When the filing period for 2023 local elections opened on Friday, Jason Merrill was one of the first residents to officially join the Carrboro Town Council race.

The former bike shop owner spoke with Chapelboro about what drove him to the enter the election, describing it as a blend of “civic spirit and opportunity.”

Photo via Jason Merrill for Carrboro Town Council.

Since he moved to the Carrboro area in 2001, Merrill describes himself as diving into the community. He opened Back Alley Bikes in 2007, but sold it last summer to a pair of other local business partners. Between his availability from no longer running a business and his service on a local advisory board, Merrill said he decided to throw his name into consideration for public office.

“I have had a long-standing interest in community-building and public policy,” he said, “which led me to the Chapel Hill Transportation and Connectivity Advisory Board, where I served for six years, two of them as chair. So, when I sold my business in order to pursue other interests, civic duty called me back to local government.”

Merrill said he believes that Carrboro is “generally on the right path,” and hopes his candidacy will serve as an option to help the town “keep it on course.” Many of his policies follow the framework laid out in the Carrboro Connects plan the town approved in 2022, which is meant to guide elected officials’ decision-making for the next two decades.

“Issues that have been before the Council recently that I fully support,” added Merrill, “include completing Phases 3+4 of the Bolin Creek Greenway, up-zoning our neighborhoods to allow more infill development, and finding ways to better manage our inventory of downtown parking.”

As of Sunday, two other community members have publicly shared their campaigns for Carrboro Town Council: incumbent Eliazar Posada and Catherine Fray. In this cycle, two of the three seats will be open — as both Susan Romaine and Sammy Slade said they will not seek more terms. Additionally, Carrboro Mayor Damon Seils is stepping down from the role in December and Council Member Barbara Foushee is running to succeed him.

The filing period for 2023 local elections will be open through 12 p.m. on Friday, July 21. To see who else has filed in other local races, click here.

 

Photo via Jason Merrill for Carrboro Town Council.

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