The Pittsboro Board of Commissioners welcomed in its latest members while closing out its business for the calendar year on Monday night, swearing in a pair of new elected officials while honoring two departing commissioners.
Candace Hunziker and Tiana Thurber, winners of the municipal election in November, took their oaths of office on Monday night to officially join the elected body. The pair ran in tandem with each other and ultimately rose above a crowded field of eight candidates to comfortably win the two open seats.
Hunziker and Thurber both campaigned on a platform of better managing Pittsboro’s growth while maintaining its small-town charm amid the ongoing Chatham Park development east and southeast of its historic downtown. The master-planned community across more than 7,000 acres will fundamentally shift the town’s population – and Hunziker said balancing those changes with Pittsboro’s current character was a clear priority that resonated with voters.
“When development comes, people don’t want to lose the soul,” she told 97.9 The Hill in November. “You can put up buildings – or you can make sure that the buildings you do put up stay within the design of downtown, so that we don’t lose that.
“When I talked to people who have moved to Chatham Park who have moved there,” Hunziker added, “they said they chose Pittsboro for a reason. There are so many trees, there is the walkability, there is the community…and they don’t want to see that get lost either, because that’s what attracted them. And I think we can work with the developers to make sure we have that consistency with what exists and what is coming.”
Hunziker affirmed those sentiments after being sworn in, telling Chapelboro she felt the severity of the moment while taking her oath on Monday.
“I’m dedicated to making sure our future growth reflects our commitment to community, transparency, and environmental stewardship,” she wrote. “That means protecting the character of our historic downtown while ensuring our local businesses thrive. My promise is to listen, work hard, and help guide Pittsboro toward balanced growth. I really hope to keep the conversation going and hope that the residents of Pittsboro continue to share their concerns, ideas, and dreams for our town with me and with the entire board. We do it best when we do it together.”
Thurber, who is a downtown business owner, described feeling “incredibly humbled” to officially begin her term on the town board.
“This community has given me so much, and I’m committed to working hard, listening closely, and helping guide Pittsboro through this period of growth with care, transparency, and collaboration. I’m excited to get to work alongside our residents, businesses, and town staff to support the vibrant, inclusive, and connected community we all love.”
The incoming commissioners will assume the seats of Pamela Baldwin and James Vose – who each leave the board after five terms and one term, respectively. Part of Monday’s agenda included the board passing resolutions honoring their service to the town and awarding Baldwin, who was in attendance, flowers in a vase made by local potter Mark Hewitt.
In her farewell comments, the longtime mayor pro tem shared her gratitude and reflections on helping shape the town across two pivotal decades.
“It is remarkable how Pittsboro has changed,” Baldwin said. “I’ve tried to do all that I could to help Pittsboro become what it should be and can be. I enjoyed working with the town of staff, the town manager, assistant manager, our attorney, and the entire board and chief of police.
“Again,” she concluded, “I consider it an honor and a privilege to have served the Town of Pittsboro and the individuals in Pittsboro who continuously voted for me and support me in all of my endeavors.”
With Baldwin now out of elected office, the Pittsboro board voted to have Commissioner J.A. Farrell serve as its new mayor pro tem – a role that backs up Mayor Kyle Shipp in official board duties. Shipp also took his oath of office on Monday to formally begin his second term as mayor, which will last four years instead of the prior two-year term. He ran unopposed in the November election.
The full meeting can be streamed on the Town of Pittsboro’s YouTube channel. The Board of Commissioners is next set to meet on Jan. 12.
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