We filed today!

The McFarlane for Mayor campaign is now officially underway! Earlier this afternoon, I filed papers to become Raleigh's next mayor. I was joined by family, supporters and friends.

I'm proud to have been a part of the team that has helped make Raleigh the great place to live and work that it is. And as Mayor, I will continue to build on our accomplishments and keep Raleigh moving forward.

I hope you'll join me over the next few months as I visit neighborhoods across city. I am eager to hear your thoughts and ideas on how we can make our city even better. If you'd like me to knock on your door, please email rsvp.nancymcfarlane@gmail.com or visit my website.

Hope to see you out on the campaign trail!

--Nancy

Neighborhood Tour- Weathersfield Place

This morning we braved the heat to talk to some of the residents in Weathersfield Place, a beautiful neighborhood in North Raleigh. As their City Councilor I have visited this neighborhood in the past to discuss the residents' concerns over safety and traffic issues. I am happy to have helped my constituents successfully mediate issues with the city. On this trip I was looking forward to checking in with some of the people I met and to meet many others!

During this visit, I spoke with residents regarding Raleigh's growth and development, and specifically how we can retain Raleigh's charm while we manage our growth. I shared with small business owners my recent City Council proposal to establish a streamlined Small Business Initiative; this service would provide a one-stop shop for people seeking advice and support while starting and operating small businesses, a clear way to help us develop Raleigh's local talent, create jobs, and grow our economy.

Thanks you to the residents of Weathersfield Place for taking the time to talk about local issues!

Neighborhood Tour Stop #2

For the second stop on the Neighborhood Tour I visited Yorkshire Downs, a neighborhood adjacent to the second place my family called home in Raleigh.  Our backyards shared a ravine, so it was fitting that we were there to talk about stormwater issues. 

The neighbors contacted me to discuss their concerns about a city stormwater project. I have extensive experience with stormwater issues and projects so I was happy to listen and respond to their concerns.  The primary  intention of stormwater management projects are to control runoff for road safety, keep it out of people's backyards and to protect the health of the waterways.  However, I do also agree that any work the City does involving easement rights should end up increasing property values and not decreasing them - as is the concern here.  There has to be an on-going effort to balance development, environmental protection and neighborhood rights.  As Mayor I will continue to prioritize this balance, just as I have for years on the City Council

Raleigh Earns Two Honors from Forbes in One Week!

Raleigh has been named the "Next Big Boom Town" by Forbes.com:

• One-third of the criteria was job growth, both over the past decade and over the past two years.
• Two-thirds was a range of demographic factors including family formation, growth in educated migration, population growth, cultural amenities, employment opportunities and ease of starting businesses.
• Raleigh has experienced the second highest overall population increase.
• Raleigh has the third highest job growth over the past two decades. 

                                                                

Photo courtesy of RaleighSkyline

Raleigh was also named the "Best Town for Young Professionals:"

• Chosen from the 100 largest U.S. cities
• Forbes.com wrote: "The college town turned boom town, which tops our Best Places for Business and Careers list this year, has the fourth best job growth outlook of the cities we studied and 7.9 percent unemployment rate that is well below the national average."
• Raleigh received major praise for our institutes of higher learning and RTP, calling Raleigh "the most educated of the cities we looked at.

First stop on the neighborhood tour!

Over the weekend I kicked off my Neighborhood Tour with a stop in Brentwood. This was the first place my husband and I moved when we relocated to Raleigh almost 30 years ago. So it was very neat to come back to this community as I begin working my way through neighborhoods across Raleigh to learn about their individuality and strengths, needs and concerns.

I learned that Brentwood residents consider themselves "BTB" - between the beltlines! It really is a centrally located neighborhood with great access to both downtown and north Raleigh. People spoke highly of the quiet and safe neighborhood, clean streets, big shade trees, affordability and friendly neighbors.  The diversity of the community is also a strength that many neighbors appreciate. 

Thank you Brentwood for welcoming me into your homes and backyards and for your encouragement of my campaign for Mayor!  

Announcing Nancy's Neighborhood Tour!

 You can sign up to have me knock on YOUR door!

Today, the Nancy McFalane Campaign announces "Nancy's Neighborhood Tour" where I will knock on doors in 50 neighborhoods in 12 weeks.  

