6 to Contend for Board of Commissioners

The six residents running include three incumbents -- Alice Gordon, Stephen Halkiotis and Barry Jacobs -- and three newcomers -- Keith Cook, Jamie Daniel and Robin Staudt.

Daniel, a computer programmer from northern Orange County, said he hopes to bring more commercial activity to the county.

"I want to bring in new businesses," Daniel said. "I want to make sure business is recruited to come into Orange County."

Daniel also said he wants to change the way the commissioners operate.

"I want to bring Orange County a new management style," he said. "I am interested in re-evaluating programs so they can be utilized better."

Gordon said she wants to continue serving as a commissioner to help Orange County schools and the environment.

"We have to make renovations to older schools," Gordon said. "We also have to keep up with the growth of new schools."

Gordon said she plans to continue the Lands Legacy Program, which aims to protect the environment.

"Lands Legacy is a land preservation effort," Gordon said. "(The program) prioritizes for natural resources."

Jacobs said he also aims to make education a priority for the board by finding new funding.

"I want to make sure we continue that level of support," he said.

Jacobs said he hopes to help collaborate with local boards and governments.

"We need to have cooperation with governments in and out of the community, like the Orange Water and Sewer Authority and the Department of Transportation," he said. "I want the best use of resources."

Staudt, a homemaker and former florist, said she is running to represent the conservative members of the population she thinks are currently underrepresented.

"I felt too many diverse people's needs were not mentioned or heard," Staudt said. "There is no conservative voice. All people deserve to be represented."

Staudt said she would like to hear the opinions of other groups and use their responses to assist them.

"I'm very committed to helping people," Staudt said. "I want to start meeting with different groups, evaluate the meetings and build from there."

Halkiotis and Cook could not be reached for comment this weekend.

This year, the candidates had less than the usual month to file their candidacies. The filing period, which usually starts in early January and ends in early February, didn't begin until Feb. 18.

Orange County Board of Elections Chairwoman Carolyn Thomas could not be reached for comment, but officials said the filing date had to be delayed until the Department of Justice approved North Carolina's new congressional districts.

Although the department approved the districts, N.C. Republicans filed a lawsuit saying the new districts are unconstitutional because they divide counties. The N.C. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the lawsuit April 4.

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.