OP Editors's blog

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools today announced the process for filling the vacancy on the Board of Education resulting from the resignation of Michelle Brownstein.

So far, we've heard only that 2015 school board candidate and former Carrboro alderperson Joal Hall Broun intends to apply for the vacancy.

North Carolina statute requires the vacancy to be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the board until the next election of board members. Applications for the vacancy are due in the superintendent's office by noon on February 5th. The school board will interview candidates on February 11th and make the appointment on February 18th.

Last week, the Town of Chapel Hill sent out an email announcing that Town Council work sessions will now start at 7pm at the Chapel Hill Public Library. Work sessions previously began an hour earlier than regular meetings of the Town Council, starting at 6pm. Tonight’s work session will be the first to start at the new time.

Mayor Pam Hemminger seems to be the driving force behind the change in start time. She touted the change as one of her early priorities in an interview with WCHL’s Aaron Keck back in December. The reason given for the change by Mayor Hemminger was to make the meeting times more consistent, less confusing, and more accessible to town residents.

As the holiday season sets in, many of Orange County's public bodies are taking a break. This week, only the county commissioners are meeting. They'll be electing their chair and vice chair later today. All of the other boards are off this week.