The main narrative from Tuesday’s midterm election results was voters’ desire for change, whether at the federal or state levels of government. For the Orange County government, change was in the cards no matter the outcome thanks to turnover at three different seats on the Board of County Commissioners — as Karen Stegman and Beth Bronson will join Rani Dasi as newcomers, bringing a new dynamic and different perspectives to the board.
Each of the District 1, 2 and at-large seats on the Orange County Board of Commissioners opened in different ways. For District 1, Jamezetta Bedford’s sudden death this summer led to the need for an appointment – with Rani Dasi giving up her seat on the CHCCS Board of Education to transition to the county government role. The at-large seat became up for grabs after Commissioner Sally Greene said she wouldn’t seek another term, and the District 2 seat turned over in March thanks to Bronson upsetting long-time incumbent Earl McKee by just 25 votes.
Speaking with 97.9 The Hill on Tuesday, Bronson said the feeling on Election Night was very different than the nail-biting events of her first race – with the Cheeks resident earning 81% of the vote.
“I am just elated that the Democratic turnout in Orange County has held true, that the midterms mattered to people and they showed out,” Bronson said. “It’s been a glass case of emotions, as some might say, but I’m kind of just reeling in all of it.
“I’m so excited to start the real work,” she added.
Unlike the other two newcomers to the board, Bronson does not have experience being an elected official. But she said she believes the cohort of new commissioners will complement each other well and have a strong foundation to tackle some of the pressing challenges Orange County faces – like managing growth, bolstering government-run services, and better connecting residents to resources.
“We have a really good chance to take what the current board is doing and emphasize the needs for continued improvement, to re-examine certain areas,” said Bronson. “Obviously, there are a lot of issues that are coming up at once – these are things that have no easy answer. But I trust very much in my incoming colleagues, as well as the sitting commissioners, that we’re going to work really hard to help everybody understand why we’re making the decisions we’re going to make.”
Stegman – the former Chapel Hill Town Council member, who won election to the at-large seat on Tuesday – shared a similar sentiment of how the trio of women will bring value to the board.
“On the one hand, we’re really going to miss the wisdom and the experience of the outgoing commissioners,” she said. “But I’m excited to have Beth and Rani’s new voices along with mine – I think we’re going to have a great combination of experience, and background, and perspectives. And I think it’s going to be a great board and we’re going to do really good things.”
Results in the state legislature point to a potential shift in governance there, which could include more funding going to local governments to address social services, public education and other costs that Orange County has shouldered in recent years. But one complication from Tuesday’s results is the approval of a pair of constitutional amendments to limit increases on personal income tax and property tax rates – both of which are often used as funding sources for local governments.
Stegman said the amendments and future change in funding could be challenging, especially with the current financial landscape the county faces.
“There’s no way around it: it’s going to impact our ability to meet the needs of our community,” she said. “So, it’s going to be a very important focus immediately for the commission.”
Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton agrees – especially since she took time this fall to educate voters on the potential impacts of the amendments on the local government.
“Overall,” Hamilton added, “I am pleased with the election results – both locally and nationally.”
The chair said she’s worked to meet with Stegman and Bronson this year in anticipation of their elections. Between those efforts and having a three-month head start of working with Dasi, Hamilton said she’s confident the newer trio will help address those tough issues and more.
“All three of these [winners] are smart, hard-working people who care about our community,” she said, “and I think we’ll see that reflected on the board.”
The organizational meeting where Bronson, Dasi and Stegman will take their respective oaths of office for a four-year term on the Orange County Board of Commissioners is set for Monday, December 7.
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