Ryan pushes for town to update its services

Board of Aldermen candidate Katrina Ryan has seen towns like Carrboro before.

Her hometown of Big Spring, Texas is remarkably similar, she said. Big Spring used to be an oil town, but Ryan said the town has diversified its economy well - something she said she'd like to see Carrboro do, too.

"I think the fundamental discussion in the next five years is what Carrboro is going to be when it grows up - and it's growing at double the rate of Chapel Hill," she said.

Ryan said she wants Carrboro to claim a place in regional discussions while inviting more of its own residents to the table.

"The trouble with Carrboro really is that it's the smallest major player in the countywide economy," she said.

Ryan stood against neighborhoods north of Carrboro, including her own, being annexed into the town earlier this year. Since the annexation will not take effect until after the election, Ryan is renting an apartment within town limits to be eligible to run.

She said she wants to help ensure the northern neighbors are provided equal town services.

"There's a real distinct feeling that they're not getting what they want from town government for the amount of taxes they pay," Ryan said.

Jeff Vanke, a 2003 Carrboro mayoral candidate who also opposed the annexation, said he is glad that Ryan is offering an immediate voice for the annexed neighborhoods.

"I'm glad she's running - she's got a different perspective from the very strong, almost unified incumbency crowd," Vanke said.

He added that Ryan also understands townwide issues.

"She also represents a more diverse set of interests," he said. "For example, she likes spending time in downtown Carrboro but she doesn't live right there. - It's a good thing to have people ask tough and informed questions."

Ryan said she thinks the town needs to look into reforming its services, such as the fare-free bus system, to spur economic growth.

"I really think we need to seriously consider merging some municipal services with Chapel Hill," she said, citing police and firefighting forces as examples.

Carrboro can be made more affordable in several ways, from encouraging downtown businesses to giving a housing bonus for town employees to live in town, she said.

"I think our philosophy of how we address affordable housing is going to be a discussion every week," she said.

Ryan said she wants the town to look critically at how it can incorporate its residents across income and neighborhood lines.

"If we don't come up with a vision for one Carrboro that we all like - it poses a real threat to the nature of what Carrboro is, and I would hate to see that happen," she said.

"It's a unique space in Southern American life."

 

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