Scheduled a joint meeting with the County Board of Eduction for 7 p.m. Jan. 29, location to be determined; and

* Agreed to hire the Cherry Huffman architectural firm to design a county library and classrooms at the Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro.