Mayor and Council

You can email the Council collectively at mayorandcouncil@chapelhillnc.gov. Your email will become part of the public archive of Council correspondence. You can also contact the Mayor and Council Members individually:

Jessica Anderson

Chapel Hill Mayor

Camille Berry

Mayor Pro Tem

Melissa McCullough

Council Member

Wes McMahon

Council Member

Paris Miller-Foushee

Council Member

Theodore Nollert

Council Member

Louie Rivers III

Council Member

Amy Ryan

Council Member

Elizabeth Sharp

Council Member

The Mayor's duties include: 

• Presiding at all Council meetings

• Providing leadership on policy issues

• Recommending appointments to city boards and commissions

• Representing the city at official functions (local, state, and national)

• Carrying out special responsibilities during emergencies 

The Council's duties include:

• Amending the Town Code of Ordinances

• Adopting and revising policies

• Appointing advisory boards, commissions, task forces and committees.

• Appointing the Town Manager and Town Attorney.

• Establishing agreements with other governments.

Types of Council meetings

The Town Council holds three types of meetings:

• Business meetings are for the Council to conduct official business and make policy decisions by voting on agenda items. Residents are encouraged to attend and participate by offering their comments to the Council. 
• Work sessions are for Council to have informal discussions on special topics. Residents are encouraged to attend, but there is no public comment period. 
• Closed sessions are for Council to discuss specific types of confidential matters and are not open to the public. These are reasons for a closed session are governed by state statute and include the following: personnel matters, economic development, negotiating real estate or employment contracts, and to consult with the Town Attorney. 

Participate at a business meeting

• Please check in with the Town Clerk and sign up to speak

  • If you wish to speak to Council about something that's not on the agenda, there is a public comment period at the beginning of the meeting.

  • If you wish to speak to Council about discussion items on the agenda, there is a public comment period for each discussion item. 

• The Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem will call you up when it's your turn. You'll have three minutes to speak at the microphone, unless there is a high volume of speakers on the same topic - then you may have two minutes. 

Getting to a meeting

Business meetings are usually held in the Council Chamber at Town Hall:

• Parking: Free parking is available in Town Hall lots and at the Stephens Street/Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. lot.
• Transit: Town Hall is served by Chapel Hill Transit’s NS and T routes, as well as GoTriangle routes. 
• Entrance: Use the ground floor entrance.

Work sessions are usually held at the Chapel Hill Public Library:

• Parking: Free parking is available in the Library's upper and lower lots
• Transit: Chapel Hill Transit's F route, D route, and CL route stop a short walk from the library.
• Entrance: Use the main level entrance.

Every two years, the Town Council establishes high level strategic priorities. In early 2026, the Council created new goals for 2026-2028:

Strategic Priority 1: Complete Community

The Complete Community strategy is the primary framework to advance the Town’s goals and serves as a guide for thoughtful growth, intentional housing options, and creating well-connected neighborhoods.

• Clarify and align departmental resources and projects to Complete Community

• Adopt the Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO)

• Implement the Everywhere to Everywhere (E2E) Plan by addressing the development of funding, mapping, and a plan

Strategic Priority 2: Environmental Resiliency

The Environmental Resiliency strategy is the Town’s ability to protect and sustain its systems that protect the environment, ensuring long-term stability and preparedness in times of stress or disruption.

• Affirm the stormwater plan and educate the public on the purpose of this plan

• Continue education and implementation of early flood warning sensor networks

• Implement Town sustainable facilities strategy (e.g., solar, battery storage, electric vehicle (EV) charging expansion)

• Continue greening town facilities and fleet

Strategic Priority 3: Housing

The Housing strategy fosters a diverse, attainable, and sustainable housing supply that meets the evolving needs of current and future residents.

• Support, develop, and implement strategies to address homelessness, in partnership with the County

• Develop and implement the Public Housing Repositioning Plan

• Continue implementation of the Affordable Housing Strategy

• Adopt the Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO)

Strategic Priority 4: Organizational & Fiscal Sustainability

The Organizational and Fiscal Sustainability strategy aligns human resources and equipment needs with existing capacity, strengthening financial planning, and evaluating opportunities for revenue growth.

• Hire, train, retain, and support the best employees by investing in people and the equipment they need

• Use data across all departments to review services to align for and assess efficiency

• Use the 5-year budget outlook to target spending and strategically align revenues

• Focus on core municipal responsibilities and reevaluate whether new and existing programs and services are strategic, efficient, high performing, and needed