Sierra Club Endorses 5 for Town Council

This reads like a compromise solution if I ever saw one. In the pick-4 Chapel Hill Town Council race, the Sierra Club endorsed 5 candidates! Here's their press release:

CHAPEL HILL - The North Carolina chapter of the Sierra Club proudly announces its endorsements for the 2013 municipal races in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough and Pittsboro.  The NC Sierra Club supports candidates with demonstrated knowledge of local environmental issues who will provide strong leadership on matters including growth, transportation, and conservation.

For mayor of Pittsboro, the Sierra Club endorses Bill Terry.

For mayor of Hillsborough, the Sierra Club endorses Tom Stevens.

For mayor of Carrboro, the Sierra Club endorses Lydia Lavelle, who is running unopposed.

For mayor of Chapel Hill, the Sierra Club endorses Mark Kleinschmidt, who is running unopposed.

"We need leaders that are willing to face the challenges of our communities," said Olga Grlic, co-chair of the Orange-Chatham Group of the Sierra Club. "Large scale issues related to our transportation infrastructure, stormwater management, and protecting our lakes, rivers and streams will call upon our officials to find solutions that will protect and enhance the area's environmental integrity."

For the Chapel Hill Town Council, the Sierra Club endorses Ed Harrison, Sally Greene, Amy Ryan, Loren Hintz, and George Cianciolo.

For the Carrboro Board of Aldermen, the Sierra Club endorses Sammy Slade, Randee Haven-O'Donnell and Jacquelyn Gist.

For the Hillsborough Town Commission, the Sierra Club endorses Jenn Weaver and Kathleen Ferguson.

The candidates endorsed for local councils and commissions are a mix of incumbents and new office seekers. "Several of these candidates are currently in office and have demonstrated true commitment to governing responsibly in matters related to growth, transportation, and conservation," said Olga Grlic, co-chair of the Orange-Chatham Group of the Sierra Club. "However, with volunteer experience on various town boards Hintz, Ryan, and Cianciolo in Chapel Hill demonstrate that while they may not be incumbents, they certainly aren't newcomers."

The Sierra Club encourages its members and any residents of Orange and Chatham Counties who care about the environment to support candidates who have shown leadership on these issues in the Nov. 5 municipal elections. We are confident that these Sierra Club endorsed candidates will make a positive difference. 

The Sierra club is a national environmental group with nearly 14,000 members in North Carolina and over 1,500 in the Orange-Chatham Group.