Orange County election filings have yet to show real race

With six days left for potential public servants to file for November’s election, the field still lacks true competition.

As of Wednesday morning, 15 people had filed to run for the 18 open seats in Orange County, but none of the openings currently have more candidates than positions.

The two-week filing period runs through July 15.

Chapel Hill

With one term under his belt, Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt has decided to run for another term.

Kleinschmidt said he wants to support development by updating the town’s Comprehensive Plan.

“The question we need to answer is how is our community going to handle the trauma of change?” he said.

Council members Jim Ward, Donna Bell, Matt Czajkowski and Sally Greene all have terms that expire this year but have yet to file for reelection.

Recent UNC graduate Lee Storrow said he will seek a seat on the council by supporting a strong sense of involvement.

“I’m passionate about citizen engagement and reaching out to communities to see how people want their town to look,” he said.

Laney Dale, who moved to the area four years ago, said he is running to give back to the community he has grown to love.

“I would like to maintain and improve upon the quality of living in Chapel Hill,” he said.

Augustus Cho, chairman of the transportation board who ran as a mayoral candidate in 2009, has also filed for a council seat.

“Chapel Hill is a special place, and I would like to play a part in furthering the greater interest versus narrow interests,” he said.

Jason Baker, who sits on the town’s planning board, has put himself in the running and said he wants to focus on updating the Comprehensive Plan.

“I think Chapel Hill is really at a crossroads,” he said. “We’re reevaluating some things to let us take a closer look at the values that we in Chapel Hill hold.”

Carrboro

Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton has filed to seek one final term to help select a new town manager.

“I’m retiring from the job after this, but I want to see through a few more projects,” he said.

Aldermen Dan Coleman and Lydia Lavelle have both filed for reelection.

Coleman said he sees economic development, affordable housing and transportation alternatives as the key issues for the next term.

“I think there are a lot of important issues facing the town of Carrboro that I would like to continue to work on,” he said.

Lavelle said she is seeking a second term to help guide the planning process and emphasize development and transportation.

“I feel like over these four years I’ve been a part of some pretty major initiatives that I want to continue to be a part of,” she said.

Michelle Johnson has also declared candidacy with a focus on managing development and advocating for human rights.

“A goal of mine as a social worker is to serve both the community and town staff,” she said.

Hillsborough

With the end of his third term in sight, Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens has filed for reelection.

“My goal is to continue the trajectory that we’re on now,” he said.

Hillsborough Commissioner Evelyn Lloyd has also filed for reelection and said she hopes to help drive economic development.

“The main thing is the amount of money we have in the budget,” she said. “We’re not going to raise taxes, so we’re going to work with what we have.”

Commissioner Eric Hallman, who said he wants to bring in jobs and increase the commercial tax base, has also filed for reelection.

“I think we’ve got good things happening, and I want to maintain our positive motion,” he said.

Contact the City Editor at city@dailytarheel.com.