Dear Friend,
I am a candidate for the Chapel Hill Town Council and I am writing to ask for your support.
The next four years will be a critical time for the Town of Chapel Hill, as we face an unpredictable economic environment. Challenges we face include moderating the tax burden on homeowners, carefully managing the town’s operating and capital budgets, and strengthening our local economy. These challenges call for experienced, common-sense leaders.
For more than a dozen years, I have served in various leadership positions in our community:
- Citizens Budget and Finance Committee, Chair, 2004 – 2005. We advised the Council on ways to control expenses and keep tax increases to a minimum.
- Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation, President, 2006 – 2009. Under my leadership, the Foundation raised more $300,000 for books, DVDs, and other library materials.
- Chapel Hill Public Library Building Committee, Member, 2006 – 2007. We developed the plans for the library expansion approved by the voters in 2003.
- Orange Water and Sewer Authority, Board Member, 2007 – 2009. Strategic Planning Committee Chair, Community Outreach Community Chair, Budget and Finance Committee member.
- Gimghoul Neighborhood Association, Board Member and President, 1998 to present. By working with the Town and the University, we changed the development ground rules so that neighborhoods surrounding campus receive better protection from UNC growth.
- Planning Board, Member, 2004 – 2007. I proposed forming the Tree Protection Committee, which drafted a more comprehensive tree protection ordinance.
- Horace Williams Citizens Committee, Vice-Chair, 2005 – 2006. Council adopted our final report as the guiding principles for the development of the Carolina North property.
Professionally, I have more than twenty years’ experience managing budgets through difficult economic cycles as the Chief Executive Officer of several mid-sized, privately held companies. These experiences have collectively prepared me to help guide Chapel Hill through uncertain, yet exciting times.
If you believe that Chapel Hill needs leaders with my experience and skills, I would very much appreciate your vote on November 3. In addition, I would greatly appreciate a financial contribution to my campaign. These resources will enable me to get my campaign message out to Chapel Hill residents.
Thank you for your consideration and support,
Gene Pease
Chapel Hill Chamber of Commerce Commentary:
Gene Pease, CEO of a human resources analysis company, is the most politically experienced of the so-called pro-business newcomers, having served on the Planning Board, the OWASA board, chaired the town’s Citizen and Budget and Finance Committee, and vice chaired the citizen’s committee on Carolina North among his service and leadership on numerous other civic work. He would likely be a strong fiscal watchdog on the council and has proposed the creation of a permanent Budget and Finance Committee. He also considers himself pro neighborhood and pro arts and literacy and does not believe that is at odds with working to make Chapel Hill more business friendly. Though he has not served in an elected capacity before, he clearly has the skills and respect in the community to make a quick and positive impact on council.
The next four years will be a critical time for the town of Chapel Hill as we face serious issues resulting from an unpredictable economic environment. This period will require the citizens of Chapel Hill to elect experienced common-sense leaders.
For over a dozen years I served in various leadership positions in our community:
- Board Member and President of my Neighborhood Association, 1998 to present. By working with the Town and the University, we changed the development ground rules so that neighborhoods surrounding campus receive better protection from UNC growth.
- Planning Board member, 2004 – 2007. I was catalyst for forming the Tree Protection Committee which has been instrumental in helping to draft a more comprehensive tree protection ordinance.
- Horace Williams Citizens Committee, Vice-Chair, 2005 – 2006. We completed the final report which the Council adopted as the guiding principles for the development of the Carolina North property.
- Citizens Budget & Finance Committee, Chair, 2004 – 2005. We assisted the Council in finding ways to keep a tax increase to a minimum.
- Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation, President, 2006 – 2009. During this time we raised over $300,000 for our public library to purchase over 9,000 books, DVDs, and other materials.
- Chapel Hill Public Library Building Committee member, 2006 – 2007. I worked on this committee as we completed the final plans for the library expansion.
- OWASA, 2007 – 2009, Strategic Planning Committee Chair, Community Outreach Community Chair, Budget and Finance Committee member. The Board guided our water utility through the unsettling period of our last major drought.
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