These are candidates for Pittsboro, Siler City and Goldston mayor, town board races
Voters living in Pittsboro will choose a new mayor and three town commissioners in the November municipal election.
Siler City’s mayor John Grimes faces two challengers this year, while Goldston’s longtime Mayor Tim Cunnup is running unopposed. Four newcomers and two incumbents are competing for three seats on the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners. In Goldston, District 3 Commissioner Michael Constantino faces two challengers, while others are unopposed.
Pittsboro Mayor Cindy Perry and Town Commissioner Bett Foley have decided not to seek another term in office.
Mayors and town boards set local budgets and property tax rates, decide how land is developed, and make policies affecting services, the local economy and more for years to come. Chatham County’s municipal races are nonpartisan.
Voters can register to vote at the Elections office through Friday, Oct. 11, or at an Early Voting location using same-day registration. A valid form of identification is required. Chatham County’s early voting period will run from Oct. 16 to Nov. 1.
Voters must be age 18 and older, and a resident of the town in which they plan to vote.
Absentee voting by mail also is available. Voters should request a ballot using the required Absentee Ballot Request form. Requests can be submitted in person at the Chatham County Board of Elections, 984 Thompson St., Suite D, Pittsboro; by mail at P.O. Box 111, Pittsboro, NC 27312; by email at elections@chathamnc.org; or by fax at 919-542-6430.
Pittsboro
The mayor and three of five town commissioner seats are on the ballot.
Mayor (2-year term)
▪ Name: Jim Nass
Age: 75
Address: Brookridge Court, Pittsboro
Political experience: Chair, Pittsboro ABC Board; chair, Citizens Committee on Chatham Park; board member and former treasurer, Main Street Pittsboro; chair, Pittsboro Affordable Housing Task Force; chair, Interim Affordable Housing Board
Website: tinyurl.com/y46c6dnp
Career: Retired executive, U.S. Postal Service; account executive consulting with Lockheed Martin, IBM, Northrup, Computer Science Corp. and others
Board of Commissioners (4-year term)
▪ Name: John Bonitz*
Age: 51
Address: Fox Chapel Lane, Pittsboro
Political experience: Pittsboro Town Board since 2015; member, Chatham Marketplace co-op board since 2012
Website: facebook.com/Bonitz4Pittsboro
Career: Policy analyst with over 25 years in diverse environmental professions, including small business, federal and state agencies, and university service
▪ Name: Heather Johnson
Address: Springdale Drive, Pittsboro
▪ Name: JA “Jay” Ferrell*
Address: Launis Street, Pittsboro
▪ Name: Pam Cash-Roper
Address: Bellemont Pointe Lane, Pittsboro
▪ Name: Bridget Perry
Age: 52
Address: West Salisbury Street, Pittsboro
Political experience: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Career: Cashier and buyer, Chatham Marketplace
▪ Name: Kyle Shipp
Age: 35
Address: Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro
Political experience: Pittsboro Planning Board; Chatham County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee; senior vice commander, Pittsboro VFW Post 7313; senior vice commander, VFW NC District 9
Website: kyleforpittsboro.org
Career: MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) coordinator, DPR Construction; squad leader, U.S. Army Reserves
▪ Name: Lonnie West
Age: 75
Address: Chatham Mill Road, Pittsboro
Political experience: Chatham County Affordable Housing Committee; former member, Chatham Transit Network Board of Directors; charter president, Rotary Club of Pittsboro
Website: landmanwest.com
Career: Associate real estate broker, Chatham Homes Realty; licensed N.C. auctioneer and notary public; retired executive director, Chatham County Council on Aging; retired, chief instructor, U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy in El Paso, Texas; 26-year U.S. Army veteran
Siler City
The mayor and four of seven town commissioner seats are on the ballot.
Mayor (2-year term)
▪ Name: Jackie Adams
Age: 61
Address: East Cardinal Street, Siler City
Political experience: Chair, Siler City Downtown Advisory Committee; board member, Siler City Development Organization; president, Siler City Merchants Association; chair, Animal Services Advisory Board, Chatham County Board of Health; U.S. Equine Rescue League
Career: Retired, IBM; co-owner and operator, Oasis Open Air Market and Oasis Fresh Market and Deli
▪ Name: John Grimes*
Age: 76
Address: Glendale Street, Siler City
Political experience: Mayor since 2013; County campaign chair, Gov. Jim Martin; former Chatham County commissioner; former Siler City commissioner and mayor pro tem
Website: facebook.com/mayorjohngrimes
Career: Retired, Cecil Budd Tire Co.; former troop commander, 3/8th Calvary, 8th Infantry Division, U.S. Army
▪ Name: Albert Reddick
Address: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Siler City
Board of Commissioners (4-year term)
District 2
▪ Name: Larry Cheek*
Age: 71
Address: North Fourth Avenue, Siler City
Political experience: Siler City Board Of Commissioners since 2004; Siler City Planning Board
Career: Retired, Progress Energy (Duke Energy Progress)
District 3
▪ Name: Curtis R. Brown
Age: 60
Address: North Garden Avenue, Siler City
Political experience: co-chair and member since 2011, Siler City Planning Board
Career: Retired superintendent (wastewater and water distribution), town of Siler City; Welford Harris Ford
▪ Name: Timothy (Cookie) Brown
Address: North Dogwood Avenue, Siler City
▪ Name: Michael F. Constantino*
Address: Driftwood Drive, Siler City
District 4
▪ Name: William “Bill” Haiges*
Address: South Dogwood Avenue, Siler City
At-large district
▪ Name: Thomas “Chip” Price III*
Age: 62
Address: South Dogwood Avenue, Siler City
Political experience: Town commissioner since 2011; Chatham County Affordable Housing Committee; Chatham County Agriculture Advisory Board
Career: Logistics, Atlantic Power Solutions
Goldston
The mayor and two of five town commissioner seats are on the ballot.
Mayor (2-year term)
▪ Name: Tim Cunnup*
Address: Rosemary Street, Goldston
Political experience: Mayor since 2001; Town Commissioner, 1997-2001
Website: facebook.com/tim.cunnup
Career: Owner, H&B Furniture Legacy Co.; real estate broker and investor, Realty World Chatham Properties
Board of Commissioners (4-year term)
▪ Name: Steve Cunnup* (Ward 2)
Age: 70
Address: Hillcrest Avenue, Goldston
Political experience: Commissioner since 2007; vice president, past president, Goldston Lions Club
Website: facebook.com/steve.cunnup
Career: retired from telecommunications, Nokia (former Alcatel-Lucent)
▪ Name: Charles A. Fields III* (Ward 4)
Address: Coral Avenue, Goldston
Goldston-Gulf Sanitary District Board (4-year terms)
Three of five seats are on the 2019 ballot.
▪ Name: Ricky Beal*
Address: North Main Street, Goldston
▪ Name: Henry Kitchings*
Address: Pineview Acres, Goldston
▪ Name: Danny Scott*
Address: Rosemary Street, Goldston
The story will be updated as candidates provide more information.
This story was originally published July 19, 2019 at 7:34 PM.