I am going to kickoff the Tour this weekend in the Brentwood Neighborhood where my husband Ron and I first lived when we moved to Raleigh 27 years ago with our 1 year old daughter.  Constructed in the 1960's, Brentwood is a community of single-family homes, and multi-family dwellings.  Mature trees and neighborhood recreation amenities like Brentwood Park offer a high quality that has attracted a diverse community of residents. 

The campaign will meet Saturday at  9:30AM at the Dunkin' Donuts parking lot if you would like to join Nancy's Neighborhood Tour this weekend in Brentwood.

"The strength of our neighborhoods is the cornerstone to what makes Raleigh a great place to live and work.  I am committed to getting out across our wonderful city and hear directly from voters their concerns and hopes for Raleigh's future." 

The campaign is encouraging voters to sign up for a chance to have me knock on their door by sending an email request to rsvp.nancymcfarlane@gmail.com.

"This is a great way to engage citizens to get involved in local government, which has such a large impact on our daily lives.  It is not everyday you have an opportunity to get the next Mayor to knock on your door," said Campaign Manager Sagar Sane.    

July 4th

University Park Parade

I spent the 4th of July celebrating Independence Day with communities across Raleigh!

One of my favorite things about Raleigh is the diversity and strength of the many different neighborhoods. I visited three communities who celebrated in their own special way.

From little kids to long-time Raleigh residents,

each person contributed something unique to the big celebration!

Cameron Park Picnic

Oakwood Parade

Thanks so much for inviting me to participate!

Happy 4th of July!!

Small Business Initiative

Currently potential small business owners must submit information to several different departments within the City of Raleigh in order to meet the requirements necessary to open their doors for business. Streamlining these steps will not only help small business owners get their companies up and running more quickly and efficiently, but it will also create local jobs for Raleigh’s citizens.

So today at City Counci (watch the video at 1:36), I introduced the following "Small Business Initiative" which was well-received by the Council and will be voted on next week. In light of the upcoming thousands of lay-offs from the State, now is the time for the City to make sure that we are making the process of opening a new business accessible, simplified and as hassle-free as is safely possible. People need to know that Raleigh is open for business!

I. Establish a Small Business Office within City Government

Navigating what is required to open a small business in Raleigh can be confusing and frustrating. There needs to be a place in City Government where small business owners can go and have an advocate. A single point of contact where they can go to learn all they need to do, coordinate inspections, and streamline the permitting process necessary to open and expand a small business in Raleigh.

II. Establish a Small Business Commission

A nine member Commission made up of small business owners and those who assist small businesses. Their charge will include identifying issues, challenges, and problems facing small business in dealing with the City, to mentor prospective small business, and give direction to the City’s Small Business Office.

III. Engage Citizens and Coordinate Private Small Business Assistance.

Some of the smartest people in the world have chosen to make Raleigh their home, and we have a number of non profit organizations dedicated to assisting small business. The City should do more to engage the enormous talent we have here and help coordinate all the private assistance available to small businesses.

Water Conservation and Efficiency Fair

Next week, the City's Public Utilities Department will host the first Water Conservation and Efficiency Fair. The event will take place at Nash Square on Wednesday and Thursday, the 22nd and 23rd from 10am-3pm, and will be free of charge and open to the public.

The event will feature product demonstrations, information of local water conservation issues, and product giveaways. There will also be booths set up to distribute information on high-efficiency products that are new to the marketplace, as well as water conservation tips.

In the event of rain, the fair will be moved inside of the Avery C. Upchurch Complex at 222 W. Hargett Street! For more information, plase contact the city's Public Utilities Department.

President Obama's Visit Today!

Today I am honored to represent the City of Raleigh during President Obama's visit to Cree to discuss job creation, economic growth and the role of energy-efficiency technologies. The president will also meet with his Jobs and Competitiveness Council to discuss ways that the government and businesses can work together to create jobs and spur the economy.

In 2010, Cree was awarded $39 million to purchase new equipment to add capacity and capability to lower production costs of LED chips and fixtures.

President Obama has said that building a rosbust clean energy sector is how we will create the jobs of the future. I couldn't agree more, and I am so excited to see our region be a leader in that process!

A Great Weekend in Raleigh!

