March 16-22 is "Sunshine Week," a national initiative about the importance of open government and freedom of information. It provides a great opportunity for those of us who work for citizens to ensure you know how strongly committed we are to maintaining a culture of openness and transparency. It's in the Town of Cary's Statement of Values and practiced every day.

Some of the steps Cary has taken to build and maintain an open government include for more than a decade putting council meeting materials on the Web so that everyone -- council, media, citizens -- can access them at the same time; in fact, sharing information with everyone simultaneously is the primary reason our Web site was created back in 1997.

Another major step was taken on Feb. 8, 2007 when Cary became one of the first local governments in North Carolina to adopt a comprehensive public records policy, which articulates exactly how we will support both the letter and the spirit of state "Sunshine" laws.

"Sunshine" is a work in progress. And although we work hard on transparency, we need for you to let us know about problems encountered with or ideas about accessibility since, despite our best efforts, we know there will be opportunities for us to improve.

We encourage all citizens to help their governments focus on transparency by taking time to participate in Sunshine Week. You'll find more about Cary's commitment to a culture of openness at our "Sunshine Week" Web page on townofcary.org.

Here in Cary, our goal isn't for the sun to just shine during one week in March; we want it to shine every day as we focus on doing our best to serve our citizens.

Harold Weinbrecht, Mayor of Cary

Sidewalk problems

What do you do when the sidewalk disappears? Do you turn around and go back the way you came? Do you mush ahead, hoping that you will not get mired in mud or lost in tall grass or end up in a turn lane? Do you attempt to cross the street, noticing a sidewalk on that side? If you do so, do you back to the last intersection or try to jaywalk?

I am not a regular pedestrian in Cary. I am glad. On those occasions when I have become one, I have been completely puzzled by the way sidewalks suddenly disappear. More puzzling is that, whether or not there is a sidewalk, there is usually a wheelchair ramp at the next intersection -- on both side of the intersection --though neither is connected to a sidewalk. I recently walked from the Exxon Station at Walnut Street and Buck Jones (across from Borders) to my home on Kingston Ridge Road. About halfway down Walnut, as I approached the recently closed Hardees, the side walk stopped. I forged ahead through the sparse grass. There was not much mud, thanks to the drought. As I approached the new exit and entrance to routes 1 and 64 south, there was no wheelchair ramp and there was no walk/don't walk sign, but I safely made it to the island, and after a bit, to the other side. Then, however, I faced, not grass or mud, but the Walnut right turn exit onto the southbound 1 and 64ramp, with cars headed right for me. Again fortunately, I made it to Kingston Ridge and a safe walk home. What do you do when the sidewalk disappears?

Doug Richmond, Cary

Getting Congress' attention

During the Week of March 9, Tim Sack and I had the opportunity to meet with fellow municipal leaders and members of Congress at the National League of Cities' Congressional City Conference on Washington, D.C., on a range of important national and hometown issues affecting the citizens of Holly Springs.

It was an opportunity to meet with and express to Senator Dole and Chris Wall, director of economic development with Senator Burr's Office, our town's needs.

My discussions centered on the need:

- for adequate emergency evacuation roads in and around the 10-mile radius of the Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant.

- to complete toll free the portion of the 540 loop that would connect to route 55.

I explained the current expansion plans for the Shearon Harris Plant exacerbates the safe evacuation of an already inadequate series of roads. Also, when or if the proposed new reactor is built and the Harris Lake level raises 20 feet, many existing roads will be under water, creating additional concerns for an orderly evacuation.

In addition, I discussed the possibility of obtaining federal grant money for Veterans Park. In the coming weeks, I will be following up with both senators' staffs to address these important issues for Holly Springs.

Vinnie DeBenedetto. Holly Springs councilman

A fractured Morrisville

Kudos to The Cary News for their commitment to report on growth and its affect on our communities.

According to the recently [online] published "New developments quickly taking shape in Morrisville," Mayor Jan Faulkner says commercial development in the form of retail, restaurants and offices "help build us as a community." In some instances, yes. But without growth management measures in place, our present "community building" leaves us with some significant and serious problems. Growth, especially in the northern part of town, is out pacing our sewer capacity.

Water use in Morrisville will increase by 25 percent when Park West Regional Activity Center is built out. With lanes added to Morrisville-Carpenter Road, we're facing the closure of the Barbee Road at-grade railroad crossing. We'll soon see restricted movement at Church Street and Morrisville-Carpenter Road. The RR crossing and intersection at Church Street and N.C. 54 will likewise be changed to restricted right in/right out movement and then closed altogether. In the northern part of Morrisville, already congested McCrimmon Parkway will become the only option for full access between Church Street and N.C. 54. We are a town built around a railroad, and grade separated RR crossings are pricey. But we cannot cut off access to one side of town, should not risk water and sewer resources currently available to our existing residents and businesses, must abandon the idea to raise local taxes in order to add more car trips, more people, more shopping, more offices. That's notcommunity building and it's not acceptable.

In order to protect our residents' quality of life, Morrisville needs an adequate public facilities ordinance, transportation impact fees and a town budget with ample funds for road and other infrastructure improvements. We need to more carefully plan for growth, accurately assess its real impact on our road, water and sewer capacity, acknowledge and respond to residents' concerns and require growth to fund its share. Otherwise, Morrisville's existing sense of community will most certainly become fractured, not built.

Jackie Holcombe, Morrisville

Cary first in conservation

While the media is continuing to report what Raleigh has not done to prepare for the drought the state is currently experiencing, why isn't the media spending any time reporting how our town was proactive years ago? In our area, which was the first town to recognize a water shortage was coming, Cary. Which town first restricted outdoor watering, Cary. Which town was the first to recycle (gray) water for irrigation, Cary. Which town offers to its resident various water-saving devices should as low flow shower heads, Cary. Which town developed an education program for its citizens, Cary. Which town was the first to offer rain barrels for its citizens, Cary. Which town is continuing to develop and refine its water conservation measures such as the tuft buy back program, Cary. Could it be because it is Cary, which we know most of the media (not The Cary News) does not like to say anything positive about unless it has to?

Tom Hemrick, Cary