Planning Board member and book editor Amy Ryan thinks she has the expertise and skills to replace Penny Rich on the Chapel Hill Town Council.
She is one of five people who have expressed interest in serving out the remainder of Rich's four-year term, which ends in December 2013. Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt is expected to set a deadline for applications at the council's Dec. 3 meeting.
Ryan, who also has served on the Community Design Commission, participated in the 2020 planning process and most recently led the Central West small area focus group, said development will be the council's biggest issue next year.
"I'm really concerned about some of the ways we're going about it," she said. "It's really important to get substantive (community) input" before a project reaches the council.
Another potential applicant, Planning Board member Jason Baker, said Wednesday that he will back former Council member Sally Greene for Rich's seat.
Comments
In the interests of
Wed, 11/21/2012 - 15:01 — ClaudiusIn the interests of impartiality, I would hope that Ms. Ryan recuse herself from her Central West steering committee position (as a member of the planning board) before formally applying for the council seat. Whether she's selected for Ms. Rich's open spot or not, it's only proper not to put herself in the running for both positions. That would be an obvious conflict of interest.
And for what it's worth - I still think George C. would make an ideal replacement. He obviously withdrew his application under backroom political pressure. if I were the council I'd just refuse to accept his withdrawal and select him anyway!