Morrisville, NC – You could win $10,000 in the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce Reverse Raffle. And, you’ll be supporting one of the area’s finest business organizations.

Win $10,000

Proceeds from the raffle support the fine work of the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce, a burgeoning force for business in the Triangle. Tickets cost $100.

The Reverse Raffle will be held on Thursday, June 21, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Four Points by Sheraton located at 1200 Claren Circle, in Morrisville.

It is a fun opportunity to network, win fabulous raffle prizes and support the Morrisville Chamber’s programs.

The Odds Are Good

Only 300 tickets will be sold for the grand prize. That makes your odds 1:300.

By comparison, the the odds of winning the Mega Millions lottery are 1:175,000,000 according to mathematician Aaron Abrams.

Get together with a couple of friends and pool your money. You do not have to attend the raffle drawing to win. Buy a ticket.

Buy a Ticket

To purchase tickets:

Morrisville Chamber Reverse Raffle
Call – (919) 463-7150
Email - chamber@morrisvillechamber.org
Online - Buy a ticket
Ticket Cost: $100

Event Details:

Raffle Drawing
Thursday June 21, 2012
5:30 – 8:00 PM

Four Points by Sheraton
1200 Claren Circle
Morrisville, NC

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Community coverage on CaryCitizen is sponsored in part by Thai Spices and Sushi of Cary.

Story and photos by Hal Goodtree.

Morrisville, NC – The Town of Morrisville dedicated a Civil War marker on Friday, commemorating the Battle of Morrisville, quite possibly the last engagement of the Civil War.

Battle of Morrisville Civil War Marker

On Friday evening, Morrisville Mayor Jackie Holcombe and Town Council dedicated a Civil War historical plaque in front of  the entrance to Town Hall.

The Battle of Morrisville, April 13-15 1865, is actually classified as an “engagement.” Union troops, rolling west from capturing Raleigh, shelled the Morrisville railroad junction. Confederate troops fought a delaying action with cavalry and infantry as they tried to evacuate wounded soldiers as well as supplies to the west. The Page House in Morrisville, recently designated a Wake County Historical Site, still has bullet holes and artillery scars in the brick chimney from the battle.

The Battle of Morrisville may have been the last official engagement of the Civil War. Confederate General Joe Johnston was in contact with Union General William T. Sherman, setting the stage for their April 17th meeting at Bennet Farm in Durham and the largest surrender of rebel forces during the War. Lee had already surrendered at Appomatox and Lincoln was dead.

The marker, dedicated on the 147th anniversary of the engagement, now officially puts Morrisville on the North Carolina Civil War Trail, as well it should be.

More info from local historians:

• Battle at Morrisville Station (John Guss)
• The Battle of Morrisville (Ernest Dollar)

Story from staff reports. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Morrisville, NC – A public input session for Morrisville’s 2012 Bond Referendum will be held Thursday, April 19, 6:30 pm at Morrisville’s Town Hall, 100 Town Hall Drive.

Public Input Session

The projects which will be presented for feedback from the public are in the categories of street improvements, public building improvements and parks and recreation. They include:

• Construction of International Drive extension from its current end to the future intersection with the McCrimmon Parkway or construction of McCrimmon Parkway Extension from NC 54 to Evans Rd.
• Public Works Facility Improvements
• Morrisville Aquatics and Fitness Center Renovations
• Construction of a Main Street Park and a Recreation & Senior Activity Center -Morrisville Community Park Phase III
• Land acquisition for Park and Open Space Property

Following the public input session, Council will discuss bond packages based on several factors, including the most recent Capital Improvement Projects survey, staff input and feedback from residents.

Bond Referendum

A bond referendum is an election procedure required by the North Carolina General Statues when a governmental unit (Morrisville, North Carolina) wishes to issue general obligation bonds to finance public projects. A vote of the people is required because general obligation bonded debt is secured by the governmental unit’s taxing authority.

For more information, please visit www.townofmorrisville.org/bondreferendum.

Story and photo by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – Wake Count mayors have finalized plans for their second-ever meeting with the Wake County School Board. The meeting is set for Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce.

