Hemminger already leading Chapel Hill

Just days after new Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger was sworn into office, she was already thinking about the future.

“I’m hoping they’ll see me as the bridge builder,” Hemminger said about her future legacy.

She stressed the importance of having collaborative discussions and decision-making within the town council.

“I want to keep us diverse,” Hemminger added. “That’s what makes Chapel Hill strong.”

Hemminger defeated incumbent mayor Mark Kleinschmidt in the November 3 local elections and was sworn in at the first Chapel Hill Town Council meeting on December 2.

Since the meeting, Hemminger has quickly gotten to work, establishing relationships within the community and beginning the learning process of assuming her new leadership role.

“I’ve been working more than 70 hours a week already, almost since Election Day. It’s been intensely amazing,” Hemminger said. “We’ve been reaching out to a lot of people. There are a lot of stakeholders involved in Chapel Hill, so it takes a while.”

Hemminger has drawn upon her experience in municipal government while taking on the new responsibilities of mayor, but admits that some aspects of the new role have been surprising.

“I’m still getting used to being called ‘the mayor.’ When someone says, ‘Look, there’s the mayor,’ I turn around,” she said.

Another change that Hemminger noted is the decision making power that comes as mayor. She stressed that, despite her authority, she enjoys collaborating with her fellow council members.

“I’m working on something right now, and I had one more councilperson to approach. I could have just done this thing myself, but I’d rather be inclusive,” Hemminger said. “That’s how I work.”

Hemminger emphasized inclusiveness as a focal point of her term as mayor when discussing the legacy she hopes to leave on the town of Chapel Hill.

“I want to be the one who brought the voices back to the table and worked on collaborative decision making,” Hemminger said. “I see an opportunity here to really bring diverse discussions back to the table.”

Once the political issues were tackled, Hemminger allowed a lighter side of her character to show, alluding to a part of her personal life that she longs to reestablish.

“I’ve got to get back into some exercise routines,” Hemminger said.

#hemminger