VOTE and save North Durham. My incomplete sample ballot. I believe the three candidates I’ve circled (or rectangled) are the most likely to stand up to development sharks coming for North Durham. I will be voting for Stephen VALENTINE because he has already proven he values our environment and open spaces by his several years on the planning commission voting against irresponsible development. I will be voting for Nimasheena BURNS because she was the only incumbent BOCC who had the huevos to vote against SCAD and called out developers’ phony claims that Black pastors supported SCAD. I will be voting for Brenda HOWERTON because at this point she is fed up with the city council. She is an incumbent and she missed the vote on SCAD and amending the conservation subdivision – but I think the reason she missed it may leave her with a chip on her shoulder that may work in citizens’ favor. The two incumbents who are determined to spread dense development, townhouses and condos and, IMO, should be ousted now are Wendy Jacobs and Nida Allam. Jacobs said during the hearing on the disastrous conservation subdivision amendment that she had to “protect the county,” meaning the county administration, against citizens seeking a correct interpretation of the old conservation subdivision ordinance. Allam is very pro-dense development and has demonstrated no appreciation for Durham beyond the city limits. Jacobs and Allam both voted “yes” on SCAD despite overwhelming citizen opposition. We vote for 5 and I’m still deciding who my additional two votes will be. I’m getting this much out because early voting ends Saturday.