Wake Mayors to Meet with School Board

Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht broke the news in his blog, published this afternoon. CaryCitizen will have the full text of Mayor Weinbrecht’s blog tomorrow.

The mayors also finalized a meeting with the Wake County School board to be held at 8 AM on April 11^th at the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce. This will be the second time ever that these two bodies have been together. The first time was when I was chairman of the Mayors Association a couple of years ago.

No word on the agenda for the meeting.

What do you think Wake mayors should discuss with the County school board?

Story by Lindsey Chester. Photos by Hal Goodtree, courtesy of Casto Properties.

Morrisville, NC- We last stopped by the Park West Shopping Center a few months ago when Target and many of the Big Box retailers had opened their doors. This month many new store fronts have held grand openings and a few will be ready in just a couple weeks. The Village area will be chock full of fun eateries. Many are hiring (hint: high school kids- get over there!).

Ross Dress For Less just opened last weekend, which completes the large retail section adjacent to the Target part of the shopping center. The Village area is starting to bustle.

I was happy to see that the Sprint store that opened right after Christmas is a telephone service center- that means if you have a problem with your Sprint cel phone, they have the technicians to take care of you at this location. No more trips to Crossroads or Durham’s Southpoint Sprint location (wish I knew that this past Monday).

What’s In the Village

The Village area is located up towards the intersection of Cary Parkway and Chapel Hill Road. Six smaller buildings are clustered together connected by sidewalks. Each of these buildings can house between 3- 6 retail establishments. Tucked between two of the buildings near the Chapel Hill side is a small built-in stage area where the developers, Casto, hope to have some live music and activities as the weather warms up.

All the businesses in this area have signage on the street side as well as the inward facing parking sides of the buildings. This should help a great deal with visibility from the road for would-be shoppers. Town of Cary take note: this idea was discussed in the sign ordinance revisions, which have been stalled for over a year.

If you like to eat out, The Village area has lots of  restaurants at all price points,  and many service related  businesses. Most of the actual retail seems to be located within the Big Box area across the main thoroughfare.

What’s Open Now:

Restaurants:

• YoLo Frozen Yogurt- conveniently tucked near soon- to- open restaurants:  Ruckus and Zoe’s Kitchen
• Hibachi Blue
• Penn Stations Subs

Service Businesses

• Game Stop
• Triangle Family Eye Care- a local eyeglass and optometrist
• Jay Andrew’s Aveda Salon
• GNC
• Sprint
• Omaha Steaks

Coming VERY Soon:

• Ruckus
• Zoe’s Kitchen- big sign said they were hiring.
• Mc Allister’s Deli
• Deluxe Cleaners
• Massage Envy
• Platinum Nail Spa

Two stand alone buildings are almost ready-

• Tavinia Italian Kitchen and
• Buffalo Wild Wings

When I walked the site, workman were working furiously on these two buildings. Tavinia will feature outdoor seating and can be accessed on foot from the corner of NW Cary Parkway and Chapel Hill Rd. Buffalo Wild Wings has already painted their signature  yellow and black stripes on awnings and a side of the building. It is a short walk from the Target and other buildings at the retail core.

The Park West site map now shows an RBC bank on the Cary Parkway side, yet to be built. A new addition will be Gander Mtn and outdoor provision store feature hiking, camping fishing and hunting gear. This retailer will be over on the Morrisville Parkway side of the center.

A  Stone Movie Theater is still to come, but it doesn’t look to have broken ground yet. This area will have more, as yet undisclosed, retail nearby. Apartments are also shown on the site plan, but have not broken ground yet.

The Big Box Area

All this adds to what has already opened in the Big Box side of Park West:

• Target
• Buy Buy Baby
• Lynn’s Hallmark
• PetSmart
• TJ Maxx
• Rack Room Shoes
• Dress Barn
• Omega Sports

Th development had stalled after approval when the economy went sour. But once Casto had the green light from target things moved forward swiftly. Target opened October 9, 2011 and within the following 5 months have seen lots of building and upfits. The development seems to be building from front to back with most of the site plan in phase one located at the busy corner of Cary Parkway and chapel Hill Road. The back section has been cleared but no ground broken yet.

