Full name: Kathleen Ferguson
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: N/A
1) In 300 words or less, please give our readers your elevator pitch: Why are you running? Why should voters entrust you with this position? What prior experience will make you an effective member of the Hillsborough board of commissioners?
Having institutional knowledge and established relationships across the county, region, and state will become increasingly important as federal and state policies leave more people unable to meet basic needs. My 15+ years of community service experience across multiple service areas, whether as community or appointed volunteer, elected leader, or non-profit board service informs insights when making policy decisions, broadens town accessibility to broader knowledge and experience pool for ideation and potential resources, and facilitates cross-jurisdictional collaboration. I believe our town thrives when we balance change and growth with the values that make Hillsborough special—community, history, and natural beauty. I want to continue focusing on practical solutions to ensure Hillsborough is affordable, connected, and sustainable. Most of all, I want every voice in our community to feel heard, respected, and represented.
2) What would your priorities be as a member of the board of commissioners? Please identify three of the most pressing issues Hillsborough currently faces and how you believe the town should address them.
Affordable housing, regional collaboration, economic vitality, and resilience remain my top priorities. Our most pressing issues revolve around the looming infrastructure needs we have, in conjunction, with the impact of increasingly severe and frequent weather events. While we are fortunate to have a town manager with exceptional municipal financial acumen, we are nearing the point where the costs of infrastructure and services are so high that we will have to explore public-private partnerships and naming rights in order to provide the services and amenities that make our community attractive, livable, and desirable. Increased density, incentivizing duplex/triplex/quad homes, innovative design and construction, and alternative materials related to housing is one way to provide for additional units attainable for low to moderate incomes. I also believe we need to continue to advocate for and continue policy and services support for our most vulnerable. This includes continuation of our public safety policies, culture, and programs support for strong community policing and safety, de-escalation, utilization of social worker for non-violent non-criminal calls, transparency, and active pursuit of meeting equity goals.
3) What’s the best or most important thing the board of commissioners has done in the past year? Additionally, name a decision you believe the town should have handled differently. Please explain your answers.
Adhering to our Comprehensive Sustainability Plan, Strategic Plan, and habitually following multi-year budgeting and fiscal insight has been fundamental to good governance and to maintaining both near- and long-term resilience. Overall, I am pleased with the board’s decisions over the past year.
One of the most consequential decisions was approving the Capkov development adjacent to Waterstone. This project is expected to deliver commercial opportunities, inclusionary affordable housing, a range of housing options, and stronger connectivity between southern neighborhoods and A. L. Stanback Middle School. Although I initially opposed the idea when it first was presented in concept form, I ultimately voted in favor for three reasons:
1. Given the influx of people moving into our area, the question of development across from Stanback was never “if,” but “when and how.” On that basis, I wanted the project to reflect Hillsborough’s priorities.
2. The final plan incorporated nearly all of our community’s “wish list”—from infrastructure and connectivity investments to greenspace preservation and inclusionary affordable housing.
3. Hillsborough needs additional rooftops to accommodate regional growth and to attract the commercial development essential for long-term resilience, sustainability, and vitality.
As for decisions I wish we could have handled differently, my greatest regret is the limited discretionary funding available to support Hillsborough’s nonprofits beyond the small community reinvestment fund. I also wish we had the staff capacity to pursue innovative revenue options—such as naming rights for public spaces—that could support community amenities and infrastructure projects.
4) President Trump is working to ramp up deportations and curtail visas. At the same time, the state legislature has passed laws requiring agencies to cooperate with ICE. What do you think Hillsborough can or should do to ensure safe, welcoming communities for immigrants in light of these policies?
I and the board strive to consider how policies and practices affect vulnerable residents, including immigrants, but we have room to improve. We must continue to use both our collective and individual voices to reaffirm Hillsborough’s values as a welcoming community for all. That includes sustained financial and service support for the Dorothy N. Johnson Community Center and the Fairview community, and ensuring every policy decision is viewed through the lens of its impact on immigrant and vulnerable residents.
Current federal actions risk destabilizing both community cohesion and economic resilience. Immigrants represent one of the most prolific sources of innovation, creativity, and prosperity. Their diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas enrich our cultural fabric, fuel economic vitality, and make our communities more vibrant and resilient. Hillsborough would not be the vibrant destination for residents and visitors, alike, without our immigrants. We strive to include and embrace residents from all countries and walks of life in community events, the arts, and community culture. This value is reflected in policy as well as community culture, non—profit efforts, and cultural programming receiving town dollars.
Community-oriented policing remains critical. It has been too long since our last community summit designed to help immigrant residents understand law enforcement roles, know their rights—such as not having to open the door to ICE without a warrant—and connect with trusted services and legal resources. Reviving those efforts would strengthen safety and trust while helping residents get the support they need. At the same time, immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and should remain so. Hillsborough should continue to stand firm in valuing and protecting that diversity.
5) As climate change leads to more intense rainfall, communities are at greater risk of inland flooding, such as the historic floods in parts of the Triangle caused by Tropical Storm Chantal in July. How would you like the board of commissioners to address climate resilience, particularly in light of changes to the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program that would have made needed improvements to Hillsborough’s water and sewer infrastructure?
