Carrboro mayor to step down at end of year to explore ‘what comes next’

Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle announced Wednesday she will not run for another term and will step down as mayor in December after eight years.

“It has been a great honor to serve Carrboro, the town I consider the most progressive in North Carolina,” she said in a news release. “With the support of this small-but-mighty community and the hard work of my colleagues on the Town Council, we have translated Carrboro’s progressive reputation into leadership and action on important statewide issues.”

Lavelle served six years on the town’s then Board of Aldermen before becoming mayor. During her time in office, Carrboro has condemned anti-immigrant policies, prioritized racial equity initiatives, and pursued policies and practices on climate change, she said.

Before she leaves office, Lavelle, who is also a law professor at N.C. Central University, said she will be helping local businesses emerge from losses and closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. She and the Town Council also have to replace Town Manager David Andrews, who is retiring at the end of July.

“To everything there is a season, and I look forward to exploring what comes next,” she said.

Completed and future projects

Major projects completed during Lavelle’s tenure include Shelton Station, the Inter-Faith Council Commons, and South Green.

Improvements came to the Rogers Road community north of downtown, including sidewalks, more bus service, water and sewer lines and construction of the Rogers-Eubanks Community Center, built with the town’s partners, the release stated.

Lavelle also presided over the approval of several future projects, including the Shoppes at Lloyd Farm; the new ArtsCenter home; and the 203 Project, which will house the long-anticipated Southern Branch Library in downtown Carrboro.

Leader on LGBTQ issues

Lavelle has been a leader on LGBTQ issues. She and her wife, Alicia Stemper, were the first same-sex couple to receive a marriage license in Orange County, The News & Observer reported.

Under Lavelle, Carrboro was the first town in North Carolina to push back against the now-repealed HB2 law, which required transgender people to use restrooms designated for their gender at birth, she wrote in the release. The law also prevented local governments in North Carolina from passing ordinances that banned discriminatory behavior against the LGBTQ community until Dec. 1, 2020.

In 2018, Lavelle was appointed to the N.C. Commission on Inclusion, which was created to advocate for policies that promote inclusion and address discrimination, The Daily Tar Heel reported.

In January, after HB2 expired, Carrboro and other towns passed ordinances that ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, as well as race, age, creed, national origin or ancestry, marital or familial status, pregnancy, veteran status, religious belief, disability, ethnicity and color, The N&O previously reported.

4th of July speech

In the release, Town Clerk Cathy Dorando said Lavelle has brought an appreciation for history, culture, music, and fun to the mayor’s office.

Lavelle organized many creative projects, Dorando said, including an annual bike ride with the mayor

“One that stands out is Carrboro’s annual community reading of Frederick Douglass’s speech, ‘What the 4th of July means to the Negro,’ which she started during her first year as mayor,” Dorando said.

The filing period for people who want to run for Carrboro mayor and Town Council runs from noon July 2 through noon Friday, July 16. In addition to the mayor, three of the six council seats are up for election this year.

Related: Mayor of Carrboro: “Always On” – Lydia Lavelle, tinyurl.com/n9xsrefw

This story was originally published May 26, 2021 at 10:50 AM with the headline "Carrboro mayor to step down at end of year to explore ‘what comes next’."