5 to 4 Votes Are Healthy For Chapel Hill

Raleigh Mann

Before moving to Chapel Hill 38 years ago, I was a newspaper reporter in south Florida.

Have you driven there lately?

The weather is still great, but the beauty is harder to find.  Over-development squashed it years ago.

But, I learned a lot as a covered the deliberations of those city leaders who struggled to deal with developers who saw dollar signs on every empty lot.

“I’d never want to be in their shoes,” I told myself.

It’s a thankless job.

We all owe a large debt of thanks to those who have served Chapel Hill for years, but who lost their seats in this past election.

It is a tough job.

Why do people run for public office?

Well, many reasons.  But, if we read the campaign websites of those who recently got elected to Chapel Hill’s Town Council, it’s clear why our local election turned out as it did.

Chapel Hill residents desperately want their voices heard.  Some of us have the quaint idea that council members who represent us should actually listen to and consider our concerns.

Mayor-elect Pam Hemminger said that too often the mayor and council dismissed residents with legitimate concerns as anti-development or afraid of change.  Thoughtful input for task forces and advisory boards is ignored.

New council member Jessica Anderson wants to promote smart development by listening to residents and advisory boards and prioritizing the interest of local residents over those of developers and investors.

Nancy Oates wants to restore trust and accountability.  And I quote her, “So all of us who care about Chapel Hill can live our lives without having to worry about what council members are doing to our town.”

Michael Parker says that he wants to insure that our town government works for and is responsive to the needs of all its residents.

Donna Bell, the only incumbent voters returned to the council. is proud of her work to develop more affordable housing in Chapel Hill.

Don’t expect these new council members to take over the castle exactly, but you can bet that their voices, and maybe ours too, will be heard.

We’ll see more 5 to 4 votes and that’s healthy.

— Raleigh Mann

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5 to 4 Votes Are Healthy For Chapel Hill

Before moving to Chapel Hill 38 years ago, I was a newspaper reporter in south Florida. Have you driven there lately? The weather is still great, but the beauty is harder to find.  Over-development squashed it years ago. But, I learned a lot as a covered the deliberations of those city leaders who struggled to […]

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