Robb English, candidate for Hillsborough Board of Commissioners
READ MORE
Hillsborough mayor and town board candidates
Who are the candidates running for mayor and town board in Hillsborough? Get to know your candidates with our Voter Guide.
Expand All
Three candidates are running in the November election to fill two seats on the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners.
Incumbent board member Robb English, who was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2019, is running for his first full term in the nonpartisan Nov. 2 election. His opponents are incumbent Kathleen Ferguson and challenger Anna Linvill.
Early voting in the nonpartisan Nov. 2 election begins Oct. 14 and runs through Oct. 30.
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: Robb English
Age: 52
Residence: Hillsborough
Occupation: Recreation specialist, Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Therapeutic Recreation, Florida State University; Master’s Degree in Recreation Administration
Political or civic experience: Hillsborough Town Board of Commissioners, Jan. 2020-Dec. 2021, Hillsborough Town Board liaison to the Orange County Climate Council, Parks and Recreation Board, Water and Sewer Advisory Board, and the Solid Waste Advisory Group, three terms on the Town of Hillsborough’s Parks and Recreation Board, two terms on Orange County’s Parks and Recreation Board, two terms on the Charles House Association Board. Have worked for the Town of Chapel Hill for 22-plus years.
Campaign website: pending
Endorsements: Sierra Club
What do you think the town’s top three priorities should be? Choose one and describe how you will work to address it.
▪ Climate action
▪ Affordability
▪ Community connectivity.
The town is developing a comprehensive sustainability plan to proceed with its sustainability and resiliency goals. I will continue to support and work to implement the comprehensive sustainability plan that will guide future strategic development, transportation corridors, open space, and community connectivity. Community connectivity is paramount to Hillsborough’s vision of a prosperous and vibrant town that fosters a strong sense of community. I will continue to advocate for smart growth and development in the southern part of town that addresses our current and future infrastructure needs and ways to address community connectivity focused on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
What is the town doing right, and wrong, about development and growth?
The town is committed to climate action, strategic smart growth, economic development, affordable housing and connectivity. I believe the town is doing a good job of managing and planning for future growth focused in the southern parts of town and remaining mindful of our water and sewer capacities. I’m committed to continued advocacy of pedestrian and bicycle connections that will allow people alternative forms of transportation to and from the northern and southern parts of town to downtown and throughout Hillsborough.
How can Hillsborough preserve its small-town, historic character while meeting the needs of an increasing number of new residents and developments?
By continued commitment and focus on smart strategic growth and development. The creation and implementation of the comprehensive sustainability plan will allow Hillsborough to remain sustainable and resilient to climate change and future development. We need to continue to encourage economic development and advocate for mixed-use and mixed-income developments that will allow for a thriving economy and a great quality of life for all the residents of Hillsborough.
What skill or life experience do you have that would bring diversity to local government?
I’m proud to be Filipino-American and the first Asian-American to serve on the Hillsborough Town Board. I’ve worked for the Town of Chapel Hill for 22-plus years and believe my experience working for a local municipality allows for a unique employee perspective of how local governments operate and how municipal employees meaningfully contribute to town operations and the quality of life for town residents and businesses. I will continue to advocate for increased diversity of our town advisory boards that reflects the diversity of our community.
This story was originally published October 5, 2021 at 8:19 AM with the headline "Robb English, candidate for Hillsborough Board of Commissioners."