5 Chapel Hill Town Council members endorse Mayor Pam Hemminger for re-election
Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger, facing two challengers in her bid for re-election, received the backing of nearly all of her colleagues on the Town Council Tuesday.
Mayor Pro Tem Michael Parker and four council members — Jessica Anderson, Tai Huynh, Amy Ryan and Karen Stegman — endorsed Hemminger for re-election in a joint statement.
Hemminger is running for her fourth term in the Nov. 2 general election against first-term council member Hongbin Gu and UNC-CH law student and legal assistant Zachary Boyce.
In a joint statement, the other council members praised Hemminger’s efforts to combat COVID-19, bring new businesses and commercial development to Chapel Hill, and boost access to affordable housing.
“It has been a genuine pleasure for me to work together with Pam over the past six years,” Parker said. “She has been a true partner as we’ve made major strides in bringing new businesses to our town and expanding our commercial tax base to lower the burden on our residents. Her decades of experience working in business and finance have helped keep the town in strong financial shape.”
Ryan, who has served on the council since 2019, said Hemminger “worked tirelessly” to keep Chapel Hill residents safe, and businesses open, during the pandemic.
“Her calm confidence, caring, and reliance on science helped our community weather this unprecedented time,” she said.
The support of five sitting council members means that nearly all of council’s members have aligned themselves with Hemminger when it comes to who they want as mayor.
“Together, we have faced significant challenges and seized on several important opportunities, accomplishing a great deal for our community,” Hemminger said. “Knowing that I have this strong support from colleagues tells me we are on the right track for a bright future for Chapel Hill.”
Council member Allen Buansi, also serving his first term, is the only council member who didn’t join in endorsing Hemminger on Tuesday.
Early voting in the Orange County municipal elections, including the Chapel Hill mayoral race, begins Oct. 14, and runs through Oct. 30.
This story was originally published October 12, 2021 at 6:32 PM.
