Mayors, Orange County officials help survey homeless

Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt, Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens, Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton, Orange County Commissioner Bernadette Pelissier and Chapel Hill Town Council will survey Orange County’s homeless population to find the most vulnerable and target them for a quick housing solution as part of the national 100,000 Homes Campaign (www.100khomes.org) locally sponsored by United Way of the Greater Triangle.
The officials will help out Tuesday, Jan. 24, at various county locations. Kleinschmidt, Chilton, Pelissier and Rich will will be at S. Human Services Center in Chapel Hill at 3:45 a.m. while Stevens will be at S. Country Inn & Fairview Baptist Church in Hillsborough at 5:30 a.m.
The mayors and others will join trained volunteer teams, which will leave their locations at 4 a.m. and head to the areas where homeless are currently bedding down on the streets of Orange County. The Triangle is one of 110 cities/areas across the United States working with the 100,000 Homes Campaign to house 100,000 homeless by 2013. The surveys will assess chronic issues among the homeless and help those in dire need of attention find shelter and medical care as well as other services.

Stevens to seek fourth term

Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens last night confirmed he plans to seek a fourth term in office. Here's the release he later sent over (it's also posted on his website):

Dear Friends & Fellow Citizens,

It is a privilege to serve as Mayor of Hillsborough, and today I am announcing that I will run for a fourth term.

Six years ago, in my first campaign for elected office, I pledged “to be a passionate spokesperson for this town that is my home,” and to offer “strong leadership so our town board and citizens together can create a vision and action plan for Hillsborough’s future.”

I believe a widely shared vision for our town has emerged, a vision that emphasizes small-town character, celebrating our heritage, sustainable prosperity for folks from all walks of life. We enjoy a vitality and sense of community you can feel walking down the street. We are moving in the right direction. We are taking action to fulfill our vision, as evidenced by new parks, new businesses, and new ways of operating local government - all contributing to our quality of life. A steady stream of local, state, and national attention highlight great things that are “happening” in Hillsborough. Our small town gives us much to be proud of and enjoy.

While we can point to many achievements, we are also facing enormous challenges, as are most communities. In these current times, our resources are strained. More than ever, our decisions have far-reaching impact in shaping our quality of life both in the near future and for generations to come. We must rise to meet our challenges.

It takes many heads, hands, and hearts to preserve the Hillsborough we love while shaping the Hillsborough we envision. As your mayor, I will continue to be a passionate spokesperson for our town and community, and offer seasoned leadership aimed at bringing the efforts of many people together for the benefit of our town.

Tom Stevens

June 13, 2011