When Bill Bell stepped into the mayor's office just over a year ago, he brought with him years of experience working with Durham's public and private sectors, but relatively little with the city itself.
He had worked with or chaired the Durham County Board of Commissioners, the Triangle Transit Authority and the North Carolina Central University Board of Trustees, but to be an effective city government executive he needed to demonstrate leadership on issues and the ability to work with colleagues.
Now, as Bell looks at a possible reelection campaign, city leaders are giving him high marks.
Bell said he has not yet made a final decision on running for reelection, although he said he plans to retire from politics whenever his mayoral tenure ends. Bell's colleague, Mayor Pro Tempore Lewis Cheek, said he expects Bell to run because "he will want to see [some issues important to him] through to their completion."
Other local officials reinforced Cheek's impression of Bell as an "involved" and "very active" mayor, who participated in every aspect of Durham's government from the board of directors for the Chamber of Commerce to ceremonial events across the city. Bell said his key issues as the city's leader have been and continue to be working to reduce crime, revitalization of downtown Durham, and revitalization of inner city neighborhoods.
Reflecting on the first half of his two-year term, Bell said the amount of time demanded by the position surprised him more than anything else.
"I've enjoyed the position [and] the job," Bell said. "I like challenges.... It has certainly been a challenge."
Bell added that although the mayor is the leader of the city council, he still has only one vote, something he has emphasized while chairing past meetings.
Cheek, who served on the council for two years under Nick Tennyson, described the former mayor's style as very different from Bell's. "Bill has jumped into the middle and... tried to be very vigorous in directing," Cheek said. "[Tennyson led] by example but not necessarily as forcefully to take people along with him."
Council member John Best said he admires Bell's willingness to listen to his colleagues' views but not hesitate to cut off debate and move things along. "I like his style even though we vote differently," Best said.
One issue Best said the two significantly differ on is development-Best said Bell is more reserved than him. Although strict requirements exist pertaining to zoning plans and site plans, Bell emphasized the need to examine each development plan individually.
"We have to do it on a case-by-case basis in all instances," Bell said.
Cheek credited Bell with getting the re-development of South Square Mall moving after the opening of Durham's newest mall, the Streets at Southpoint, forced South Square to close. Bell has also been active in bringing the American Tobacco renovation plans to a conclusion after a decade of planning, Cheek said.
Cheek added that Bell has been most influential with the Barnes Avenue Project. The plan involves tearing down houses at a location in northeast central Durham and replacing them with 41 units for affordable housing.
Best voiced opposition to the project, citing the cost as between $8 million and $12 million. "I would lean more towards the private sector doing that," he said.
David Mills, research director of the Common Sense Foundation, a non-partisan organization in Raleigh, said not having direct connections with builders has probably made it easier for Bell to deal with development issues. Tennyson is vice president of the Homebuilders' Association of Durham and Orange Counties.
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