What a great weekend in Raleigh! As all of you know, this was a big and busy weekend for Raleigh. Rise Up Raleigh was held Friday night, and turned out to be a huge success! Thank you to all of those who attended and made a donation, and thanks to all of the sponsors and musicians who put together such a great evening. More than $21,000 has been raised for the victims of the April 16 tornadoes, and donations will be taken until June 9. It has been very impressive, and also very touching, to see our community come together to help those in need. Rise Up Raleigh did a fantastic job of celebrating that effort and community spirit!

Also this weekend, CityCamp was held. It too was a huge success! What I enjoyed most about CityCamp was working in small groups to discuss using technology as a tool for governments. The potential is unlimited! We are very fortunate to have such a strong foundation for an emerging technology industry in the region. I hope that Raleigh will continue to explore the potential for technology as a tool, and continue to lead the way in innovation! CityCamp was a great way to encourage that process. Thanks to everyone who made CityCamp happen!

I hope everyone enjoyed the busy weekend as much as I did!

Memorial Day!

This Memorial Day, I was able to join Summerfield North again for their great Memorial Day parade! I had a great time! Summerfield North is a great North Raleigh neighborhood, with more than 500 homes. Each year, they do a wonderful Memorial Day Celebration with special guests like McGruff the Crime Dog and Muddy the Mudcat (among others)! A special thanks to Mike Hicks, neighborhood president, and Meredith Thorpe for inviting me to participate.

Also, in the spirit of Memorial Day, thank you to all of our troops, armed forces personnel, and their families for your incredible sacrifices and commitment to our country.

New Business in Raleigh!

Downtown Raleigh welcomed nine new street-level businesses in the first quarter of 2011! These new businesses are a range of cafes and restaurants, art galleries and boutiques. Dozens of jobs have been created, and downtown's vibrance is continuing to grow!

Three new restaurants have opened:

• Brewmasters Bar and Grill
• Chris London's Backstage
• Fai Thai
  

Several galleries have also opened at Blake Street Studios in City Market:

• Emerge Fine Art
• African Beauty Jewelry and Artifacts
• Victoria Powers Studio Ten

Gypsy Jule is a new women's clothing and accessories boutique in the Glenwood South District. Also, Designbox Shop and a second location of Crema at City Plaza opened downtown.

This is a great sign of Raleigh's economic stability, I hope the second quarter will yield equally impressive results!

New CAT Facility!

Last week, Capital Area Transit unveiled a new operations and maintenance facility! Capital Area Transit operates forty public transit routes in Raleigh, and also operates three additional routes for Triangle Transit, providing transportation for more than 20,000 people daily.

The new facility covers a little more than 23 acres, with room to service up to 125 buses. Also, this new facility replaces the thirty-year-old 4 acre facility on Wilmington Street. CAT's passenger trips have grown by 87% in the last ten years, and that growth is expected to increase even more in the next ten years. This wonderful new facility should help to meet the continually growing demand for transportation options in Raleigh!

This facility is the newest in Raleigh that is expected to receive LEED certification. This facility was designed and built to incorporate as many sustainable features as possible, and is expected to receive LEED Platinum certification. The facility includes a geothermal heating and cooling system, radiant floor heating, reflective roof membranes, natural lighting, occupancy and photo sensors, water-saving plumbing fixtures, and a rainwater cistern!

Several folks were on hand for the grand opening of this facility - Representatives Brad Miller and David Price, along with Bob Etheridge, Jim Westmoreland, Tom Thompson, and Mayor Meeker. A special thanks to CAT for inviting all of us to participate in the Grand Opening!

Rise Up Raleigh Benefit Concert

June 3 is going to be a great night in downtown Raleigh! Several groups have come together to organize the Rise Up Raleigh Benefit Concert and Celebration. The Celebration will feature concerts from 11 awesome bands at the Raleigh Amphiteater as well as street performers and vendors along the blocks leading to and from the facility at Lenoir and Cabarrus streets.

In addition to raising funds and support for the victims of the April 16 tornadoes, this event will celebrate all of those who have given their time and energy to help those who suffered damages in the storm. The event will also celebrate the general spirit of community and togetherness that we are so fortunate to have in Raleigh.

While the City is hosting and organizing the event, several organizations have come together to make this happen. A special thanks to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, the Carolina Hurricanes, and Rex Healthcare for sponsoring the event. Another big thanks to the bands participating!