CaryCitizen will look for more developments here as they happen.

Story and photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – I always love a big municipal ribbon-cutting. The sun always seems to shine. So it was today with the sun shining down on the large crowd that had assembled for the dedication of the new Morrisville Fire Station #1.

New Morrisville Fire Station #1

From the Town of Morrisville:

Construction on the new fire station began in September of 2010. The facility is 13,000 square feet and includes a three bay design. It is replacing the former Fire Station 1, located at the corner of Morrisville-Carpenter Road and Chapel Hill Road, which was over 55 years old.

The increased space in the new station is necessary to facilitate modern firefighting operations, and to house an EMS unit and crew as well. The project cost approximately $3 million to complete.

What’s not conveyed is the soaring sense of space, power and optimism the new firehouse evokes. Elected officials and small children couldn’t help but smile as the flags fluttered, the band played and speakers recalled the history of firefighting in Morrisville:

• The fire company was incorporated as Morrisville Rural Fire Company in 1955.

• The first firetruck was a converted Army vehicle.

• The company was all-volunteer and a family affair, with fathers, sons, wives, sisters and daughters all involved. At one time, 30% of the firefighters were female.

• 1964 – Angus Barn fire.

• First paid employees were in 1988.

• 1992 – American Eagle flight crashes in Morrisville five miles short of the runway. Rescue teams scramble out to the disaster in tractors and off-road vehicles.

• In 1995, the fire company became a town department.

• 1999, third station completed on 10632 Chapel Hill Rd. Designated Station #2. 24/7 staffing of both Station #1 and Station #2 initiated.

• 2012 New Fire Station #1 inaugurated.

Pictures: Morrisville Fire Station #1 Dedication

Story by Hal Goodtree. Twitter bird by Leandro Agro.

Morrisville, NC – This morning, I had the pleasure of addressing Coffee & Connections at the Morrisville Chamber. My topic was Top 5 Twitter Tricks.

Twitter for Business

“Hi, I’m Hal Goodtree,” I began. “I’m the Publisher of CaryCitizen, based in Cary, NC.” It was 7:30 in the morning and I was getting more than a few blank looks. “Cary is a suburb of Morrisville,” I explained. That seemed to clear things up.

Twitter can be fun, illuminating, many things, but I wanted to highlight the benefits to business. “Of the four big social media tools – Facebook, Linked In, YouTube and Twitter – Twitter is the most important for business in February of 2012,” I said.

I asked how many in the crowd used Twitter. By a show of hands, it looked like about 40% were using Twitter. I asked the rest why they weren’t on Twitter – was it too hard or just a waste of time? Two hands went up for “waste of time.” The rest thought it was too hard.

But Twitter is easy, I told the group, and can very effective for business both in the long and the short term. For instant results, Twitter is the bomb.

Top 5 Twitter Tricks

These aren’t really Twitter tricks. More like Top 5 for Newbies, but who likes to be called a newbie? I used to be a newbie, but now I’ve graduated to Village Idiot. It know how bad it hurts to be mocked. So here’s my Top 5 tips.

1. Share the Love – This is really the raison d’etre of Twitter. Mention me and I’ll mention you. Make me look good and I’ll return the favor.

2. Hashtags – A Hastag is a number sign and a word/phrase such as #business or #chapelhill. Hashtags are searchable and help other people with similar interests find your stuff.

3. TY RT & FF – Twitter is only 140 characters including any link, so abbreviations allow you to pack more into a small message.

TY=Thank You, RT=Retweet and FF=Follow Friday

• When someone mentions you, you respond with “TY for the mention.”

• Retweets are when you republish someone else’s tweet – “RT @CaryCitizen: Publisher Hal Goodtree will be talking about Twitter at @MorrisvilleNC Chamber Coffee & Connections tomorrow.”

• Follow Friday is a popular convention of Twitter . On Fridays, you recommend other users you like, as in “#FF @CaryCitizen @MorrisvilleNC“

 4. Tweko – This is a power tip. Tweko (Twitter + Echo) is a service that rebroadcasts your tweet several hours after it is initially published. This is useful because people tend to check Twitter a few of times a day, not monitor it constantly. By rebroadcasting, you expose your message to a larger share of your audience. Tweko is free and easy – just sign up with your Twitter name and password, set a few parameters (how many rebroadcasts and how many hours in between) and you’re all set. Works automatically.

