Former Town councilmember Bill Strom is back in the headlines, as The (Raleigh) News & Observer is reporting that Strom has bought an apartment in New York City.

Lauren Easthom, member of the Chapel Hill Town Council who is seeking re-election, says regardless of the purchase date of the property, the council’s focus now is to fill Strom’s seat.

The N&O says New York public records show Strom purchased a Manhattan apartment on August 5th for $625,000, and that Strom had listed his prior address as Todd, North Carolina, where he and his wife, former Managing Editor for The Independent Weekly Jennifer Strom, have a vacation home.

If Strom had resigned prior to or on July 14, three days before the end of the Orange County candidate filing period, the two years left on his council seat could have been up for this November’s election.

Town attorney Ralph Karpinos said while applications for the vacancy must be filed by October 12th, there is no deadline for the council to make the appointment. This means the council could wait until after the November election or until the newly elected members are seated in December.

Easthom says she would like to see the newly elected council appoint Strom’s replacement after the election.

The town’s lawyer added that a new council member can only be chosen from the pool of applicants, so in order for the council to use the option of appointing the fifth place finisher in this fall’s election, he or she must apply for the vacancy by the October 12th deadline.