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Town of Chapel Hill · Town Council
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at 6:00 pm · RM 110 | Council Chamber

Regular meeting Budget and appropriationsStormwater and floodingAppointments and personnelFaith and cultural communitiesPolice and public safetySchools and education

Agenda document Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved 4.April 8, 15, and 16, 2026 Meeting Minutes approved · Pass · The meeting minutes for April 8, 15, and 16, 2026 were approved.
  2. Approved 5.2013 Work Session Minutes approved · Pass · The 2013 Work Session minutes for March 6, September 11, and October 23 were approved.
  3. Received CLOSED SESSION entered Into closed session as authorized by General Statute Section 143-318.11 · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry that the Council entered into closed session as a…
  4. Received [26-0152]Public Hearing: Drainage Easement Closure at 1301 Fordham Blvd closed the public hearing · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Miller-Foushee, seconded by Council Member McCullough, that the Council close the public hearing. The motion…

Another 3 items passed on the consent agenda, which is a single motion covering routine business. See the list.

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

The council considers a resolution approving an employment contract for Interim Town Attorney James Baker, and holds a public hearing on closing a 95-by-14-foot drainage easement at 1301 Fordham Boulevard, Orange County parcel 9799-35-2127, left over after 2021 redevelopment removed the pipe that once ran through it. Town Manager Ted Voorhees presents the FY 2026-27 Manager's Recommended Budget.

Routine business includes proclamations for AAPI Heritage Month and National Police Week, and consent-agenda votes on two sets of minutes, from April 2026 and from three 2013 work sessions.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

Council deferred the AAPI Heritage Month proclamation to a later meeting but proclaimed National Police Week, presenting it to the Guardians of the Hill in the audience, and Mayor Anderson separately recognized Professional Municipal Clerk's Week. Nobody signed up for public comment. On consent, the council adopted Resolution R-1 approving Baker's employment contract and approved the April and 2013 work session minutes.

Council took up the drainage easement hearing before the budget item, at Mayor Anderson's request. Engineer Robert Gehris said the easement had been slated for removal since 2021, when redevelopment eliminated the pipe running through it, and that neither NCDOT nor OWASA still needed it. The council opened the hearing, closed it, and adopted R-2 approving the closure, all by unanimous votes. Town Manager Ted Voorhees then presented the FY 2026-27 recommended budget, which proposes no tax increase. Council members asked for clearer public materials distinguishing town, county and school funding ahead of budget sessions on May 13 and May 20. The council ended the night in closed session under the personnel exemption, G.S. 143-318.11(a)(6).

How the votes went

All votes were unanimous, 9-0, with all nine council members present. The council approved the consent agenda -- Resolution R-1 for the interim Town Attorney's contract and both sets of minutes -- in one motion. On the drainage easement, it voted separately to open the public hearing, close it, and adopt R-2 approving the closure. It also voted to enter closed session under G.S. 143-318.11(a)(6) and again to end it.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

No members of the public spoke.

Nobody signed up to speak during the public comment period.

Read from the records the government published after the meeting. Members of the public are private residents and are not named or indexed.

Speaking at this meeting

Town of Chapel Hill's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Jump to an item (22 on this agenda)
  1. WELCOME to a COUNCIL MEETING!
  2. ROLL CALL
  3. OPENING
  4. 1.Proclamation: AAPI Month
  5. 2.Proclamation: National Police Week
  6. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
  7. PUBLIC COMMENTS
  8. CONSENT
  9. 3.Interim Town Attorney Employment Contract
  10. 4.April 8, 15, and 16, 2026 Meeting Minutes
  11. 5.2013 Work Session Minutes
  12. DISCUSSION
  13. 6.Presentation of the FY 2026-27 Manager’s Recommended Budget
  14. 7.Public Hearing: Drainage Easement Closure at 1301 Fordham Blvd
  15. CLOSED SESSION
  16. ADJOURNMENT
  17. [26-0153]2.1 Mayor Anderson Regarding Municipal Clerk's Week.
  18. [26-0154]2.2 Mayor Jessica Anderson
  19. [26-0155]2.3 Council Member Louie Rivers III
  20. OTHER ATTENDEES
  21. Approval of the Consent Agenda
  22. [26-0152]Public Hearing: Drainage Easement Closure at 1301 Fordham Blvd

Agenda items (22)

Procedural · 4Other · 3Proclamation or recognition · 3Consent agenda · 3Discussion item · 3Minutes approval · 2Public hearing · 2Presentation · 1Closed session · 1
  1. WELCOME to a COUNCIL MEETING!
    Other
  2. ROLL CALL
    Procedural
  3. OPENING
    Other
  4. 1. Proclamation: AAPI Month
    Proclamation or recognition Faith and cultural communities
  5. 2. Proclamation: National Police Week
    Proclamation or recognition Police and public safety
  6. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
    Procedural
  7. PUBLIC COMMENTS
    Procedural
  1. 4. April 8, 15, and 16, 2026 Meeting Minutes
    Minutes approval
    approved · Pass · The meeting minutes for April 8, 15, and 16, 2026 were approved.
  2. 5. 2013 Work Session Minutes
    Minutes approval
    approved · Pass · The 2013 Work Session minutes for March 6, September 11, and October 23 were approved.
  3. DISCUSSION
    Discussion item
  4. 6. Presentation of the FY 2026-27 Manager’s Recommended Budget
    Presentation Budget and appropriationsSchools and education
    Town Manager Ted Voorhees presented the FY 2026-27 recommended budget, which proposes no tax increase. Council members asked for clearer public materials distinguishing town, county and school funding ahead of budget work sessions.
  5. 7. Public Hearing: Drainage Easement Closure at 1301 Fordham Blvd
    Public hearing Stormwater and flooding
    The council opened a public hearing on closing a drainage easement at 1301 Fordham Blvd.
    opened the hearing · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Ryan, seconded by Council Member Nollert, that the Council open the public hearing. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
    • 1301 Fordham Blvd · no matching parcel on file
    • Pin 9799-35-2127 · no matching parcel on file
  6. CLOSED SESSION
    Closed session
    entered Into closed session as authorized by General Statute Section 143-318.11 · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry that the Council entered into closed session as authorized by General Statute Section 143-318.11(a)(6). The motion carried by a unanimous vote. Council recessed into Closed Session at 7:01 p.m. A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council Member Miller-Foushee to adjourn the Closed Session. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
  7. ADJOURNMENT
    Procedural
  8. [26-0153] 2.1 Mayor Anderson Regarding Municipal Clerk's Week.
    Proclamation or recognition
    Mayor Anderson recognized Professional Municipal Clerk's Week and thanked the Clerk's Office for its work on transparency and continuity.
  9. [26-0154] 2.2 Mayor Jessica Anderson
    Discussion item Budget and appropriations
    Mayor Anderson announced Small Business Week and Bike Month events, including a May 8 movie night, Bike to Work Week May 11-17, and Roll Fest May 16, and reminded residents of budget meetings scheduled May 13 and May 20.
  10. [26-0155] 2.3 Council Member Louie Rivers III
    Discussion item
    Council Member Rivers spoke about proposed charter amendments to change the size of the council, citing rising costs and the need for a governing body able to adapt to fiscal pressure.
  11. OTHER ATTENDEES
    Other
  12. [26-0152] Public Hearing: Drainage Easement Closure at 1301 Fordham Blvd
    Public hearing Stormwater and flooding
    closed the public hearing · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Miller-Foushee, seconded by Council Member McCullough, that the Council close the public hearing. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
    • 1301 Fordham Blvd · no matching parcel on file
    • Pin 9799-35-2127 · no matching parcel on file

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