Last week, Carrboro Mayor Damon Seils surprised residents by announcing he will not be running for reelection this November, instead stepping down after a single term as mayor. He made that announcement on Wednesday, saying after ten years in elected office, he wanted to refocus on his “personal and professional lives.”

“I’m feeling good about [the decision],” Seils told 97.9 The Hill on Friday. “I spent some weeks with the decision on my mind, just wanted to make sure I was confident about it and feeling good about it — and I am.”

Listen to Seils’ conversation with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey.

Seils is stepping down after just two years as mayor – but he’s been an elected official much longer.

“I just recently celebrated my tenth anniversary on the Town Council, so for me it feels like a good time for that transition to happen,” he said. “I also just recently turned 50, so I’ve spent my entire forties on the Town Council, and all of that coming together makes it feel like a good time to make that shift.”

He said that “shift” wasn’t too far removed from his original plan when he first ran for office a decade ago.

“I was reminiscing with a good friend of mine… about a conversation he and I had back in 2012 [or] 2013,” he said. “I was joking with him then: ‘You know, I’m not going to do this forever, I’ve got a good decade or 12 years in me.'”

Seils’ two years as mayor have been eventful ones — with the COVID pandemic still ongoing, the 203 Project getting underway downtown, the hiring of a new town manager, and a great deal of work to begin implementing a new 20-year comprehensive plan.

And while he’s looking forward to the future, Seils says he still has more than half a year left as mayor — and he’s expecting that time to be productive too.

“I’m ready to spend the next several months working hard for the people of Carrboro, as I’ve tried to do over the past ten years,” he says. “And I’m excited.”

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
2023 Municipal Election Results for Local Races
Tuesday marks Election Day for municipal races across North Carolina. Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. in the state and will close at 7:30 p.m.
Carrboro Town Council Member Barbara Foushee Announces Mayoral Run
Carrboro Town Council member Barbara Foushee is running for Mayor of Carrboro, she announced in a release Monday. Damon Seils, the town’s current mayor, had previously announced he will not seek re-election this fall and will step down in December. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the Carrboro community for the […]
Carrboro Mayor Damon Seils Will Not Seek Re-Election, Stepping Down in December
After serving one full term, Carrboro Mayor Damon Seils will not seek re-election this fall. Seils shared the news on Wednesday afternoon, saying he is preparing to transition away from the town’s elected office after marking his tenth anniversary since joining the Carrboro Town Council. “Arriving at this decision was difficult,” he wrote. “Serving on […]
Damon Seils Announces Campaign Run for Carrboro Mayor
As the Carrboro community begins preparation for a change in mayors, the first person has declared their candidacy for the position. Carrboro Town Council member Damon Seils shared his plans to run for mayor Wednesday morning, making the announcement on 97.9 The Hill’s This Morning with Aaron Keck. “A lot of the priorities I’ve been […]
Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle to Step Down in December
Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle announced Wednesday she plans to leave office at the end of her current term. Lavelle, who has served as mayor since 2013, said in a statement to Chapelboro she is ready for new opportunities after working in the town’s local government for 14 years. “It has been a great honor to […]
Labor Day to Affect Local Government Services Around Orange County Community (2025)
Monday marks the observance of Labor Day, which is meant to celebrate the contribution of workers and employees across the United States. With that, the local governments in Orange County will be giving many of their employees the day off, which will affect certain local government services. Ahead of the holiday on Monday, September 1, […]
Town of Carrboro Seeking Community Feedback on Downtown Area Plan Draft
The Town of Carrboro is currently seeking public feedback on its Downtown Area Plan. The project seeks to guide future downtown developments.
Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee Named to NCBEMO Board of Directors
Carrboro mayor Barbara Foushee has been named to the board of directors for the North Carolina Black Elected Municipal Officials, an arm of the state’s League of Municipalities. She was officially sworn in during NCBEMO’s annual summer conference last week in Greensboro. “I’m really excited to work with NCBEMO and the North Carolina League of […]
Biennial Road Work in Carrboro to Begin Soon; Will Bring Sidewalk to Roberson Street
A mix of residential and downtown streets in Carrboro will have significant road work starting next week, according to the town government.
Chapel Hill Approves Rezoning for Greene Tract Site, Hears Next Steps for Development
The Chapel Hill Town Council is making progress on developing the Greene Tract, meeting in June to rezone part of the site. 
›