5. HootSuite – HootSuite is an alternative way to monitor your Twitter account (or accounts). It offers more functionality than going to the Twitter website. HootSuite is free and works in your web browser – nothing to download.

TY Morrisville Chamber

Thank you to the Morrisville Chamber for inviting me to Coffee & Connections. With any luck, they’ll get a better speaker next month.

Story and pictures by Hal Goodtree.

Morrisville, NC – Carlotta Ungaro, the President of the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce, asked me to take pictures of the group’s annual meeting. “Sure,” I said, expecting 40 or 50 people and rubber chicken. Boy, was I wrong.

2012 Annual Meeting

The 2012 Annual Meeting of the Morrisville Chamber took place last Friday at the Hilton Hotel on Page Road.

Surprise Number 1 for me was the turnout. The ballroom was packed with about 250 well-heeled guests. It looked like every seat was taken.

A bagpipe group entertained the crowd and the Morrisville Fire Department presented the colors.

After a few opening remarks, we chowed down on a fine meal of tossed baby greens, baked salmon and layer cake.

Morrisville Chamber Awards

After lunch, Roy Watson, Chairman of the Chamber, introduced the presentation of awards in three categories:

• Small Business of the Year
• Ambassador of the Year
• Community Steward of the Year

Primrose School at the Park was awarded the James M. Pugh Small Business of the Year Award. Primrose is an independently, operated education-based private school owned by Ms. Leslie Moore. Primrose currently employs 28 employees and offers care for 176 children.

The North Carolina Chef’s Academy received the Jeremiah Morris Community Steward of the Year Award. The Chef’s Academy, opened in August of 2010, is the Culinary Division of Harrison College in Indianapolis. Students receive hands-on training in the fields of culinary arts, pastry arts, and hospitality and restaurant management. The Chef’s Academy has made an impact in the community through organizations like the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, The North Carolina Hospitality Foundation, United Way of the Greater Triangle and the National Football League’s Party with a Purpose. The Chef’s Academy also provides scholarships for high school students through its culinary arts competition.

Karen Monna won the 2011 Ambassador of the Year Award. Monna is the Membership Engagement Director at the Cary Family YMCA, where she has worked for 14 years.  She has been a Morrisville Chamber Ambassador for the past three years.

Keynote Speaker: Ryan Allis

I’d heard of Ryan Allis and his company iContact. But I’d never actually heard him speak. I can say without hyperbole that this 27-year-old entrepreneur blew away the crowd.

First impression: Ryan Allis is the Triangle’s Mark Zuckerberg. Although he probably gets tired of the comparison (I get tired of being compared to Matt Damon, after all), the story lines are similar.

Allis dropped out of a great school (UNC Chapel Hill) to build his company. He threw a mattress on the floor and slept at the office. 10 years later, he 300 employees and $47 million in annual income.

iContact sells software as a service (SaaS) that helps users create commercial looking email campaigns without knowing any code.

After giving a brief recap of his history, Allis shared a few observations about why he choose Morrisville for his new company headquarters:

• Centrally located with the Triangle
• 20 minutes to any of the 3 major universities in the region
• Lots of tech talent nearby at IBM, Cisco, Lenovo and others
• Low cost of living
• International airport 5 minutes away

Allis neatly summarized all that’s good for business in the Triangle in general and Morrisville in particular. I leaned over and whispered two words to Carlotta Ungaro: “testimonial video.”  She nodded with a twinkle in her eye, either in agreement or in the hopes that I’d shut up.

Finally, Allis made a few observations about the direction of technology in 2012:

• Software and data is now on the cloud, not on the desktop
• 2.1 billion people are now on the internet, growing to 5 billion by 2020
• Firms that focus on social responsibility are gaining a competitive advantage with Gen-Y consumers and workers
• Emerging and frontier markets are booming

On the notion of social responsibility, Allis described a situation where a worker is considering two similar offers. The company that emphasizes social responsibility is more likely to get the valued labor.