I believe the Town Board has been doing everything within our capacity—given staff, funding, and resource constraints—to plan for, mitigate, and prevent infrastructure damage, while actively pursuing additional funding opportunities. Hillsborough already has strong Comprehensive Sustainability and Strategic Plans that guide our policy, strategy, and legislative priorities. However, implementing those plans requires resources and authority beyond what the town alone can provide.
Tropical Storm Chantal underscored several vulnerabilities: outdated and inaccurate floodplain mapping, underfunded infrastructure repair and maintenance across all levels of government, and weaknesses in NCRR and DOT systems. For years, the town has sought to relocate Public Works, upgrade pump stations, install gravity lines where possible, and upgrade water and sewer facilities—yet progress has been limited by lack of funding.
Ultimately, the scope of climate resilience requires partnership. Federal and state governments must not only recognize the impacts of climate change but also enact and enforce legislation to mitigate and prevent them. The Constitution assigns “general welfare” as a federal responsibility, and that includes ensuring communities like Hillsborough have the financial assistance and enabling legislation needed to strengthen infrastructure, safeguard public health, and build long-term resilience.
6) Federal funding cuts this year have hit the Triangle particularly hard, from cancelled grants to layoffs, and local government officials are having to make difficult decisions about what to fund and how. What are your ideas for how the board can prioritize competing funding needs, close funding gaps, and balance the financial burden on residents?
Local government is often the last line of support for our most vulnerable residents and for the core services that sustain community life. From a policy perspective, we must prioritize meeting the needs of those least resourced before addressing the wants of those with greater means. From a financial management perspective, I believe dipping into fund balance currently is necessary to maintain service levels and provide for future resilience, but it is not sustainable and cannot become standard practice. I also anticipate having to narrow our focus on prioritizing maintaining what we have, as well as projects that prevent and mitigate future risk.
At the same time, we must continue to prioritize commercial development to build a stronger tax base. Residential growth alone does not cover the cost of services—every dollar of residential revenue costs more than a dollar to deliver. A healthy commercial base, paired with public-private partnerships, is essential for long-term financial stability.
We should also better leverage philanthropy. Across North Carolina and the country, thriving communities with strong greenways, cultural amenities, and public infrastructure nearly always benefit from significant corporate, foundation, and individual philanthropic investments. Hillsborough can pursue more collaboration of this kind to advance projects such as Ridgewalk and the train station, ensuring progress isn’t solely dependent on federal or state coffers. Finally, we should be more proactive in pursuing local bills and federal appropriations to supplement our resources and close funding gaps.
7) Hillsborough is in the process of rewriting its Unified Development Ordinance, which will guide future development and land use. Describe what sustainable growth and development mean to you. Additionally, what is another municipality you believe has made smart decisions related to growth and development that could be similarly implemented in Hillsborough?
To me, sustainable growth means ensuring Hillsborough remains fiscally sound, resilient to the impacts of climate change, and a responsible steward of our natural resources. It means aligning development with local water and wastewater capacity, shaping land use and policies that promote public health, and supporting live-work-play opportunities for all residents. Sustainable growth should also foster vibrancy in the arts, economy, tourism, and outdoor recreation—anchored by reliable infrastructure for air, water, utilities, broadband, mobility, and transportation. To be successful, we will need less pre-emption and a more robust set of funding and implementation tools to draw from.
I am proud of our Comprehensive Sustainability Plan and Strategic Plan, as well as our commitment to maintaining a healthy commercial-to-residential tax ratio. We continue to invest in affordable housing, and this year we approved additional income-restricted housing and a new naturally occurring affordable rental community to expand options for low- and moderate-income residents. Equally important are our investments in greenspace, greenways, and sidewalk connectivity, which strengthen bike/ped mobility, improve public health, attract tourism, and reinforce Hillsborough’s sense of place.
Looking ahead, I believe the most pragmatic path for growth is increased density where topography and water/sewer capacity allow. This requires community acceptance of taller buildings and denser multifamily development. I would like to see vertical mixed-use projects in the commercial section of Collins Ridge and on Town-owned property near the train station—developments that can enhance walkability, foster community connection, and expand workforce and income-restricted housing. I also encourage developers to bring forward innovative approaches, from sustainable building materials (like adobe) to emerging technologies (such as 3D printing), that can help control costs for residents and businesses.
Finally, Hillsborough would benefit from stronger philanthropic investment and public-private partnerships to help fund community amenities and infrastructure. Across the state and country, municipalities that thrive do so by pairing public vision with private and philanthropic commitment. Greenville, NC, for example, has successfully combined strategic planning with public-private partnerships to expand its parks, greenways, invest in cultural amenities, and build resilient infrastructure. I would like to see similar opportunities as we chart our own course with sustainable growth.
8) If there are other issues you want to discuss, please do so here.
I have been honored to serve Hillsborough for 12 years and am deeply, deeply grateful to have been trusted by our residents to run unopposed. This trust is humbling and carries steep responsibility to serve with empathy, integrity, transparency, and authenticity. I will continue to do so to the best of my ability. I still wake up every day proud to serve and represent our amazing community. Thank You, Hillsborough. Hillsborough Rocks!
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