A new year, a new Town Council in Chapel Hill, and a new mayor.

Some would say that our most recent election demonstrated the frustrations of residents who felt that they hadn’t had much of a voice lately in local decision making.  Some of these residents who care a lot about what the Town Council decides thought their wishes were being ignored.

Raleigh Mann

Raleigh Mann

So, they elected representatives who may change the culture of the way decisions are made.  They wanted their voices heard.

Don’t you love it when you get to vote?

We actually do have a voice when we vote.  It does make a difference.

Now, comes Pam Hemminger.  Our new mayor whose election displaces former mayor Mark Keinschmidt.  Mayor Hemminger has set to work trying to change the way the town deals with concerns of its residents.

Listen to Raleigh Mann’s Commentary

Now, the Town of Chapel Hill is posting residents’ petitions and public hearing details online for everybody to see.  We can follow the progress of issues we care about and speak out about them.  We will have a voice says the mayor and she’s urging Town Council members to change the old culture and instead work to create an environment that encourages respectful listening to us and to our concerns.

Pam Hemminger’s administration will be different, she told a News & Observer reporter.  “We’re going to strive as a council to respect that you have a right to your opinion.

“Opinions aren’t right or wrong,” she said.  “They’re opinions and we’re going to listen.  This is your chance to tell us and our chance to listen.”

Her promise comes as a breath of fresh air to many frustrated Chapel Hill residents.  Let’s hope that our new Town Council gets on board and stays there.

— Raleigh Mann

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill Moving Forward with Plans for New Fire Station, Affordable Housing Development
The Town of Chapel Hill is “moving ahead” with plans to build a new Fire Station 4 and make room for an affordable housing development, both at the intersection of Weaver Dairy Road Extension and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, according to a release shared Thursday. The current Fire Station 4 is more than 40 […]
The Morning News: VinFast, Binkley Baptist, UNC Basketball
In today's news: local officials take action against the EV maker VinFast, and UNC men's basketball adds a preseason exhibition against USC.
Chapel Hill Shares LUMO Draft, Which Could Reshape Development Standards and Housing Types
After nearly a decade since Chapel Hill first launched plans to rewrite its land use management ordinance, or LUMO, a draft has arrived.
Here Are the Orange County Local Governments’ Approved Budgets, Tax Rates for 2026-27
The final totals and changes for Orange County governments' budgets are being finalized. Here are the details of each approved so far.
Chapel Hill Approves FY27 Budget with No Tax Increases; Will Revisit Library Funding, Greenways in Fall
The unanimous vote approved the Town of Chapel Hill to operate on a $170 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year, a slight increase.
As Chapel Hill Library Weighs Options Amid Possible Funding Cut, Supporters Speak Up to County
After receiving more than $620,000 annually from the Orange County government, the Chapel Hill Public Library may soon lose that funding.
Blue Sky Robotics Expanding Chapel Hill Headquarters, Moving to Rosemary Street
Blue Sky Robotics, which has been headquartered in downtown Chapel Hill since its founding in 2023, will be moving to the Innovate Carolina Junction building at 136 East Rosemary Street. The company is currently located in the Hill Commercial Building on 142 East Franklin Street. In a presentation to the Chapel Hill Town Council Wednesday […]
No Tax Increases and Increased Spending Featured in Chapel Hill Staff's Proposed FY27 Budget
Following a year with improved revenues and a new town manager at the helm, the Town of Chapel Hill may go into the next fiscal year without a tax increase or significant cuts.
Impassioned Public Comment Leads Chapel Hill Town Council to Drop Discussion of Downsizing
A discussion by the Chapel Hill Town Council about trimming its seats and extending the length of mayoral term was met with swift, vocal opposition during a public hearing last week.
Orange County Clerk of Court Mark Kleinschmidt Wins State, National Honors
Orange County Clerk of Superior Court Mark Kleinschmidt has been recognized with two awards – one statewide and one national – in recognition of his service. Kleinschmidt received the North Carolina Guardianship Association’s Trailblazer Award last week in Asheville, recognizing his two terms as Clerk of Superior Court and Probate Judge. In legal terms, guardianship […]
›