Eliazar Posada, candidate for Carrboro Town Council

Carrboro voters will elect a new mayor and at least two new Town Council members in November.

Incumbent Council member Eliazar Posada is seeking a second term in office and will compete with four newcomers — Jason Merrill, Catherine Fray, April Mills and Stephanie Wade — for three open seats in the Nov. 7 general election.

Carrboro Mayor Pro Tem Susan Romaine and Council member Sammy Slade chose not to seek another term.

The new council will also fill a vacancy on the board next year, replacing Barbara Foushee, who is unopposed in her race to be the town’s next mayor. Carrboro Mayor Damon Seils decided earlier this year to step down after one term in office.

Early voting in the nonpartisan Nov. 7 election starts Oct. 19 and runs through Nov. 4..

To find polling places and full details on early voting, visit co.orange.nc.us/1720/Elections or contact the Board of Elections at 919-245-2350 or vote@orangecountync.gov.

Name: Eliazar Posada

Age: 30

Occupation: Organizing director, Equality NC

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government, Campbell University

Political or civic experience: Carrboro Town Council since May 2022. Current government and civic boards include Gov. Cooper’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs, N.C. Democratic Party State Executive Committee, and County to County Latino Engagement Team, chair. Previous government and civic boards include Carrboro Planning Board, Carrboro Connects, Comprehensive Planning Task Force, COVID-19 Mitigation Business Grant Review Committee, and Criminal Justice Debt Relief Program Advisory Committee, vice-chair.

Campaign website: Eliazarforcarrboro.com

What do you think the town’s top three priorities should be? Choose one and describe how you will work to address it.

▪ Equitable transportation

▪ Equity and representation

▪ Affordable housing

For me, the top priority would be to work on affordable housing. Housing is a human right. We should approach affordable housing by implementing our Carrboro Comprehensive Plan and using innovative strategies like those outlined in the work of multiple community organizations and committees, like the Big Bold Ideas affordable housing committee. This would include small area plans, new construction of mixed-use developments, building more duplexes/triplexes/tiny homes/etc. and building economically integrated neighborhoods.

The future of the Bolin Creek Greenway is a key issue this year. What do you see as its role in the town’s future, and should it be paved?

The Bolin Creek Greenway Conceptual Master Plan has been in place for over a decade, and I believe this question has been unanswered long enough. I support the creekside alignment for a few reasons. There is already built infrastructure and plans in place to work on the easement. We can work with them and do minimal damage to the surrounding area. Most importantly, we need to ensure all folks in our town have equitable access. Currently, the trail is not equally accessible for all members of our community, and I believe it should be a goal of everyone in our community to ensure everyone has access to the beautiful trails Carrboro has to offer.

Carrboro is experiencing more infill development and housing. What would you do to guide town growth and meet current and future housing needs?

I want to increase density in Carrboro. A key part of meeting the current and future needs when it comes to housing is not only increasing our stock, but also increasing affordability. I want to help guide the town to complete the goals and strategies outlined in the Carrboro Connects Comprehensive Plan. We have to use those strategies and work with our nonprofit partners to ensure we are building more density and affordable housing. It is inevitable that in order to meet our goals and the needs of our community we will have to re-evaluate our land-use ordinances and policies. We have to make it easier to build housing across our town limits that fits the needs and vision for our community.

Do you support keeping Orange County’s rural buffer, where the lack of water and sewer limits growth? How do you see the town growing with or without the buffer?

I am open to the idea, but I would like to keep the rural buffer as much as we can. I would like to see Carrboro create density within the town before expanding into the rural buffer. I would be open to support projects depending on the density, impact on the rural buffer, and proximity to public transit. I see expanding into the rural buffer as an exception to the rule rather than the rule itself and would require the right circumstances.

How can the town bring people together who have different viewpoints to find workable solutions?

I believe we have to have open dialogue with the shared commitment of respect and acceptance of different viewpoints. We can disagree as a society on policy and what we want to see, but not being willing to learn or accept that the opposite viewpoints have a base in something does not yield a workable solution. It’s not the town’s job to mandate or even attempt to persuade its residents to think one way or the other, but the town is responsible for providing ways to ensure folks can participate in the discussion. We can continue to improve on our community engagement work, implement a language equity plan and continue to have residents voice their opinions to ensure all our residents are heard.

This story was originally published October 12, 2023 at 1:18 PM with the headline "Eliazar Posada, candidate for Carrboro Town Council."

Tammy Grubb

The News & Observer

919-829-8926

Tammy Grubb has written about Orange County’s politics, people and government since 2010. She is a UNC-Chapel Hill alumna and has lived and worked in the Triangle for over 30 years.