“Viewpoints” is a place on Chapelboro where local people are encouraged to share their unique perspectives on issues affecting our community. If you’d like to contribute a column on an issue you’re concerned about, interesting happenings around town, reflections on local life — or anything else — send a submission to viewpoints@wchl.com.
The Perfect Trio? Why I’m Excited to Vote for Eliazar, Merrill and Fray for Carrboro
A perspective from Brian Crawford
When I think about what Carrboro needs more of and how we can be a more welcoming and inclusive community I almost always come back to, we need more homes, more variety of home types, with more density, easier to build, coupled with the need for pedestrian friendly infrastructure and protected bikeways along with understanding the viewpoints of minority and BIPOC community members (current and lots more in the future I hope!) – the complimentary skills of the Carrboro Together slate makes it a clear choice.
Catherine Fray has served eleven years on the planning board and was co-chair of the Carrboro Connects Comprehensive plan. I do not know anyone who is more well versed in policy details and which of those policies are most detrimental to building more affordable homes than Catherine.
When I think of the needs of pedestrian friendly infrastructure, protected bike lanes and greenways for safe routes to schools, I can’t think of anyone who understands those needs better than Jason Merrill, not only did he serve for six years on the Chapel Hill transportation advisory board but he used to own a bike shop and has volunteered hours fixing bikes for those in need at the ReCYCLEry.
Eliazar Posada rounds out this complimentary set of skills and viewpoints with his lived experiences being a minority LGBT renter in Carrboro – his viewpoint and understanding of what is most meaningful and important to those community members is invaluable when making decisions for the future of Carrboro.
These three critical skills are not mutually exclusive, each of these candidates share parts of these, but the real power is being able to draw from their strengths to collaborate and negotiate what matters to benefit and build the Carrboro we need for the future.
I’m excited to vote for Jason, Eliazar and Catherine and I hope you are too!
“Viewpoints” on Chapelboro is a recurring series of community-submitted opinion columns. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work or reporting of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com.
