Chapel Hill Could Change Town Boards and Commissions

It’s Tuesday, April 2.

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Good morning, readers. 

Each month, Chapel Hill’s town staff spends an estimated $10,000 worth of time preparing materials for the town’s 20 or so volunteer boards and commissions. 

“I’m sorry, did you say $10,000?” interrupted town council member Paris Miller-Foushee when a town staffer first mentioned that number at a meeting in September.

That price tag is behind the push for reform—or maybe even abolition—of the town’s advisory bodies, which are meant to give feedback on everything from library policy to stormwater management utility. Town staff have reported that boards lack a clear purpose and often don’t have the quorum necessary to make decisions. 

And while most in the government recognize problems with the current structure, no one is quite sure how to fix them.

“They just don’t really know what they’re doing,” said council member Amy Ryan about some of the boards. “They don’t have a job. They’re trying to find it, they just need some answers quicker.” 

Town staff have provided recommendations, including standardizing board sizes, schedules, and scope. But that might not be enough for some council members, many of whom served on boards before running for council.

“Our boards…don’t work for our diverse community. They’re not the right way to get community input,” said council member Karen Stegman. 

“The outcome that I really wanted from [boards] was them gone,” said former council member Tai Huynh at a meeting in November.

Still, it will take a majority of the nine town council members to make any big changes at upcoming meetings. And so far, everyone seems to have slightly different priorities.

Check out the full story here. 

And have a great Tuesday. 

—Chase

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