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Accomplishments & Priorities

A photo of Matt talking to a small crowd of voters on the sidewalk in Hillsborough.

Matt's work so far

Since being appointed to the Board of Commissioners, Matt has been a vocal proponent of many policies and changes for the Town of Hillsborough. Matt has been a strong voice for our community, from championing affordable housing to environmental sustainability. Everyone in Hillsborough deserves a safe and affordable town, and Matt's been a leader in that work on the Commission.

MORE ABOUT MATT'S ACHIEVEMENTS ON THE TOWN BOARD
  • Passing regulations to allow sidewalk dining and foster a more vibrant community
  • Reducing the property tax rate to make the Town more affordable, while still growing the budget and making strategic investments
  • Investing in our infrastructure, especially dedicating significant amounts of funds from ARPA to improve much delayed maintenance to the Town's water and sewer infrastructure network
  • Partnering with local organizations to increase the amount of affordable housing units in the community
  • Allocating hundreds of thousands of dollars to nonprofit organizations to promote tourism, culture, and the arts
  • Passing a robust nondiscrimination ordinance after the expiration of HB2 (North Carolina's so-called "bathroom bill")
  • Creating the Mayor's Task Force on Reimagining Public Safety after the murder of George Floyd
  • Protecting the community during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and providing direct assistance to those at risk of losing their homes
  • Committing to a design firm for Hillsborough's first train station since the 1960s and moving forward with regional train service in this decade
  • Seizing on long-term opportunities for greenspace, including a north/south greenway and expanded recreational facilities
  • Drafting and soon adopting the Town's first Comprehensive Sustainability Plan, which will guide the Town's future growth while protecting the environment and implementing resiliency into official Town policy
  • Raising Town staff salaries to a living wage and providing much needed market rate adjustments to retain highly talented and meritorious staffers

What's next

The work isn't over and there's so much left to accomplish. With another term on the Hillsborough Town Board, Matt wants to continue his work expanding access to transit and city services, improving our town's infrastructure, and fostering Hillsborough's arts and culture.

MORE ABOUT MATT'S PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT TERM
  • Increasing the diversity of advisory boards and committees
  • Implementing the Town's Comprehensive Sustainability Plan
  • Establishing a community arts center as a hub for arts and culture
  • Ramping up the equivalent of 2 cents on the property tax rate to dedicate to affordable housing unit creation
  • Making improvements to the Town's water and sewer infrastructure to enhance capacity in the system
  • Updating the Town's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to be more inclusive of affordable housing and environmental sustainability
  • Constructing Hillsborough's train station and contributing to regionalization of transportation services
  • Constructing a new fire station on the north side of the community
  • Improving Hillsborough's road infrastructure by partnering with NCDOT to relieve congestion, including major thoroughfares in the state road network
  • Working with Orange County for massive redevelopment of former County offices in downtown
  • Building upon the Town's commitment to be 80% dependent on clean energy in Town operations by 2030 and 100% by 2050
  • Prioritizing connectivity within Town and availability of multi-modal transit options, especially in historically minority, low-income, and working class areas of Town
  • Passing a bond by referendum for Town capital needs
  • Improving our stormwater program to reduce pollutants and discharge into the Eno River (which also supplies our drinking water)
  • Collaborating with schools on growth and the need for new facilities
  • Continuing to work with Orange County regarding development into the County's Economic Development District (EDD) adjacent to Town
  • Coordinating a comprehensive mental health response with neighboring jurisdictions, including deploying social workers and construction of a crisis diversion center
A picture of Matt engaging in an active conversation with a Hillsborough small business owner.
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