After a slew of last minute applications, the competition for Penny Rich’s Chapel Hill Town Council seat is heating up.
As of Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline, 11 people had filed for the seat, vacated by Rich in December to join the Orange County Board of Commissioners.
The diverse group vying for the seat includes a UNC student, a former Town Council member and a classical musician.
“It’s more than we’ve had in the past,” said Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt. “We have had a really engaging 18 months or so with the community.”
The town clerk still has to verify the applications, and the candidates are invited to make remarks to the council on Jan. 14.
At a Jan. 23 meeting, the council will discuss appointing a candidate. Candidates must receive five votes to receive the appointment.
“The more people in the mix, the more challenging it is to get five votes for one person,” Kleinschmidt said.
He said he is personally looking for a candidate familiar with local government.
“I’m looking for someone who can come in and hit the ground running,” he said. “This is a time when we usually have the most experienced people, and here we are we’re going to put a new person on the council.”
