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The Daily Tar Heel

4 council positions up for election in Chapel Hill

Donna Bell

Donna Bell

Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt, whose seat is also up for re-election, said he has not yet decided whether to seek re-election.

“I’ll be making the decision and announcing it in the near future,” he said.

Two council members, Donna Bell and Lee Storrow, have already announced their decisions to pursue re-election.

Bell said affordable housing and economic development are her primary focus, but she is supportive of a lot of the council’s other programs.

“I feel we are really working in the right direction, and that’s why I want to come back and continue being a part of this work,” Bell said.

Lee Storrow, Chapel Hill’s youngest council member, has already developed a platform for his next campaign.

“My first promise is to break ground on a sewage service on Roger Road within my next four-year term if re-elected,” Storrow said.

Storrow said a boost to the tourism industry will be another key focus.

“Visitor promotion is real motivation in moving forward, leading to more economic growth,” Storrow said.

Jim Ward said he intends to run but has not yet made an official announcement.

He said he would want to continue focusing on affordable housing and working in conjunction with Carrboro and the University to sustain funding for Chapel Hill Transit.

Matt Czajkowski, whose seat will also be up for election, will retire on Monday from the council after seven years of service, leaving one seat not being pursued by an incumbent.

In the last seven years, Czajkowski worked on affordable housing policies and the proposal for a veterans memorial in the Chapel Hill Cemetery.

No announcements have been made for other Chapel Hill municipal candidates this early in the election. Official filing for candidacy with the Orange County Board of Elections will start in July.

city@dailytarheel.com

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