From correspondent Virginia Bridges

Durham County commissioners appointed Pam Karriker to fill Becky Heron’s vacated seat tonight.

After a 3-1 vote, Karriker, 57, a community volunteer, past City Council candidate, and former mortgage broker could be sworn in as soon as Monday to fill the seat that Heron left Aug. 1 for health reasons. She beat eight other applicants seeking the position.

Commissioners Michael Page, Joe Bowser and Brenda Howerton voted to appoint Karriker, breaking a previous 2-2 deadlock among commissioners.   

On Sept. 12, Bowser and Commissioner Ellen Reckhow voted for environmentalist and former planning commissioner Wendy Jacobs, whom Heron had endorsed. Page and Howerton supported Karriker. 

Bowser said he decided to change his mind to “bring some kind of working relationship to this board,” which has been publicly feuding over the past two months.

Reckhow continued to support Jacobs tonight.

Look for more from tonight's meeting, including the commissioners' vote on the 751 South developers' request for sewer service in tomorrow's News & Observer.

Planning Commission Chairwoman Jackie Brown said today she supports Wendy Jacobs for the county commissioner's seat left open by Becky Heron's retirement, but would be available herself "as a compromise."

Brown (right), a veteran political operative in Durham, was mentioned as a possible successor soon after Heron announced her resignation in June, with more than a year left on her term, in June.

Brown said at the time she did not want the job and said Friday, "I am not seeking a permanent position on the Board of County Commissioners.

"I would be a placeholder" until after the 2012 county election, she said, if the seat were offered and she accepted it.

The four remaining commissioners deadlocked 2-2 Monday between Jacobs, whom Heron had named as her choice for the seat, and Pam Karriker, a past City Council candidate and former member of the city's Capital Program Advisory Committee.

If they do not name a successor to serve out Heron's term by Sept. 29, Clerk of Court Archie Smith will make the appointment as he sees fit.

"It shouldn't go to the clerk of court," Brown said Friday, and it is the elected officials' responsibility to make the decision.

"I know I'm qualified for the job," Brown said. But, "I'm still supporting Wendy [Jacobs] and will be supporting her in 2012."

All five Board of Commissioners seats are up for election next year.
 

From correspondent Virginia Bridges

Durham mayoral candidate Sylvester Williams has also applied to fill Becky Heron’s vacated county commissioner’s seat.

Williams’ applications was submitted before the county’s Aug. 8 deadline, but delayed because the county’s system put it in the spam folder, according to the board’s clerk Michelle Parker- Evans.

Williams will compete with nine others seeking the position: Anita Daniels, Hampton Dellinger (endorsed by the Durham County Democratic Party), Wendy Jacobs, Pamela Karriker, Tonya Kemble, Rickey Padgett, Jane Redoble, Jane Volland and William Wilson.  

Meanwhile, in the mayor’s race Williams faces incumbent Bill Bell, Durham County Commissioner Joe Bowser, and Ralph McKinney, a retired salesman.

Candidates seeking to fill Heron’s spot will each have at least 22 minutes to sell their strengths to the four sitting county board members during an interview session  Sept. 6.  

Starting at 1 p.m. Sept. 6, a moderator will give each of the 10 candidates five minutes to make an opening statement explaining why they want to run, credentials, leadership style, and community relationships that will help them accomplish their goals if they are appointed to the seat.  

Then candidates will be asked to answer six to eight questions that relate to education, budgets, economic development and policies.  Candidate’s answers to each question will be limited to two minutes, but commissioners can ask follow up questions.

Candidates will then be given two more minutes to make a closing statement.

Commissioners said they planned to discuss the candidates and possibly narrow down the field at a Sept. 7 already scheduled worksession and possibly before or during the board’s regular Sept. 12 meeting.

Here's a look at our top headlines:

CROWDED FIELDS: There is more than Becky Heron's county board seat up for grabs. Jim Wise reports 12 candidates are vying for mayor and three at-large City Council seats.

BETTER TESTS THROUGH TEXTS: Remember that story we did on the pilot program that was going to send DPS junior vocabulary words on their phones. The pilot is over and the results are in. Virginia Bridges has the story.

