ORANGE COUNTY – Orange County Board of Commissioners chair Barry Jacobs says he’s decided to seek reelection to make sure the changing of the guard runs smoothly.
“I thought about it; I had not intended to do so,” Jacobs says. “But, there are a number of things that need to be addressed—especially with the way that the government is changing at the state level and also the tremendous turnover in Orange County governement.”
The new faces will include four first-term commissioners, a new manager, and a new sheriff.
“I will serve as a bridge between the people who came before me who upheld a lot of the values and policies that we hold important and hopefully be able to bring those forward before I step aside,” Jacobs says.
Long-time Orange County Commissioner Alice Gordon announced she won’t be seeking re-election, prompting Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board Vice-Chair Mia Burroughs to seek the seat representing District 1.
Bingham resident Mark Marcoplos says he’ll challenge incumbent Earl McKee for the District 2 seat representing rural Orange County, and Bonnie Hauser will take on Board Chair Barry Jacobs for the at-large seat.
Jacobs was first elected to the board in 1998; he was reelected in 2002, 2006, and 2010.
He says the number one thing the board and the county needs to focus on going forward is remembering the issues that are the foundation of the county.
“We need to protect what’s important to us as the General Assembly tries to attack it,” Jacobs says. “Whether that’s education, or the environment, or helping those who are least able to help themselves; whether it’s the unemployed, or people who are on food stamps, or people who are just trying to make ends meet.”
The filing period runs from Monday through Friday, February 28. For information on filing locations and other details:
County – Click here
State – Click here
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