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Stef Mendell
Stef Mendell was a member of the Raleigh City Council in North Carolina, representing District E. Mendell assumed office in 2017. Mendell left office on December 2, 2019.
Mendell ran for re-election to the Raleigh City Council to represent District E in North Carolina. Mendell lost in the general election on October 8, 2019.
Biography
Stef Mendell earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and a masters degree in information and library science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her career experience includes working as an international communications executive with GlaxoSmithKline and as the executive director of HopeLine. Mendell was elected to the Raleigh City Council representing District E in 2017.[1]
Elections
2019
See also: City elections in Raleigh, North Carolina (2019)
General election
General election for Raleigh City Council District E
David Knight defeated incumbent Stef Mendell in the general election for Raleigh City Council District E on October 8, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | David Knight (Nonpartisan) | 69.4 | 8,990 |
 | Stef Mendell (Nonpartisan) | 30.3 | 3,923 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.4 | 50 | ||
| Total votes: 12,963 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Mendell was endorsed by Equality NC.[2]
2017
The city of Raleigh, North Carolina, held municipal elections for mayor and city council on October 10, 2017. A runoff took place on November 7, 2017, in those races where no candidate received a majority of the vote. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was July 21, 2017. All seven council seats were up for election.
Stef Mendell defeated incumbent Bonner Gaylord and [[Derek Walker]] in the Raleigh City Council District E municipal election. While Mendell did not receive a majority of the vote, Gaylord declined to ask for a runoff.[3][4]
| Raleigh City Council, District E Municipal Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Stef Mendell |
49.67% | 5,492 |
| Bonner Gaylord Incumbent | 45.00% | 4,976 |
| [[Derek Walker]] | 4.74% | 524 |
| Write-in votes | 0.59% | 65 |
| Total Votes | 11,057 | |
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, "10/10/2017 Unofficial Municipal Election Results - Wake," accessed October 10, 2017 | ||
Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Stef Mendell did not complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Mendell's campaign website stated the following:
| “ | My Priorities
I support responsible, managed growth that is compatible with surroundings, respectful of the environment, and supported by adequate infrastructure. I am not “anti-growth” and I am not a “NIMBY.” I welcome much of the growth I have seen in Raleigh since moving here in 1964. The increased availability of cultural attractions, award-winning restaurants, and other amenities has brought positive growth to Raleigh. According to Forbes (America’s Fastest-Growing Cities 2018 by Samantha Sharf, Forbes.com, February 28, 2018.) the Raleigh, NC Metro Area is the 15th fastest growing city in the US. As an elected official, it is my responsibility to help manage this growth in a way that benefits all of our residents. We must all share in the benefits of a vibrant city. And, we must take care to preserve important historical areas as well as our City’s charming older neighborhoods. Raleigh’s Unified Development Ordinance states: “The intent of the residential infill compatibility standards is to accommodate and encourage compatible development in existing residential neighborhoods while reinforcing the established character of the neighborhood and mitigating adverse impacts on adjacent homes.” In many instances, whether because the regulations aren’t strong enough, because there are loopholes, because the Board of Adjustment has a great deal of leeway to grant variances, and/or because violators aren’t caught (due to lack of resources, reluctance of neighbors to complain, intimidation, mistakes by City staff), many homes have been built that are not compatible with existing residential neighborhoods. That often means a much larger home causes stormwater runoff issues and/or blocks access to light for neighbors. When lots are clear-cut to build large homes, the resulting loss of tree canopy is not only an aesthetic concern but also an environmental one. Trees help cleanse the air, cool air temperatures and absorb stormwater. Not to mention additional environmental issues that result when perfectly good homes are thrown into landfills. And the resulting increase in property values increases property taxes, which often makes it difficult for older residents to stay in their homes. While land “inside the beltline” is finite and consequently that drives up the price, I am concerned that if we do nothing to address that issue, pretty soon only the very wealthy will be able to live inside the beltline. Tearing down relatively affordable homes and replacing them with million-dollar-plus homes curtails the availability of workforce housing. Teachers, first responders, service workers, etc., will have to live further out and commute into the city. The resulting sprawl is frustrating to people and is also harmful to the environment when people commute longer distances and sit in traffic. I agree that density can help address our growth, but there are some problems with how density currently occurs. Specifically, most of the density seems to be luxury high-rises, which are not addressing the workforce and affordable housing/sprawl issue. We need to work to make sure density occurs in city-defined growth centers that have the infrastructure and services, such as transit, to handle the density. The current Council is committed to working harder to make a range of housing options more available across Raleigh. We need to make sure there is appropriate infrastructure to support new development – and that those who are profiting from the development are paying their fair share of the infrastructure costs. Again, neighborhood character – and public safety - is threatened when drivers start cutting through neighborhood streets because the main roads cannot handle the increased traffic volume brought about by density. We need to make sure that citizens understand how they can participate in rezoning decisions and we need to make it easier for them to engage with the City. Builders and developers know intimately how the system works. They have the time and the resources to meet with City staff, attend hearings and lawyer up as needed. I’d like to see us level the playing field for residents.[5] |
” |
| —Stef Mendell’s campaign website (2019)[6] | ||
See also
2019 Elections
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- City of Raleigh
- City of Raleigh City Council
- Campaign website
- Campaign Facebook page
- Campaign Twitter page
Footnotes
- ↑ Stef Mendell for Council, "About Stef," accessed August 25, 2019
- ↑ Ballotpedia's Elections Team, “Email communication with Stef Mendell," August 12, 2019
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "10/10/2017 Unofficial Municipal Election Results - Wake," accessed October 10, 2017
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namednorunoff - ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Stef Mendell’s campaign website, “My Priorities,” accessed August 25, 2019
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bonner Gaylord |
Raleigh City Council, District E 2017 - 2019 |
Succeeded by David Knight |
| |||||||||
