Chapel Hill has a new mayor, as Pam Hemminger was sworn in at a Chapel Hill Town Council meeting Wednesday evening, officially taking over for Mark Kleinschmidt.
Michael Parker, Nancy Oates, Jessica Anderson and Donna Bell were also sworn in.
“We’re a new mix of people who have been here a while and people who are new,” Hemminger said. “That brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and some fresh ideas to mix in so we can find those creative solutions.”
During the election in November, Bell retained her seat on the council, while Parker, Oates and Anderson replaced Jim Ward, Lee Storrow and the seat which was vacated by Matt Czajkowski.
Ward, who had served on the council since 1999, was emotional while addressing the crowd.
“Before getting here I Googled how do you keep from getting too emotional when speaking,” Ward said. “You can’t see some of the things I’m doing, but you’ll at least know whether they worked or not.”
He said he was honored to serve Chapel Hill and said he was proud to enact policies that fought for social justice. He noted the renaming of Airport Road to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard as one of the things he was proud of.
Kleinschmidt was elected to the council in 2001 and has served as mayor since 2009.
“Maybe I’m just a little too sensitive,” he said. “But then it made me think about how unfortunate it would be to actually stare at life coldly and unemotionally. So I’m proud I’m a sensitive guy and the time I had today and the last 14 years to spend with this extraordinary staff is very important to me and something I’ll carry forever.”
After their addresses were over and the new members were sworn in, Hemminger and the rest of the council honored Kleinschmidt, Storrow and Ward for their service.
Donna Bell was named mayor pro tempore.
Related Stories
‹

On the Porch: Emily Sutton - Riverkeeper for The HawThis Week:
Emily Sutton is the Executive Director of Haw River Assembly ("HRA") as well as being the Haw Riverkeeper. She joined the staff of Haw River Assembly in 2016, managing citizen science projects to watchdog against sediment pollution and monitor the tributaries and main stem of the Haw River. She has been Haw Riverkeeper since 2018, leading the fight for HRA against pollution in the Haw River on many fronts, including emerging contaminants, Jordan Lake nutrients, and sediment pollution. She is a current member of the NC Sedimentation Control Commission. Emily grew up paddling rivers in the Midwest, and moved to North Carolina to receive her B.A at Appalachian State University in Sustainable Development, where she studied Agroecology, Watershed Ecology, and Outdoor Education. Emily lives in Durham, NC.

Community Home Trust Recognized with Statewide Innovative Affordable Housing AwardAn Orange County nonprofit recently took home a statewide award for helping make homes permanently affordable for a group facing eviction.
![]()
Chapel Hill: Football Gamedays, New Police Station, North Carolina Starter's LaunchChapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, October 2, discussing town news and events. She talked about football gameday impacts on downtown businesses, including an upcoming study with the university, the Chamber, and the visitor's bureau to measure that impact. She discussed the Chapel Hill Police getting their new headquarters up and running. The talked about a recent trip to Raleigh with some of the economic development for the North Carolina Starter's Launch, and more.

'Elated Every Time They Come In': A Look at the New Chapel Hill Police StationChapel Hill Police will begin formally working out of 7300 Millhouse Road on Monday. Before that, they opened their doors to local media.
![]()
Chapel Hill: Development Project Updates, Local Zoning for UNC Projects in JeopardyChapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, September 26, discussing town news and events. She gave updates on three development projects from the town council meeting on Wednesday, including a large housing development on Weaver Dairy Road. She also discussed a move in the state legislature to limit local authority over construction projects for UNC. She also talked about upcoming events in the community and more.
![]()
The 5:00 News - Social Media Firing, Bad Football Loss, Local GovernmentThe Hill's Andrew Stuckey presents the afternoon news. Included in this edition of the news, we learn of an Orange County correctional employee being fired after a conservative group flagged what the Sheriff's office called "concerning social media posts." We check in on a local government meeting schedule for the day. We hear a story from Carolina Connection on Playmakers Repertory Company's current production, "The Royale," and more. In sports, we get a recap of UNC's brutal 34-9 loss on the road against the University of Central Florida. We check the rest of the weekend's sports results, including two big wins for field hockey, and more.
![]()
On Air Today: 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com Social Media Manager Henry TaylorThe Hill and Chapelboro.com Social Media Manager Henry Taylor spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Monday, September 22. He discussed social media in the news, including a recent firing in Orange County over social media posts. He also discussed an upcoming Instagram Reel highlighting some of our pets. He encouraged folks to follow and add us on social media by searching @wchlChapelboro, and more.

Opening Date, Open House Announced for New Chapel Hill Police HeadquartersThe Town of Chapel Hill announced Thursday its new headquarters for the police department at 7300 Millhouse Road will open Monday, Sep. 29.

Candidates Drop Out in 2 Chapel Hill Races; Town Council Opens Applications for Brief VacancyA pair of candidates in two Chapel Hill elections withdrew recently. Meanwhile, the town council is taking applications for a vacant seat.
![]()
Chapel Hill: Leaf Policy, Glen Lennox Development, Parks & Rec Master PlanChapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, September 18, discussing town news and events. She discussed the town's recent change to leaf collection policy, and feedback coming from the community on that topic. She also discussed a proposed grocery store at Glen Lennox, and how that may not come before council under the development agreement with Grubb Properties. She talked about upcoming opportunities to give the town feedback on the parks master plan, and more.
›