1. Please tell us about your background and explain why you are running for Orange County Commissioner. What experience, skills, and values do you bring to the board? Why should voters elect/re-elect you?
I own a personal chef and catering company. I teach cooking and healthy eating to children and work with local chefs testing recipes and developing menus. I was raised in New York City, where I received a Bachelor of Fine Art at Pratt Institute and a Masters of Arts in Communication Technology at New York University. I lived in Ft. Lauderdale and New Orleans before moving to Chapel Hill with my family in 1998. I now live in Carrboro. Experience; As a County Commissioner since 2012, I served on the following committees and boards: Orange County Visitors Bureau-Board of Directors, Triangle Council of Governments, NACo – Nation Association of County Commissioners, The Community Home Trust: Board of Directors, Swag – Solid Waste Advisory Group, Intergovernmental Parks Workgroup, Orange, Durham, Chapel Hill Workgroup, Chatham Orange Joint Planning Task Force, Historic Rogers Road Task Force, Communications Task Force/Strategic Plan, Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization, Legislative Issues Workgroup, Upper Neuse River Basin Association, NCDOT – Orange County Workgroup, School Collaboration, Chapel Hill/Carrboro Chamber of Commerce “Big Ideas” Initiative, Rural Broadband Workgroup, Orange County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council. I am a former member of the Chapel Hill Town Council, 2009-2011, I am a former member of the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) Board of Directors, 2001-2007.
2. Historically, one of Orange County’s greatest assets has been the excellent quality of our K-12 public schools. However, many parents are becoming concerned that our public school buildings are aging and in need of repair and renovation. The Board of Orange County Commissioners (BOCC) is fully responsible for funding the maintenance for school buildings. How do you propose to address the backlog of deferred school maintenance projects?
I am concerned, as all elected officials and parents are, about issues related to the safety and security of our children in local schools. As we continue to collaborate with our school board partners, it is my intention to continue to press for a systematic reporting on various maintenance and repair issues and expedite, where possible, completion of the necessary repairs.
3. GoTriangle recently released an outside evaluation by a national transit organization which described management problems related to the now defunct Durham-Orange light rail project. This report said that the Orange and Durham County Boards of Commissioners and GoTriangle failed to recognize the numerous warning signs that the project could not be completed and continued to spend public money on this dead end project. Throughout the DOLRT planning process the lack of transparency, accountability and local (county and town) control over funding decisions subordinated Orange County’s interests to those of Durham and GoTriangle. What changes to the decision-making process would you urge to address these problems? Link to the report. https://gotriangle.org/sites/default/files/publications/final_report_dolrt_gotriangle_11.5.19.pdf
I often get asked, “What is happening with the transit plan now that the Light Rail project has been halted?” Light rail was a large part – but not the only part – of our regional comprehensive transit plan. To continue to move us forward, the Board of County Commissioners has created a steering committee comprised of two county commissioners and representatives from each municipality, and has charged them with creating and updating the comprehensive transit plan for Orange County. As the commissioner liaison to our Metropolitan Planning Organization for the past five years, I continue to broaden our vision for public transit in the county. Despite light rail not being a part, Orange County’s transit plan has allowed us to expand bus hours in Chapel Hill, add bus routes throughout the county to connect residents to jobs, and purchase new vehicles, including three new electric vans in Orange County for on-demand service – powered by a solar EV station. We have also purchased land for a park-and-ride in Hillsborough, assisted with the Amtrak station in Hillsborough, and funded $14.1 million dollars for the upcoming North-South Bus Rapid Transit in Chapel Hill.
4. What actions and/or policy changes should the BOCC take to improve public transit service for Orange County residents and reduce congestion on our roadways?
I want to continue exploring multi-modal regional transportation solutions that reflect how our residents will want to travel in the future. I want to promote non-automobile transportation alternatives and create connections between all transportation modes. Most importantly, I want to ensure that transportation needs are met for all populations, especially the economically disadvantaged, the elderly, and the mobility impaired. Finally, it is so important that we continue to work with our neighboring counties to develop and implement a Regional Transit Plan that keeps Orange County connected to the rest of the Triangle.
5. The 1986 Joint Comprehensive Land Use Plan established urban service boundaries for the largest Orange County towns and a rural buffer. In your view, how does the existence of the rural buffer benefit Orange County? What costs does it impose? What changes, if any, would you support making to the 1986 Joint Comprehensive Land Use Plan?
The rural buffer is a planning and zoning area that was created by the Joint Planning Agreement between Orange County, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro to prevent urban sprawl and protect our farmland. It is intended to be low density, served by well and septic, promote agricultural uses and delineate rural from urban boundaries. It is critical to preserving the health of our watersheds and our rural character. The environmental advantages of the buffer include: carbon dioxide absorption; oxygen creation; water absorption and transpiration; tree benefit calculator; and forest and water quality. Residents take full advantage of the recreation areas, hiking, cycling, and farm-to-table events all year round. I was happy to celebrate 30 years of the rural buffer and will continue to support its existence.
6. What actions and/or policy changes should the BOCC take to preserve and increase housing that is affordable for less affluent OC households, especially those earning below 60% of AMI?
Every resident of Orange County deserves a decent, safe, and affordable place to live, in a neighborhood that provides opportunities to succeed. In an effort to begin to meet the affordable housing needs in Orange County, particularly for residents who are most cost burdened at 30% to 50% median income, the affordable housing strategic plan has a proposed overarching shared countywide goal of 1,000 affordable housing units. The shared countywide goal of 1,000 units are to be provided through acquisition, construction, urgent repair, assisted housing, and rehabilitation of the existing housing stock, over the next five (5) years. We have used a portion of the 5 million dollar bond to assist with rental units and will work with the municipalities and private resources to reach our housing goals. In addition, Orange County, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro all have an interest in the Greene Tract. We need to collaborate and explore the best outcome for that government owned land to help assist our residents that need affordable housing options.
7. What actions and/or policy changes should the BOCC undertake to reduce carbon emissions in Orange County? What do you think is achievable within the next 3-5 years?
In the next three to five years and beyond, we must: continue to support the creation of new public transportation options to reduce our carbon footprint; encourage renewable energy sources for all county buildings and new development; assist lower income homeowners with an energy audit; seal homes to reduce fuel consumption; encourage schools to continue to compost and reduce food waste; encourage residents to choose Energy Star products when replacing old appliances; continue to work on the Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAG) to reduce our waste stream; and support new technology efforts converting waste to fuel.
8. What actions and/or policy changes should the BOCC take to conserve agricultural, forest and park land in Orange County?
In 1992, Orange County adopted a Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program Ordinance, creating the Agricultural Preservation Board (APB) and procedures for establishing Voluntary Agricultural Districts. The VAD program enhances and encourages the voluntary preservation of farmland from non-farm development. I believe agricultural land is a valuable asset to the residents of Orange County, and the VAD program promotes pride in the traditions of our farming community. The benefits from preserving farmland include: clean water and air, plant and animal habitat, fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products, and scenic rural vistas. There are 55 parks and open space areas in Orange County. We love our parks. As a county commissioner I work to conserve natural areas, nature preserves, open spaces, parks and recreation facilities, and water resources and agricultural and cultural resource lands. I am a strong supporter of our environment (endorsed by the Sierra Club), and will continue to promote the goal of promoting cultural, physical, and natural stewardship and well-being of our county residents through our parks and open spaces.