While the event is free and open to the public, those attending are encouraged to bring a donation that will go to charities aiding in the recovery efforts. The charities that will receive proceeds from the event are the Salvation Army of Wake County, Centro Internacional de Raleigh, the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and the Helping Hand Mission.

Please visit Rise Up Raleigh to stay current on the celebration, it is growing daily!

Prescription Pill Drop-Off

The City's Substance Abuse and Advisory Commission is hosting its third annual Pill Drop-Off event this Saturday! These events have been a tremendous success in the past, and I imagine this will be no exception. All prescription and over-the-counter medications will be accepted, with no questions asked.

The Drop-Off is a joint effor between the Substance Abuse Advisory Commission, Raleigh Police Department, and our Community Services Department. The event is part of an effort to reduce the abuse of prescription drugs and the harmful environmental affects of improper disposal of medications.

The following Food Lions will participate, and there will be a Police Officer and Pharmacist on hand to accept the medications.

13200 New Falls of Neuse Road, at Wakefield Crossing
5633 Creedmoor Road, at Millbrook Crossing
2420 Wycliff Road, at Meredith Park Commons
1601 Cross Link Road

It is recommended that everyone dropping of medications should remove any personal information, either by removing the label from the bottle or marking through any personal information.

CityCamp Raleigh!

June 3-5, Raleigh will host our first ever CityCamp! CityCamp will bring together government, business, neighborhood, non-profit, and academic affiliates to work together toward next generation solutions for Raleigh! The event is the only one of it's kind, a City-focused "unconference."

Admission is free and open to the public, but space is limited! The event will include speaker presentations, workshop sessions, and breakout sessions. Some of the topics that will be included are crime, trash, water/sewer, property taxes, street maintenance and traffic, parks and recreation, storm water management, and transit!

Even if you can't attend, you can participate! Citizens are encouraged to submit ideas, suggestions, and discussion topics on CityCamp's website. The sessions on Friday and Saturday will be held at Vintage 21, Sunday's sessions will take place at The Stockroom.

Grand Openings!

Over the last few weeks, I have been able to attend two wonderful grand opening celebrations! The first was to celebrate the opening of the Wilmoore Cafe, a great new restaurant downtown. The Wilmoore Cafe is located at 223 S. Wilmington Street, and is another great addition to downtown!

The second grand opening celebration was for the Contemporary Art Museum! This is another great addition to our downtown. It is a wonderful facility, unlike anything else we have to offer in the triangle. The Contemporary Art Museum is located at 409 W. Martin Street.

RPFFA Fundraising Concert

This November, the Raleigh Professional Fire Fighters Association (RPFFA), will bring back their annual fundraising concerts! The first concert will be held on November 18, at Dorton Arena. Country music legend John Anderson will perform with Briana Dean.

Proceeds from this concert, along with others in the future, will benefit several local charities and community programs. Camp Celebrate is one of the programs that the RPFFA supports. Camp Celebrate is a weekend camp for children ages 7-15 who have suffered major burn injuries. The RPFFA also works to provide and install smoke detectors for families who cannot afford them. Proceeds will also be used to support the Jaycee Burn Center at UNC Hospital, the Salvation Army, Helping Hands, and local youth athletic programs.

More information is available here or by calling 919-714-7944.

The RPFFA is a registered 501(c)(5) non-profit.

An Update or Tornado Response Efforts

It has been just two short weeks since Raleigh experienced the devastating storms. In that time, a tremendous amount of work has been done. Raleigh suffered more than $115 million in damage. 138 homes were destroyed, along with 8 businesses. Many roads were closed, and thousands of residents went several days without power, cable, or telephone.

Also, four young lives were lost as a result of the storms. I extend my sincere condolences to the families and friends of these four children.

Citizens of Raleigh have done an outstanding job in the recovery efforts since the storm. Neighbors have worked together, various volunteer groups have formed, and the City has put together more than 25 cleanup crews. More than 100,000 cubic yards of debris have been collected. In just two short weeks, many places are nearing normalcy.

For those who still have work to be done, please contact the City. There are several groups prepared and waiting to help! Also, the City's Yard Waste Center is waiving the standard fee for Raleigh home owners.

The City is also hosting a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center at the Chavis Park Community Center. Staff is available for assistance seven days a week, from 7am-7pm. For more information please send an email to stormrecovery@raleighnc.gov.