The Chapel Hill Town Council got into a tense debate this week over a publicly financed election pilot program it's considering for next year.

Although a few other council members chimed in, Town Council members Matt Czajkowski and Mark Kleinschmidt had an extended back-and-forth about the power of incumbency on the council.

Mayor Kevin Foy -- who had stayed quiet for most of it -- finally stepped in.

"So you know how the Senate used to be considered the greatest debating society in the world? You're giving them a run for their money," he said. "All right, make a motion."

DURHAM MANAGER WATCH, PART 347: Wednesday's closed-door meeting during which the Durham City Council discussed city manager prospects begat yet another closed session, this one scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Monday. Mayor Bill Bell said this week he hoped to "know where we're going" by the end of this month.

Meanwhile, Durham manager finalist Pat Salerno wound up on another city's short list: Wichita, Kan. Two interesting coincidences: Durham finalist George Kolb's last job was in Wichita, which he left this year due to differences with the city council there. And Wichita and Durham both paid The Mercer Group, an Atlanta company, tens of thousands of dollars to aid them in their manager searches. Durham blogger Barry Ragin observed, "Hey, maybe Durham and Wichita should have gone halfsies on the Mercer Group's headhunter fee? Certainly no less ethical than billing two different clients for the same work, no?"

DEMOCRATIC WOMEN: "Election 2008" will be the focus of a program sponsored by the Chatham County Democratic Women at 3 p.m. Sunday in the multipurpose room at Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro.

Sheila Beaudry, Democratic co-chairwoman of the Bynum precinct, will explain the "Constructing Victory" get-out-the-vote program of the North Carolina Democratic Party and will show a video about it. Bonnie Bechard, moderator of the Election Issues Roundtable series also sponsored by Chatham County Democratic Women, will discuss targeting voters of various demographics. Karl Kachergis, the chairman of the Chatham County Democratic Party, will address ways in which attendees can make a difference in the fall campaign.

The meeting will be open to the public, and a question-and-answer period will follow the speakers' remarks.

MORE DEMOCRATIC WOMEN: The Orange County Democratic Women will hold an annual business meeting, elect officers for 2008-09 and honor the Democratic candidates going forward in the general election with a reception at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Chapel Hill Museum at 523 E. Franklin St. in Chapel Hill. (Note that the entrance to parking at the museum is on Boundary Drive.) More parking is available at the Horace Williams House, located diagonally across East Franklin Street. The public is welcome. Call Betsy Russell at 644-0869 with any questions.

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.