Hillsborough Town Hall

In the chronology

1. May 13, 1891 Hillsborough's town board votes 4 to 3 against a liquor license for John U. Smith Smith of Raleigh brought petitions from many citizens asking to retail liquor in the town, and Major John W. Graham and C. E. Parish spoke for him. James Webb Jr. moved to grant the license, but the board refused by four votes to three. People: John W. Graham, Calvin E. Parish, James Webb Jr. Orange County Observer (Hillsborough), May 23, 1891, p. 3
2. August 15, 1944 Hillsborough's commissioners set a $1.25 tax rate and pass a clean-up ordinance Meeting on Tuesday night, August 15, 1944, the Hillsborough town commissioners under Mayor Ben G. Johnston fixed the 1944 town tax rate at $1.25 per $100 and passed an ordinance making it unlawful, on pain of a $5 fine, to leave rotting food, trash or other refuse that endangered health or made a fire hazard within 25 feet of any street. They also gave car owners until September 1 to buy town license stickers. People: Gilbert W. Ray The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), August 24, 1944, p. 1
3. October 7, 1946 Hillsboro merchants drop their fall festival and go on record against carnivals After two carnivals with open gambling and girl shows set up near Hillsboro and Mebane in the same week, the Hillsboro Merchants Association voted unanimously against any carnival, show or circus staying more than one day in the county and asked for a local bill to limit them. The merchants also cancelled the Fall Festival trading promotion they had adopted in September for lack of goods and prizes. The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), October 10, 1946, p. 1
4. September 26, 1949 About 100 out-of-town residents protest Hillsboro's water rate increase Some 100 people living outside Hillsboro met at the Town Hall to protest the higher water rates set for out-of-town customers. Their spokesman, the Rev. J. F. Kernodle of West Hillsboro, asked for a hearing before the town board; Mayor Ben Johnston said only the full board could change the policy, and a second meeting was set at West Hillsboro School to name a committee. The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), September 29, 1949, p. 1
5. February 2, 1954 State development officials hold an industrial development workshop in Hillsborough E. E. Huffman and Dallas T. Daily of the State Department of Conservation and Development met about 20 business, town and county leaders at the Hillsboro mayor's office to discuss bringing in industry to balance the county's farm economy. They urged a list of available plant sites and buildings and a local development corporation, then toured possible sites. The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), February 4, 1954, p. 1
6. September 20, 1954 Hillsboro's town board orders an engineering survey for a new Eno River dam As the water behind the old Eno mill dam kept dropping, Hillsboro's commissioners voted to get an engineers' preliminary survey of the cost of an adequate dam on the Eno to replace the old rock dam at Dimmock's mill, asking Chapel Hill town manager Thomas D. Rose to advise. The board said a special bond election would be called once the figures were in. The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), September 23, 1954, p. 1
7. October 5, 1954 Hillsboro adds a $25 to $50 penalty for customers cut off for wasting water With the drought still draining the Eno storage, Hillsboro's commissioners amended the water conservation resolution adopted in September so that a customer cut off for wasting water had to pledge to obey the rules and pay a penalty of $25 to $50 before service was restored. The board was told one restaurant had already been cut off for heavy use. The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), October 7, 1954, p. 1
8. February 8, 1955 Hillsborough's board votes to seek a $50,000 water bond election for an Eno River dam After a severe water shortage the summer before, Hillsborough's town commissioners voted unanimously to have the town attorneys arrange a bond election as soon as the law allowed, seeking $50,000 to dam the Eno River. In January engineer Thomas D. Rose had recommended a concrete dam of about $39,000 at the old Dimmock's Mill site above the water plant, which he said would store a hundred days' supply. The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), February 10, 1955, p. 1
9. March 8, 1955 Hillsborough sets its $50,000 water bond vote for the May town election Hillsborough's commissioners unanimously approved a bond ordinance putting $50,000 in water bonds, chiefly for a dam on the Eno River, to the voters at the regular town election on May 3. The town had published notice on March 3 of its application to the Local Government Commission. The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), March 10, 1955, p. 1
10. July 5, 1955 Hillsboro promotes George Hunt to police chief The town board made patrolman George Hunt chief of its two-man police department at $3,000 a year, a title night policeman D. T. Roberts had held, and adopted a $35,040 budget on a $3.2 million valuation, keeping the 75-cent tax rate. The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), July 7, 1955, p. 1
11. February 5, 1957 Hillsborough grants Morris Telephone a 30-year franchise under protest The town board approved a 30-year franchise for the Morris Telephone Company, which needed it to borrow for expansion, but with Town Attorney A. H. Graham calling it 'the sorriest telephone service' anywhere, the board also resolved to carry a formal protest to the State Utilities Commission unless the company installed adequate equipment within eight months. The company said it had invested $101,197 since 1947 and raised local phones from 457 in December 1948 to 1,268, with about 200 orders waiting. People: Alexander H. "Sandy" Graham The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), February 7, 1957, p. 1
12. March 3, 1959 Hillsboro commissioners elect Fred T. Claytor to the town board The Hillsboro Board of Commissioners elected Fred T. Claytor, a Hillsboro High School teacher and assistant coach, to the unexpired term of Remus J. Smith Sr., who had resigned on joining the county ABC board. The board also called the town election for May 5, with registration April 18 through 25. People: Remus J. Smith Sr. The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), March 5, 1959, p. 1

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