CHAPEL HILL – With only a few days left for potential candidates to file to run in the 2013 municipal elections, each day brings new aspiring town leaders into the race.

Loren Hintz, former chair of the transportation board and Chapel Hill High School teacher, filed to run for town council in Chapel Hill, in which four seats are available.

Meighan Lela Carmichael filed to run for one of the two available board of commissioner seats in Hillsborough. Both of the current board members whose terms are expiring this year announced that they will not be seeking reelection.

Hintz, who also worked on Chapel Hill’s 2020 initiative and currently serves on Orange County’s commission for the environment, says his job experience is diverse enough that it gives him exceptional insight into the inner workings of Chapel Hill.

“Through the boards of the town and serving with the county and also being a school teacher, I understand three levels of government in the area and help address a lot of the issues that need addressing in Chapel Hill,” Hintz says.

As a board member, Hintz says he would like the governing body to be more active and work more on recommendations from Chapel Hill’s various boards, hearkening back to his own experience on the transportation board.

“I felt that they did listen,” Hintz says, “The bigger issue was often, there was a very long time in bringing action.”

In the future, Hintz says he sees Chapel Hill’s main challenge as a struggle to preserve its current quality.

“Associated with that are maintaining our transportation infrastructure and addressing the budget, especially with the state and federal government reducing funding for local government,” Hintz says. “It’s going to be more and more difficult for us to provide the services that we need to do.”

Election Day is November 5, 2013. The last day to file for municipal or school board office is Friday at noon.