Haven-O'Donnell to seek re-election to Carrboro Board of Aldermen

Carrboro Alderwoman Randee Haven O’Donnell announced her re-election bid Monday at a solar panel installation on the Town Commons.

She said the partnership between Communities in Schools of Orange County and Solar Tech South shows the town doing its part to prepare for a greener future. ,

Carrboro isn't just jumping on the bandwagon when it comes to solar energy,” she said in a statement. “Before the national economic decline, before “green jobs” became a catch phrase, I started conversations and plans to forge partnerships like this one to propel Carrboro into viable solar energy use, solar business development, workforce training, and consumer use.”

Among her accomplishments, Haven-O’Donnell said
-- She has worked through the Greenway Summit and the Greenways Commission to foster dialogue, get community input, and enact the town’s greenway plan.
-- She has worked with the county commissioners to reconstitute the Orange County Library Services Task Force “to advance the cause of County branch libraries in general and a southwest branch library in downtown Carrboro specifically.”
-- She has worked to preserve Bolin Creek, serving as one of the town's representatives on the Leadership Advisory Council to UNC for Carolina North. “Note that while UNC would not promise preservation in perpetuity, as I had advocated, they have agreed to preserve the Carolina North tract in Carrboro for the next 50 years,” she said.  

She said she also has sought to promote business and workers, as a member of Carrboro's Economic Sustainability Commission, the Local Living Economy Task Force, the emergent Greater Carrboro Business Community group and in the town's efforts to locate a site for day laborers.

Four seats on the Board of Aldermen are up. Mayor Mark Chilton, running for re-election, faces a challenge from community organizer Sammy Slade. Alderman John Herrera has decided not to seek another term. Alderwoman Jacquie Gist has said she probably will. (She may have made this more definite in the week I was away.)  The official filing period opens Monday.