Allis mentioned that iContact is a B Corp, a voluntary form of corporate organization that considers social responsibility. The company donates 1% of its output in 4 areas to support charitable organizations:

• 1% of employee time
• 1% of its product
• 1% of profits
• 1% of its stock

Allis stuck around for about a half hour after the meeting adjourned to shake hands and chat with anyone who wanted to say hello.

The line was long.

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CaryCitizen is a proud member of the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce.

Written by Jackie Holcombe, Mayor of Morrisville, North Carolina. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Balance Between Services and Cost

This year, as every year, the Town of Morrisville will consider how best to balance a desire for a well-maintained, safe community that offers reasonable quality of life amenities with taxpayer cost.  Over the next 5 months we will examine revenue and growth projections, review strategic priorities and receive departmental staff reports. We will hold workshops, virtual open houses and public hearings, all dedicated to our Fiscal Year 2013 budget.   And when that budget is adopted in June, if we have done our job and listened well, the balance between services and cost will reflect the desires of our community.

What Service Level Fits our Expectations?

For years, significant tax-base and population growth in Morrisville led to year-over-year increases in revenue.  Without much effort, people and businesses found their way to the Heart of the Triangle, drawn as they were to our desirable location and exceptional quality of life.  Over time we became less rural and more an innovative crossroads where cultural heritage meets the next generation, nurturing vibrant communities of diverse families and businesses, while preserving small-town values. But now the question begs:  how well do we want to maintain our community and what service level provision best fits our high expectations?

Austere Budgets

Our town staff has expertly executed austere budgets for multiple years running, increasing efficiency along the way.  As a result, our residential taxes and fees are among the lowest in Wake County.  Our full time staff has been pared to 150, a rate of only 7.5 employees per 1000 population.  (For comparison sake, the staffing rate in Cary is 8.5/1000 residents.)  We have delayed and deferred routine maintenance and capital projects, an approach that has left our fund balance – or savings account – rich, but our list of needs long.  Yes, we have consistently delivered high level, quality services. But we have not adequately responded to community requests for better roads, expanded parks and greenways, preservation of historic buildings and a vibrant town center.

Make Your Voice Heard

Morrisville is a community of engaged, informed residents with high expectations.  We can meet those expectations, demonstrate good stewardship of financial resources and still continue to be one of the best values in the Triangle.  But shared responsibility for Morrisville’s future through continued investment in infrastructure and quality of life amenities will be needed.  I look forward to the defining conversations to come.

Morrisville: 2013 Fiscal Budget
Submit your comments

Story from staff reports. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Morrisville, NC – The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce has named its 2012 Board of Directors. It’s a prestigious group.

2012 Morrisville Chamber Board of Directors

Chair
Roy Watson
Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC

Treasurer
John McGeary
Capital Bank

Past Chair
Karen Ondrick
Lenovo

Executive Committee member and Business Advisory Council Chair
J. Drake Brinkley
Moore & Van Allen, PLLC

Executive Committee member
Michael Kearns
Jani-King of Raleigh/Durham

Executive Committee Member and Economic Development Committee Chair
Jeff Sheehan
Duke Realty Corporation

Fred Adams, Jr.
Fred Adams Paving Co.

Emily Aldrich Barbour
Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina

Anthony Blackmon
Atlantic Tire Co.

Hill Carrow
Sports & Properties, Inc.

Marty Clayton
Progress Energy

Kimberly Copney
Costco

Theresa deMatas
Rex Healthcare

Dan Dzamba
Morrisville Square

Robert Mouro
Merril Lynch

Terry Poythress
Poythress Homes, Inc.

Houck Reed
Tekelec

Ed White
White Ventures LLC

Ex officio
John Whitson
Town of Morrisville

Ex officio
Carlotta Ungaro
Morrisville Chamber of Commerce

Morrisville Chamber Events

The Morrisville Chamber Calendar lists several regular monthly events including Business Tool Box, K.N.O.W. luncheons (Knowledgeable Network of Women) and Coffee & Connections.

CaryCitizen is proud to be a 2012 member of the Morrisville Chamber.