Ed Harrison is a Chapel Hill councilman whose third term ends in 2013. Following his election in 2001, he left his post at the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors, an elected position he had held for 11 years. Harrison lives in a section of Durham annexed by Chapel Hill. He received a master’s degree in environmental management from Duke School of Forestry and Environmental Studies in 1976.
The eight candidates for Chapel Hill Town Council shared their plans for the town’s future at a forum Tuesday at the Lincoln Center.
More than 50 people attended the forum. It was sponsored by The Daily Tar Heel, WCHL, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce and Empowerment, Inc., and moderated by former mayor Rosemary Waldorf.
The questions spanned a wide range of town issues, particularly those relevant to businesses, young people and minorities.
Library costs
Since former Student Body President Eve Carson was kidnapped and killed by strangers in March 2008, safety has been an even more pressing issue for the town of Chapel Hill.
And as elections draw near, the eight candidates for four seats on the Chapel Hill Town Council will have to address resident concerns.
After Carson’s death, Chapel Hill officials increased security measures, and students and residents asked the council to install emergency blue lights at several off-campus locations.
Five Town Council hopefuls have submitted applications to be appointed to the seat vacated by Bill Strom, who resigned in August.
Names include relative political newcomers, a former mayor pro tem and some who already are challenging seats in the election.
As of Tuesday, the applicants are council candidates Will Raymond and Penny Rich, attorney H. Brock Page, strategic consultant Joshua Ravitch and former council member Joe Capowski.
The deadline to apply is Oct. 12.
As one of Chapel Hill’s largest developers and employers, the University has been in a close relationship with the Chapel Hill Town Council for decades.
But as the University continues to grow, its needs and wishes often come into conflict with those of the town.
“That’s pretty typical on any campus that’s growing,” said Linda Convissor, director of local relations for the University.
The eight candidates for four spots on the Town Council will have to address town-gown relations as they campaign for the Nov. 3 elections.
Candidates for Chapel Hill government met at University Presbyterian Church on Thursday to discuss downtown parking and development.
Hosted by Friends of Downtown, the forum showcased the four mayoral candidates and the eight Town Council candidates.
Several of the candidates cited Durham’s policy of offering free parking as an example of a successful parking plan.
Many candidates stressed the need to streamline the process of opening a business and reduce its cost in order for downtown to develop.
Mayoral candidates
Chapel Hill Town Council candidate Penny Rich became the first in North Carolina history to qualify for public financing in a municipal campaign Wednesday night.
Not many plan to follow.
The voter-owned elections program was started last year to level the disparities in campaign spending. It provides candidates with public money if they raise a certain amount on their own.
Despite the financial returns, the voter-owned election program struggled this election cycle to attract participants.
