chris blue
Chris Blue is a 1990 graduate of UNC.

Last night, in a closed session, Chapel Hill’s Town Manager Chris Blue announced that he would be retiring next year. The news was reported by Chapelboro shortly after a press release was posted on the town website. Blue has been in the position since January 1, 2023. 

A few thoughts:

This is a real bummer for the town

Blue is well respected by staff – we’ve heard great things from staffers across the Town of Chapel Hill, who have pointed to his fierce advocacy for his staff members. That advocacy has included protecting staff from overbearing council members, who sometimes try to go around the town manager when they don’t get what they want, and community members who think paying taxes means town staff are their personal assistants.

One thing we’ve learned over the last 18 months from filing many public records requests is that there are a lot of political bullies in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. They go well beyond writing letters to council members and speaking for (more than) their allotted three minutes at town meetings. They harass town staff, barraging them with emails and phone calls day after day, month after month, year after year. They make thinly veiled threats to the spouses of public servants. They’ve tried (and sometimes succeeded!) to get town staff members to leave or step down.

From everything we’ve heard – and we hear a lot! – Blue has done a masterful job of navigating these relationships.

We’d love to learn more about Blue leaving

This is pretty abrupt news – Blue was championing the town bond referendum, which passed with great margins earlier this month, and staff only learned of his departure shortly before the public announcement. It raises our spidey senses! If you have something to share, we are on Signal (triangleblogblog.87) and we will keep you and your information secure.

Who has served as town manager in Chapel Hill?

After the announcement, a reader asked us if we could look into who has served as town manager in Chapel Hill. So we did, using town records and newspaper archives. Chapel Hill has had 16 town managers since 1922, all men. All but one have been white.

NameYear StartYear EndGenderRace
Eddie Knox19221928MaleWhite
J.M. Foushee19281932MaleWhite
John Caldwell19321944MaleWhite
T.E. Hinson19441947MaleWhite
Gilbert Ray19471949MaleWhite
Thomas D Rose19491961MaleWhite
Robert Peck19621973MaleWhite
Chester Kendzior19731975MaleWhite
Kurt Jenne19751978MaleWhite
Raymond “Gene” Shipman19781981MaleWhite
Ron Secrist19811981MaleWhite
David Taylor19811989MaleWhite
Cal Horton19902006MaleWhite
Roger Stancil20062018MaleWhite
Maurice Jones20182023MaleBlack
Chris Blue20232025MaleWhite

Mel is a journalist and librarian. Outside of work, she volunteers as a reading tutor at Carrboro Elementary School, writes about journalism for a variety of publications, and serves as chair of the OWASA...