Applicants Vie for Chapel Hill Town Council Seat

Five applicants made their cases to the Chapel Hill Town Council for appointment to the vacant council seat, at Monday’s special meeting.

Member Jim Ward said the council should leave the seat open until the election in November.

“We are very close to the end of the fiscal year. And we are well into the development agreement process with East West Partners,” said Ward. “To bring somebody on at this point, to me, seems like it’s not the right decision.”

The seat became vacant after Matt Czajkowski resigned last month. If the council selects someone, the appointee would serve the remainder of Czajkowski’s term, which expires in December.

Member Donna Bell, who started on the council as an appointee in 2009, argued for appointing someone to the seat.

Some are concerned that selecting someone would give the appointee an unfair advantage in the November election. Bell said this person would be in the public eye, which could actually be a disadvantage.

“It is also a space for people to have vulnerabilities that you would not have otherwise,” said Bell.

The council decided on a two-part voting process for the May 4 meeting. First the council will vote on whether to select someone for the seat. If a majority of the council decides to appoint someone, the council will vote on candidates. If one of the candidates gets five votes, he or she wins.

Applicant Amy Ryan serves as the vice chair and community design champion on the town’s planning commission.

“By profession, I’m a book editor, a solitary job where you spend your time with texts that don’t argue back,” said Ryan. “When I got involved in town affairs, no one was more surprised than I was, how much I enjoy working with diverse and sometimes oppositional groups to create a space where everyone can be heard, to facilitate open and productive debate and to resolve the views of the many into a single decision for the good of the town.”

Applicant Kevin Hicks serves on four boards in The Triangle that focus on youth, bicycling and greenways.

“In addition to the youth initiative, I am passionate about funding for the Rogers Road sewer plan, solid waste issues for the town, implementing a bike plan and initiating a pedestrian plan,” said Hicks. “I would like to apply the same energy and focus I have working with youth to the duties of town council.”

People can voice support for candidates during the public comment period early in the May 4 meeting at Chapel Hill Town Hall.

Applicant Paul Neebe did not come to Monday’s meeting. In addition to the three mentioned, Adam Jones, Michael Parker and Gary Shaw also applied.