Chapel Hill was named after the chapel on the hill, which, unfortunately, is no more. Now, however, that site houses our wonderful and charming historical landmark, the Carolina Inn.

In 1819, the town was founded to serve the needs of the university -- this was 30 years after the university was established by the N.C. legislature. UNC opened its doors to its first students in 1795 -- what an incredible town, rich in history!

While driving through Chapel Hill recently, I pondered some of these same thoughts: Is the town continuing to serve the needs of the university? And in 2008, one could surely expand that to ask as well: Is Chapel Hill serving the needs of the community as well as the thousands of visitors-tourists who come daily and yearly?

Since UNC has gobbled up so much of Chapel Hill, why continue to call it Chapel Hill? Why not just change the name into the town's obvious best asset - UNC'ville? Don't get me wrong, the "gobbling" has been good. UNC is a wonderful, incredible, vibrant asset, not only for Chapel Hill, but the region, the state, our country and even the world. In fact, a town couldn't ask for a better asset.

There is no question that UNC's impact has been far-reaching and influential, but where is Chapel Hill in all of this? Where is Chapel Hill's own identity? Where is the "charm and character" of Chapel Hill on display? Where is "the reason" to just go downtown and experience some great shopping? Where is the "walking mall" (for example) where all sorts of folks could enjoy strolling, shopping, browsing, eating and perhaps watch a juggler perform or listen to someone playing an instrument (a saxophone, perhaps, or even a jazz band or classical band or a even a stringed quartet or octet playing classical music perhaps) right during the middle of the day?

Where is the integration, the vibrant symbiotic existence, if you will, between the incredible asset of the university and the town? Instead, there exists a weary, tired and almost disheveled appearance to most store fronts-facades. In fact, it's an almost mish-mash, thrown together, discombobulated look of buildings and themes, a constant stream of cars up and down Franklin Street and a town that continues to exude no vision, no plan, no cohesion and no purpose.

I moved here with my family in the fall of 2005. I have no roots here but definitely have a vested, interested interest. What I believe I can offer, though, is a totally objective opinion of what I see -- I can see both the forest and the trees.

All across this great country, hundreds of towns have had to reinvent themselves. Most have experienced the "out-a-gration" from their downtown to the big-box store/mall shopping centers. How have all of these hundreds of small towns successfully reinvented themselves? By a common sense, comprehensive, bold economic plan with vision, purpose and -- oh, yeah -- implementation. One little added caveat: Virtually none of them had an almost world-renowned asset like UNC located in their midst.

I read with interest the "Big Picture ... Proposed Economic Development Strategy." It's on the town's Web site at: www.townofchapelhill.org/eco

nomic_development. My first impression? Platitudinal talking points. If anyone believes this is an "Economic Development Strategy," I have an alligator I can sell you that doesn't bite!

Let's talk "Apple Chill" for just a moment -- a successful event, by and large, for more than 30 years to everyone's credit who made it happen. However, it's been cancelled since 2006. Why? Let me throw out a "tidbit hint" to all of the Town Council, the mayor and the police: "When you send out a sort of general, subliminal message that you will allow a few hoodlums to literally take over an event with reprobate behavior and therefore both crowd and damage control becomes impossible, you ultimately will have to cancel the event -- primarily for the safety of all of the thousands of honest, decent and well-behaved folks who just want to come out and have a good time." Whatever happened to a strict, no-nonsense, no-tolerance policy toward bad behavior at events such as this? Instead, we now have one more reason NOT to come into downtown Chapel Hill.

When is the last time the Town Council (and, yes, this includes you too, mayor!) walked the streets with clipboards, talking to folks on the streets, getting their impressions of Chapel Hill in general, their shopping experiences; questions like, "Overall, what can we, as a council, do better?" "What would you like to see changed?" "How can we improve downtown, for you?" "What would make you want to come to Chapel Hill even more often than you do now?"

How about some of these questions, with a similar theme, being asked of the local businesses? I submit to you that some of our best and brightest ideas exist right with the folks in this town.

On the other hand, hmmm, just think of the money and marketing dollars we could save just by changing Chapel Hill to UNC'ville? We may be onto something.

In the meantime, I know the absolute, perfect place for the "Big Picture...Proposed Economic Development Strategy" -- in fact, it's located right near me, next to my desk. In fact, it's even empty right now -- my trash can!