gchildress@heraldsun.com; 918-1046
Chapel Hill -- In recent weeks, mayoral candidate Kevin Wolff has managed to grab most of the town's political headlines with his decision to announce his withdrawal from the race, then campaign like a man possessed.
And before Wolff, the town was abuzz with former Councilman Bill Strom's controversial resignation, which became a political football for those trying to link current council members with Strom's poorly timed exit robbing citizens of a chance to elect his replacement on Tuesday.
But just beneath all the political clatter, there has been a deliberate and well-reasoned debate about the future of Chapel Hill.
On one side, critics of the current leadership complain that it's time for a change. They say the town needs to be kinder and gentler and more yielding when it comes to growth and development to attract more businesses to relieve the tax burden on residential property.
"I think there is a group of concerned citizens looking for change," said Michael Weil, who last month presented the council with a petition asking members to pledge the fifth-place finisher in the council race to fill the Strom vacancy.
On the other side, current council members and their supporters contend that the town is on the right course, balancing the need to grow and diversify while protecting those quaint qualities citizens of Chapel Hill have come to love.
"I'm biased, but I think the council has done an excellent job of balancing interests," said Mayor Kevin Foy, who is not seeking re-election.
Foy pointed to the town's parks, its vastly improved relationship with UNC, the fare-free public bus system and the approval of the Carolina North development agreement as evidence that the town is on the right track.
"It was done without rancor, contentiousness and without rhetoric," Foy said. "I think the council has an exemplary record."
But even Foy acknowledges that the critics have gained some traction.
"I think there is a lot of angst in town, and throughout the country for that matter, and for various reasons, about our collective future," Foy said.
Janet Smith, a member of Neighbors for Responsible Growth (NRG), said most candidates recognize that Chapel Hill cannot stand still when it comes to growth.
"It's about how we grow and how we maintain our character and make the town sustainable from a tax perspective from residents," Smith said.
Madeline Jefferson, chairwoman of NRG, noted that the town's commercial tax base is only 18 percent, which creates a huge burden for homeowners.
Jefferson said the current council recognizes that that's a problem and has taken action by approving most projects brought before them.
"They've actually been a pro-growth council," Jefferson said.
Still, nowhere has the divide been more evident in the spirited mayor's race featuring councilmen Mark Kleinschmidt and Matt Czajkowski, who are believed to be the frontrunners in the four-way race that also includes Wolff and Augustus Cho.
While Kleinschmidt has gotten the endorsement of the outgoing Foy and is seen as the favorite among citizens who want to maintain the status quo because they believe the town is on the right path, Czajkowski has won the support of pro-business groups.
"We need someone like him, someone with a business background," Weil said. "I think he has a lot of merit."
Former mayor Ken Broun has signed a letter endorsing Kleinschmidt, but said the call for change hasn't gone unnoticed.
"There seems to be, in the town race, a shift away from some of the traditional things," Broun said. "We'll see whether it comes out that way."
In the eight-way race for four Town Council seats, incumbents Laurin Easthom, Jim Merritt and Ed Harrison are being challenged by Will Raymond, Penny Rich, Matt Pohlman, Gene Pease and John DeHart.
Throughout many of the political forums held over the past two months, incumbents have largely defended the council's record on growth and development issues, while the challengers mostly have joined the critics in calling for change in the way the council conducts business.
Foy noted the irony in the fact that the town was recently voted the most livable city in America and the best town in which to start a business. He said the two awards aren't incompatible.
"If we're so anti-business, why are we the best place in America to start a business?" Foy asked. "We're also the most livable. That's a remarkable achievement. We're doing a lot stuff right. I think voters ought to think about that when they go to the polls."
