Shelia Ann Huggins, candidate for Durham City Council, takes your questions

A pivotal election is underway in Durham, with voters set to choose a new mayor and fill three City Council seats this fall.

There are 12 people competing for the City Council seats, including two incumbents.

A primary is being held to narrow the field. Early voting in the primary runs through Oct. 7 and Primary Day is Oct. 10.

The top six candidates will proceed to the general election in November.

Terms last four years. The seats are at-large, which means candidates can live anywhere in the city.

We collected questions from residents across Durham to help readers get to know the candidates.

Shelia Ann Huggins

Name: Shelia Ann Huggins

Age: 55

Occupation: Attorney

Website: votesheliahuggins.com

Are we paying people competitively and keeping our promises to our workers?

- East Durham resident Aidil Ortiz

I’m concerned that we’re not paying our workers competitively and keeping our promises to workers. As a former city employee, I understand the sacrifices that workers make and that our city doesn’t operate without city workers. It’s not enough to tell our city workers that we support them. We must make sure that we live up to our promises. We are currently experiencing record vacancies and departures, and I suspect we will continue to face this challenge until we completely fund the step pay plan and also provide workers with a career progression plan.

Do you have any experience that helps you understand development in Durham? How do you plan to get more affordable units in the city?

- Planning commissioner Zuri Williams

Strategies for housing affordability must address both rental and owned properties. We must continue to partner with community organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, Self Help, and Housing for New Hope, and expand that list of organizations. We need to use green-building technologies to decrease the cost of housing and build upon the city initiatives we’ve already developed, such as our landlord workshops. Being mindful of gentrification, we must also address landlords who allow property deterioration and continue to set aside city funds for housing repairs. Finally, we can also consider using city-owned property for developing affordable housing.

As Durham grows more dense, how do we get away from the classic American model of car-oriented development? Are there any policies that you support that can keep us from becoming another Atlanta or Dallas?

- Downtown resident Nirav Patel

Years ago, I participated in Reality Check, a regional visioning process that focused on key growth principles, including transportation. It serves as a reminder that we have to look at transportation on macro and micro levels. This includes 1) building transportation corridors and neighborhoods in ways that connect and minimize congestion, 2) continuing to coordinate planning efforts through the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO, and the NCDOT, 3) building complete streets that include uses by vehicles, bikes, pedestrians and mobility equipment, 4) including bus-rapid transit options, and 5) encouraging employers to provide remote work and flexible work options.

What policies do you support for implementing safer streets and reducing car dependency locally and regionally?

- Stadium Heights resident Nick Roberts

During the pandemic, we learned that remote work and flexible work options can be used to decrease the need for workers to drive to work. Additionally, by implementing bus-rapid transit, we can decrease congestion for workers who are commuting. We’ve taken some steps to protect bikers, but we also need to review one-way streets and thoroughfares, and speed reduction designs to make sure our streets are safe.

What will you do to support the mental health needs of everyday Durham residents, especially thousands of young people in our public school systems?

- Hillside High School senior Isaiah Palmer

The pandemic highlighted the importance of providing mental health options to our students and residents. While most government mental health programs are provided by the county, the city can provide information to residents about mental health programs through its community engagement division. Additionally, the city can make sure that its employees have access to mental health programs.

In your vision for the city, what role does public education play and how does that connect to economic development, public safety and community health?

- Fayetteville Street corridor resident Erika Wilkins

The public education of our students is very important in creating an educated and trained workforce. When our students are excelling in school, it can have a positive impact on overall public safety and community health. Unfortunately, the funding for our public schools hasn’t been supported by our General Assembly. Therefore, It’s important that the city continue programs like Durham YouthWorks that provides summer job opportunities for youth and continue to partner with our public school system.

On the subject of alleged Clean Water Act violations in Falls Lake and its tributaries: How did we get here and who should be held responsible? Who is going to pay for the creek restoration and environmental damage?

- Southeast Durham resident Pam Andrews

For almost nine years, I worked for the NC Department of Environmental Quality. I also have a Master of Public Administration degree in environmental policy and management. I believe we have gotten to this point because we don’t assess the environmental impact of our decisions. I believe our agenda memos should be updated to include an environmental impact statement and that the outcome of any pending or future environmental lawsuits should include creek restoration by the responsible party.

How have you seen Durham evolve in your time here and what’s one thing you’ll have the power to change if elected?

- The News & Observer

The population of Durham has grown. There is more congestion, but we also have many amenities that residents can enjoy. We also know that many people are being left behind and are moving away because they can no longer afford to live here. I would work to build more connections between employers and workers so that workers have pathways to better jobs that pay better wages and increase the options for residents who want to stay in Durham.

To find polling places and full details on voting, visit the Board of Elections at dcovotes.com or 919-560-0700.

Mary Helen Moore

The News & Observer

Mary Helen Moore covers Durham for The News & Observer. She grew up in Eastern North Carolina and attended UNC-Chapel Hill before spending several years working in newspapers in Florida. Outside of work, you might find her reading, fishing, baking, or going on walks (mainly to look at plants).