April 2014

Apply for a Chapel Hill Advisory Board

Over the two years, Chapel Hill has gone through an extensive process to restructure our advisory boards and commissions. The main focus of this work has been to simplify the development review process, and has led to the creation of four major boards that will review development proposals (Planning Commission, Transportation and Connectivity Advisory Board, Environmental Stewardship Advisory Board, and Housing Advisory Board). The town will be making appointments to these four boards this spring, and we need community members to step up and serve to help move our community forward. The town also has a number of vacancies on existing boards that may be filled this spring.

A Just Community

I recently filled out the INDY Candidate Questionnaire and I wanted to go ahead and start sharing my answers.  When they asked what I would do to build a just community in the Triangle, this is how I responded:

Seven Questions for the Register of Deeds Candidates

This election year, Orange County voters will select a register of deeds from 3 candidates: Deborah Brooks, the current register of deeds; Mark Chilton, former mayor of Carrboro; and Sara Stephens, former deputy register of deeds. The register of deeds is the custodian of many of the county’s public records, including those relating to births, deaths, military discharges, marriage, and property transfers.

In lieu of holding a candidate forum for the register of deeds race, we sent the candidates 7 questions and asked them to respond to each question in 200 words or less. The answers we received from them appear below. They have not been edited in any way.

Roses from the Chapel Hill News

Thanks so much to the Chapel Hill News for recognizing the good work of OrangePolitics and our recent leadership transition. Fortunately (or unfortunately, perhaps) the online version does not include my 1999 campaign headshot! Alert reader John Rees snapped a photo of it though.

Live-Tweet: Orange County Democratic Party Sheriff Candidate Forum

Here's our Storify from the Orange County Democratic Party's forum for sheriff candidates.

State of Conflict Screening at the Varsity

Hogan Farms Precinct and the Orange County Democratic Party proudly presents:

 

State of Conflict: North Carolina, a documentary produced by Bill Moyers

 

at the Varsity Theatre (123 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill)

Sunday, April 27th from 2:00 – 3:00 pm

 

Following the movie, there will be a 30-minute discussion led by Thomas Mills, local political consultant and editor of the PoliticsNC blog.

In lieu of admissions, a suggested donation of $5 will support the Orange County Democratic Party and its efforts to turn North Carolina blue.

Date: 

Sunday, April 27, 2014 - 2:00pm to 3:00pm

Location: 

Varsity Theatre (123 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill)

Sierra Club Issues Endorsements in Orange County Races

The Orange-Chatham Group of the Sierra Club issued endorsements in some of the upcoming Orange County primary races last night. Their picks were Barry Jacobs and Mark Marcoplos for the Orange County Board of Commissioners and Bethany Chaney for the Carrboro Board of Aldermen. Here's more from the Sierra Club press release:

Checkpoints & Racial Bias

The INDY also asked about roadblocks/checkpoints and potential racial profiling.  Here are my thoughts on the matter:

If checkpoints are being manipulated to racially profile drivers, then that is a gross misuse of a tool which is a public good and such actions have no place in my administration.  Checkpoints are instituted to keep people from hurting themselves and others, not as an instrument of racial oppression or intimidation.  I would welcome review of the department’s documentation for checkpoints by organizations such as the ACLU because I am committed to justice and transparency. 

This Week in Orange Politics: April 21-27

Though many of Orange County's public bodies will be taking a break from regular meetings this week, there's still plenty going on. The Carrboro Alderfolks will reivew its priorities of projects to receive transit tax funds and get an update on the work to extend to sewer service to the Rogers Road community. Chapel Hill will take on the budget, the reorganization of the town's advisory boards and the porposed zoning changes for the Ephesus-Fordham project. The council will also hold a hearing on a stormwater management plan.

Thursday, WCHL will hold its annual community forum, while the polls opens for the first day of early voting.

We'll also be holding our last two online candidate forums--one on Wednesday evening for the 6 candidates running for sheriff, and another on Sunday for the 5 Democratic candidates in this year's primary for the Board of County Commissioners. 

Here's the summary: 

CARRBORO BOARD OF ALDERPERSONS

Campus and Community Leaders to Vote Early at NC Hillel

Campus and community leaders will gather at NC Hillel this Thursday, April 24th, at 3:30pm, to celebrate the first day of early voting in this year's May primary election. UNC Chancellor Carol Folt, NC Hillel Executive Director Ari Gauss, Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt, and UNC Student Body President Andrew Powell will make brief remarks before casting their ballots.

North Carolina Hillel was selected as a new early voting site by the Orange County Board of Elections for this year's May primary following concerns about the accessibility and availability of previously used early voting sites on and near the UNC campus. We hope you can join us on Thursday! 

Early voting begins on April 24th and concludes on May 3rd. In addition to NC Hillel, four other sites across Orange County will be open for early voting. For more information about early voting locations and hours, please visit the Orange County Board of Elections website at http://www.co.orange.nc.us/elect/documents/earlyvotingsites.pdf

Date: 

Thursday, April 24, 2014 - 3:30pm to 4:00pm

Location: 

North Carolina Hillel, 210 West Cameron Ave., Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516

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