A healthy cross-section of Asheville citizens turned out for a July 23 reception introducing the city’s new planning and development director, Judy Daniel. Formerly the planning director in Bethesda, Md., Daneil said she has been studying the city’s Unified Development Ordinance in preparation for taking on a job that gets a great deal of public scrutiny. “Everywhere in America, there is the conflict between those who say ‘It’s my land, and I’ll do what I want with it,’ and what the community would like to see,” she told Xpress. “[City] staff stands in that middle ground.”
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With all respect to Ms. Daniel (and I keep asking this question) why do we need someone from Bethesda, Maryland? Lots of mountains in Bethesda? Nah, been there.
Perhaps she is, to use a phrase I read from our Alli Marshall this morning, a ‘local outsider?’
Let’s start using local people for local jobs and stop going outside!
Ralph,
Still with the nativism?
If the best candidate for the job lives here in the area, then they certainly ought to be hired. But if the best candidate is from elsewhere, then bring ’em on!
Certainly I am, Gordon and I notice only non-natives oppose it.;-)
Otherwise, I agree … but let’s have a more transparent process… just which locals were considered before going outside? If it was ‘none’ … then I have a darn good point. What I protest here is the mindset that ONLY outsiders can do complicated jobs, sometimes we locals can do them quicker, cheaper, and fast.
Hahhahahah…… no one up here does anything fast.
I think there is an unspoken agreement between locals that goes like this….
“I’m going to move at my own pace and do things when I feel like it… you do the same and then we will have no problems with each other.”
now you’re beginning to get it, Trey … we do things OUR way. ;-)
and, Gordon, the following is from the online edition of the Merriam-Webster dictionary:
na·tiv·ism
Function:
noun
Date:
1844
1 : a policy of favoring native inhabitants as opposed to immigrants
2 : the revival or perpetuation of an indigenous culture especially in opposition to acculturation
I see nothing wrong with either of those definitions as long as it’s not carried to an extreme.
Yes, and that attitude is precisely why more and more local jobs will continue to be outsourced.
That is, if the job is expected to be done correctly, quickly, and for a reasonable price.
Trey, I take it you are from some far clime?
Yeah, all the way from Winston-Salem.
Maybe I’m just bitter because I had to have my house re-built due to a fire.
We tried to contract the work here….. it ended up being easier, cheaper, and faster to have crews come in from Raleigh, Winston-Salem, and Charlotte.
Don’t get me wrong Ralph, I love it here…. I just think the work ethics up here suck.