New Year, New Planning Director and Poet Laurette; Carrboro Town Staff Present Greenhouse Gas Inventory

The Carrboro Town Council welcomes a new poet laureate and planning director, recognizes National Mentoring Month, and celebrates a national award for its budget. Staff then walk the council through the town’s greenhouse gas inventory, acknowledge that Carrboro is unlikely to hit its 2030 reduction target (although it has made great strides to decrease emissions) and field questions about EV fleet upgrades, rooftop solar, and geothermal options for key buildings. 20mins

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Original Meeting

Tuesday, January 6th, 2026
4275.0
Carrboro Town Council Meeting - January 6, 2026
Video Notes

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The Carrborean
Carrboro, NC, USA
The Carrborean staff
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In This Video
  • Amanda Bennett, new Carrboro Poet Laureate, expressed gratitude for the title and reached for the words of Lucille Clifton to help everyone look ahead together. Take a listen to the poem that set the tone for the new year. Ms. Bennett replaces Liza Wolff-Francis.
  • A representative of Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocates thanked the Town of Carrboro for its support, highlighted the impact of mentoring on local students, and introduced program leaders who had returned to serve the next generation of scholars.
  • The town manager announced a national budget presentation award for Carrboro and introduced new Planning Director John Fusa, who shared professional background and appreciation for the warm welcome as council members officially greeted this leadership transition.
  • Sebastian Morencio reviewed the town’s greenhouse gas emissions inventory, highlighting that most emissions came from the vehicle fleet, describing trends in building, fleet, and lighting emissions over time, recognizing efficiency and LED upgrades, and noting current progress toward the Community Climate Action Plan’s 2030 reduction goal.
  • Climate and Energy Program Manager Aaron Kino explained that Carrboro was unlikely to meet its ambitious 2030 emissions reduction goal, compared the town’s targets to nearby communities, and broke down current vehicle-related emissions while noting the present limitations of electric options for heavy-duty diesel vehicles.
  • Climate and Energy Program Manager Aaron Kino outlined how fully electrifying the town’s light-duty fleet could significantly cut vehicle emissions while emphasizing reliance on Duke Energy’s power mix, and described ongoing projects to expand higher-speed EV charging infrastructure for municipal vehicles despite utility and infrastructure constraints.
  • Following the greenhouse gas presentation, the mayor invited questions and a council member requested cost estimates for adding solar to major town buildings and asked about the feasibility of geothermal at the Century Center.
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