Race For Chapel Hill Mayor Down To Two Candidates

Retired advertising executive and town council member Lee Pavao believes his life experience makes him the best man for Chapel Hill mayor.

"The fact that I've lived abroad, dealt with different cultures, my time on the council and the variety of things I've been involved in," he said.

Town council member and lawyer Kevin Foy said voters should think about his record when they head to the polls.

"I think when you're looking for leadership in a community, you need to look at principles, values and philosophy a person brings. I have demonstrated what my philosophy is," he said.

One of the issues facing Chapel Hill voters is Meadowmont, a retail and residential complex. The complex and other types of growth are popping up all over the Triangle. One thing that both Pavao and Foy agree on is the need to regulate this type of growth.

Foy said he would do it with an emphasis on schools.

"One of the first things I'm saying I will do if elected mayor is pass an adequate schools' ordinace that would require sufficient school capacity before we permit a new development to be built," he said.

For Pavao, relieving congestion would be a top priority.

"I've been advocating for eight years for smaller buses running more frequently and I've traveled quite a bit to the types of communities that have the bus service, I think, will be ideal for us," he said.

Both men say they want affordable housing in Chapel Hill. Pavao would look for partnerships with developers. Foy wants developers to make 15 percent of their projects affordable.

Cam Hill dropped out of the mayor's race Tuesday and threw his support to Kevin Foy. However, Hill's name will still be on the ballot.

The election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 6.