THE PIANO MAN: (Which Billy Joel album was better, by the way, Piano Man or Turnstiles? And no, it wasn't The Stranger.) Durham musucian Tom Merrigan is taking it to the streets (to mix a musical metaphor). Katelyn Ferral has the coolest story in the paper today.

Carl Kenney says Durham's festivals are in trouble, crime rates are up (violent) and down (overall), and Joseph Jackson says American Tobacco is a public space that really works.

Lots of letters today. Please send more to editor@nando.com, and thanks for reading,

Mark       

After three rounds of voting, the Durham County Democratic Party endorsed Durham attorney Hampton Dellinger last night to fill the county commissioner seat vacated by Becky Heron.

“I want to represent every resident in Durham County. I want to be the hardest working elected official this county has ever had and I want to be a great teammate,” said Dellinger, a former lieutenant governor candidate who served as legal counsel for Gov. Mike Easley and a state deputy attorney general. “And I will be with your help.”

The recommendation will be forwarded to the Durham County Board of Commissioners, who will ultimately make the decision on who will replace Heron, who stepped down Aug. 1 for health reasons.  Dellinger sought votes from party members along with Will Wilson, Wendy Jacobs and Anita Daniels after they were nominated by their peers at the meeting. Earlier Tuesday, Heron had endorsed Jacobs, a local environmentalist, to serve out her term.

From correspondent Virginia Bridges

Retired Durham County Commissioner Becky Heron is putting her support behind Wendy Jacobs to finish heron's unexpired term.

“Really and truly I would like very much for Wendy to be in the seat that I was occupying,” Heron said.  “She would work just as hard as a county commissioner as she has in saving this land along New Hope Creek.”

Heron was referring to Jacobs' efforts as chair of the Erwin Area Neighborhood Group, which spearheaded and raised money to help local governments and other organizations buy a 42.8-acre tract at Erwin and Pickett roads from Duke University to prevent it from being developed.

Nine people have applied to replace Heron, who officially stepped down from her position of Aug. 1.  The other eight are Anita Daniels, Hampton Dellinger, Pamela Karriker, Tonya Kemble, Rickey Padgett, Jane Redoble, Jane Volland and William Wilson.  

Meanwhile, members of Durham County Democratic Party plans to meet tonight at White Rock Baptist Church to decide on its recommendation on who should take the seat.  The recommendation would be forwarded to the County Commissioners, who will ultimately make the decision.

Sign in begins at 6 p.m. and proceedings are expected to start at 6:30 p.m.  
While the general public can observe the proceedings, only state executive committee members, elected officials, precinct chairs or vice chairs can vote, said the party’s second vice Chairman Zack Hawkins.

Officials will consider the six candidates who have submitted formal applications to the party, and will also take nominations from the floor.

From correspondent Virginia Bridges

The Durham County commissioners agreed today on the initial steps for filling Becky Heron’s vacated seat.

The commissioners plan to have applications, which are due by Aug. 15, available to the public by Thursday.  They plan to review the applications and discuss the process Aug. 22, and interview all the candidates Sept. 6.

Meanwhile, the Durham County Democratic Party has set forth a solicitation and application process that includes a candidate forum Aug. 13 and a vote on a recommendation to the commissioners Aug. 16, Interim County Manager Michael Palmer said. 

Commissioners are required to consult the county Democratic Party, but the decision ultimately comes down to a majority vote of the elected board, said County Attorney Lowell Siler.

Here's a look at today's local headlines:

DPAC ATTENDANCE UP: 15 percent, they say. And later this summer we'll learn what that means for Durham's city coffers. The city-owned theater contributes 40 percent of net earnings back to a building improvement and maintenance fund.

BIGGER, BETTER CENTERFEST: But will it stay on that Foster Street parking lot? Sure, it makes sense for vendors (electrical hook-ups, easier security), but arts on the asphalt. Really?

WEST ELLERBE PATH PICKED: That greenway connection/extension up by the North Pointe shopping center? Staff writer Jim Wise says It's taking the scenic route.  

Bob Wilson says Becky Heron has given her all. Self-Help says it has and will keep seeking public input in East Durham, and an autopsy shows a woman at the center of a triple murder-suicide in June was shot 13 times. Tragic.

Thanks for reading,

Mark