Town council tries to balance family and work

Laurin Easthom realized during her first term on Chapel Hill Town Council that she could no longer work full time as a dentist.

The council member, elected in 2005, wrote a blog post earlier this month detailing the growing challenges of raising two daughters while serving the town.

Like Easthom did, the three newest council members, elected last November, are quickly learning the difficulties of balancing their new responsibilities with their careers and family lives.

To prepare for weekly council meetings, members spend hours reading agendas, government memos and petitions.

“It’s not a one-task job,” said Penny Rich, a personal chef and caterer.

“You have no room for error in your time management. It’s a lot of meetings and learning about lots of issues.”

Town council member and mayor are both considered part-time jobs, and most of the members have other jobs.

Each of the council members is paid an annual salary of $13,015 while the mayor, Mark Kleinschmidt, is paid $21,782.

Council member Gene Pease, also elected in November, juggles his council responsibilities with work at his consulting company, Capital Analytics Inc.

“Town council isn’t intended to be a full time job. I have already missed one meeting as a result of my job,” Pease said.

“You have to commit at least 20 hours a week to do an adequate job.”

Council member Donna Bell, a social worker who was appointed to the council in January, said that the part-time salary is not enough to support her family.

Being on the council has significantly impacted her ability to work full time, she said.

“Though being a social worker provides flexibility it doesn’t pay well,” Bell said.

“It will be very difficult but I will have to eventually get a full-time job.

“It’s part of the reality of my family.”

Bell and Rich both said that since they have joined the Town Council they have to rely more on the flexibility of their families when they must attend late meetings or events.

“I have become more dependent on my family,” Bell said. “My daughter sometimes has to sit in on meetings, and my mother has to cook dinner.”

Rich said she sees her children less since she was elected.

“My free time is in the mornings, and my two teenage boys would rather sleep till noon,” she said. “I have to make more of an effort to see them.”

The time commitment wasn’t a complete shock to the new council members.

All three had served on various town boards and commissions prior to their election or appointment to the council.

But Rich said she enjoys the bustle her job adds to her life.

“I sleep a lot less, but I’m the kind of person that likes to be busy,” she said. “I never sat around and watched Oprah and ate bon bons.”

Bell said that though town council is a big commitment she intends to be on council for many years to come.

“It’s amazing to work with such a talented group of people and participate in helping the people’s voice be heard,” Bell said.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.