Son sought post on project

Council member sees no conflict

CHAPEL HILL -- Sometime last fall, the son of Town Council member Bill Thorpe asked the developers of the Greenbridge condominium towers to hire him as their public relations consultant.

Thorpe said his son, William Thorpe Jr., is a grown man and did not consult him before approaching the developers. Thorpe said he only heard rumors that his son had asked for a $40,000 consulting fee.

"He was trying to get a contract with them, but I haven't done anything with them," Thorpe Sr. said this week. "It had nothing to do with me."

Greenbridge did not hire Thorpe Jr. The council unanimously approved the project in late February.

Thorpe cast the lone vote against a zoning change required for the project. He then voted for the development's permit because he liked the overall project, just not the town's new maximum building height of 120 feet that came with the rezoning.

Thorpe said his son's contact with Greenbridge would not have affected his vote.

"I wouldn't vote for a ... project because they were favoring my son," he said.

The Greenbridge partners would not discuss their contact with the council member's son.

"It is policy of Greenbridge Developments, LLC to maintain strict confidentiality regarding any inquiries involving sales, contracts and/or consulting proposals with our firm," Greenbridge partner Michael Cucchiara wrote in e-mail to The News & Observer.

Mayor Kevin Foy learned of the situation before a public hearing on the downtown condo project Jan. 17 and asked Town Attorney Ralph Karpinos for advice.

Foy said the council did not pursue the matter further because Thorpe Sr. was not personally involved. Foy said he believed his colleague's hands were clean in the matter.

"I take Bill at his word, and that's what Bill has said," the mayor said.

Thorpe Sr. and Foy both said the council member's son was free to contact the developer.

"[Thorpe Sr.] doesn't think it's a good idea, but adults are autonomous people," Foy said. "I think that Bill has probably had a long talk with his son. Bill was not happy about hearing these rumors."

Thorpe said he was not concerned how his son's actions might reflect on him.

"Whatever he did will not have an effect on me," he said.

The News & Observer left messages for William Thorpe Jr. on Friday at his home in Carrboro and at his business, Crown Transportation, in Cary.