Towns' mayoral races promise distinct tones

The top-dog positions in both Chapel Hill and Carrboro are up for grabs this year, and neither will go uncontested.

The races, though, are fundamentally different, with each town putting a unique spin on the contest, but with both likely to center heavily around development.

In Chapel Hill, two-term mayor Kevin Foy is looking to hold off a relatively unknown commodity in new resident Kevin Wolff.

Wolff, recently of Alexandria, Va., is an intellectual property lawyer who decided to run when he discovered that Foy was hesitating before declaring his candidacy.

During an interview last week, he declined to comment on the issues facing the town on the grounds that he had not yet had time to familiarize himself with the issues.

“I’m listening and learning,” he said. “I’m a quick study.”

He did, however, talk about the things that he liked about the town.

He said that he likes the schools, the wholesome community and the growth potential of the area.

“I plan on living my whole life here and raising my family here,” he said.

Wolff said he looked at his candidacy as a way to give back to the community.

Foy, on the other hand, cited long-term issues as the primary reason for his re-election bid.

“I have initiated several things since I was elected mayor and they haven’t all come to fruition,” he said.

“I’ve been the mayor for four years and that’s just not long enough.”

He said that the most important issues for the town revolve around development.

He specifically cited traffic as a key issue that will continue to evolve as the development situation in town progresses.

In Carrboro, the mayoral contest is marked less by difference than by similarity.

The men seeking office are trying to fill the shoes that will be left by Mayor Mike Nelson, who is stepping down after a 12-year tenure.

Mark Chilton and Alex Zaffron, both members of the Board of Aldermen who began in politics at about the same time, are vying to replace Nelson.

Zaffron managed the 1989 mayoral campaign of N.C. Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange.

Chilton won a seat on the Chapel Hill Town Council as a UNC student in 1991.

Chilton and Zaffron both said the main difference between the candidates lies in the approach each takes to downtown development — one of the key concerns for the town’s leadership.

Zaffron emphasized his involvement in several projects that have been vital to downtown growth, including the Carrboro Small Area Plan.

“I think the real difference (from Chilton) is both in experience and in taking initiative and putting the ideas forward that have made Carrboro what it is,” Zaffron said.

Chilton said he eyes growth more warily than his competitor.

“I’m bringing a more cautious approach to growth and that is probably the key difference between me and Alex.”

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.