Carrboro mayor race still open

With the candidates’ filing date only a day away and four seats on the Carrboro Board of Aldermen up for election, residents might be wondering what’s in store for this year’s race.

That picture got a bit clearer Tuesday — it could mean a toss-up mayoral race between incumbent aldermen.

Alderman Mark Chilton formally announced his intent to run for mayor on the steps of the Carrboro Town Hall.

“I have been a listener, a mediator and a leader in my eight years in elected office, and I will be a listener, a mediator and a leader as the mayor of Carrboro,” he said from a prepared statement during his press conference.

Following his statement, Chilton, who began his career in elected office on the Chapel Hill Town Council as a UNC undergraduate in 1991, said he wanted to wait to make the announcement because the race could be between current aldermen.

Alderman Alex Zaffron said Tuesday that he is considering entering the mayoral race and will announce his plans by Friday.

Zaffron noted Mayor Mike Nelson’s role as an advocate on several key issues for the town and said he could continue that role.

“That role of advocacy needs to be there,” Zaffron said.

This year’s race became open-ended when Nelson announced in 2003 that he would not run for re-election.

“Ten years is a long time to do a job like that,” Nelson said. “At some point you have to move on.”

But he added that his work with the town of Carrboro has been a rewarding experience.

A challenge for the new mayor, he said, will be maintaining all the initiatives already in place, including the town’s fiscal state.

“We’ve taken some much-needed steps to get the town’s financial house in order,” he said.

Nelson is not the only official who won’t be joining the board again next year. Mayor Pro Tem Diana McDuffee also said she will probably not seek another term.

“We’ve set a good course,” she said. “I think it’s time to let some others carry it forward.”

But McDuffee said that even if she is not serving as an elected official, she still has every intention of staying involved with the town.

Alderman Jackie Gist will be one of two running for re-election — despite some initial debate.

Gist said that after seeing how many aldermen would be leaving and the big projects that will face the new board of aldermen, she started to considering running again.

“I really felt that my 16 years of experience would be good for the town,” she said. “I just want to make sure the town will be OK.”

Gist said Alderman John Herrera also has announced his intention to run for re-election, but he could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Incumbents won’t be the only ones seeking a spot on the board.

Catherine DeVine, a founding organizer of the Carrboro Music Festival, said that she is “99 percent” sure she will run and that she will make her official announcement before July 9.

Another resident who has indicated interest in running said he is still considering.

James Carnahan, chairman of the Village Project and the town’s planning board, said he will decide later in July but added that he is interested in Carrboro’s progress.

“I’m very interested in how the town continues its progress in becoming a sustainable community,” he said.

A group of residents recently annexed into Carrboro earlier this year also might have candidates come forward for the fall elections.

Katrina Ryan said there has been discussion among some of those residents but could not comment on who might run.

Elections will be November 8.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.