Slade may start early as Carrboro alderman

Newly elected Carrboro Alderman Sammy Slade may get to start a few weeks early.

The board plans to seat its newly elected members -- incumbents Jacquie Gist and Randee Haven-O'Donnell are the others -- at an organizational meeting Dec. 1, according to Town Clerk Sarah Williamson.

But Mayor Mark Chilton suggested back in August that the board apppoint the newly
elected alderman to finish the last few week's of John Herrera's term, according to a memo from Alderman Dan Coleman to his colleagues. Herrera resigned unexpectedly, saying he had moved, remarried and wanted to spend more time with his family. His resignation helped pave the way for Slade, whom he endorsed.

"Unless anyone disagrees, I would like to ask Mark [Chilton] to arrange with the
clerk and with Sammy that this would be our first order of business
next week," Coleman says in the e-mail.

That would give Slade three meetings to settle in. The board has meetings scheduled Nov. 10, 17 and 24, according to Williamson.