Campus welcomes local elections

Like merchants in a bazaar, candidates for local elections spent Wednesday evening hawking their ideas to students.

"It's like a candidate market!" said Alderman John Hererra. "I'll give you the best deal!"

Candidates for the Chapel Hill Town Council and Carrboro Board of Aldermen gathered in Greenlaw Hall for the chance to introduce themselves and their platforms to an audience of student leaders.

The informal event, sponsored by organizations representing a cross-section of campus, let students and candidates interact face to face.

There was also a chance to cut loose a little. Council member Mark Kleinschmidt and alderman candidate David Marshall both took alderman candidate Katrina Ryan's Segway scooter for a spin.

While student leaders came out in full force, council candidate Jason Baker, also a student, said he felt like he was reaching a new audience.

"The majority of the people here tonight were people I've never met before in my entire life," he said.

It was his first in-person meeting with Alderman Mark Chilton, now running for mayor, and former town council member Gerry Cohen, both of whom first ran as students.

Bill Thorpe, an ex-council member, said retirement gave him time to run again.

Council member Ed Harrison said the students impressed him.

"They're almost all really engaged people," he said. "It's good to learn from people that much younger than me."

Candidate Laurin Easthom reminded Christina Lee, co-chairwoman of the political action committee of the Black Student Movement, that students and residents must co-exist.

"I might as well be a student - it's the same," Easthom said.

Chilton and candidate Randee Haven-O'Donnell recalled working together on environmental issues through the Student Environmental Action Coalition, which Chilton helped found as a student.

Former Chapel Hill mayor Jonathan Howes reminded students that town issues directly affect them through University development and the downtown.

"The stakes in this election are very high," he said. "Chapel Hill and Carrboro share a downtown. How do we keep downtown viable and how can students play a role in that?"

Student Body President Seth Dearmin and council candidates Walker Rutherfurd and Will Raymond chatted about extending wireless Internet to downtown.

Candidate Robin Cutson expressed concern about the downtown residential space planned in lots 2 and 5.

"You don't want neighbors complaining about noise downtown," she said. "I hate to see Franklin Street lose that spontaneity."

Alderman Alex Zaffron, who is running for mayor, also commented on the atmosphere of downtown.

"We need to create additional space to build a critical mass of creativity," he said.

 

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.