Press release from City of Asheville
At the November 15, 2022, City Council meeting, Council adopted a new Council Committee structure, effective January 2023. Committees were first introduced in 2006 and have remained largely unchanged, thus, the need for an updated structure. In December, Mayor Manheimer will assign new Council Committee members. Additionally, it is anticipated City Council will review the Council Committee’s scope, composition and policy area on an annual basis.
Each City Council Committee consists of three Council members and the Committees review policy matters to inform and educate Council on City programs prior to adoption.
Based upon an assessment of the City Council’s vision and strategic priorities the revised Council Committees structure is to include the following Committees:
Equity and Engagement
NEW Committee
Committee scope and policy areasEnvironment and Safety
Expanded scope of Public Safety Committee to include Environment
Committee scope and policy areasPolicy, Finance and Human Resources
Combines previous Governance and Finance and Human Resources Committees
Committee scope and policy areasBoards and Commissions
Remains mostly the same
Committee scope and policy areasPlanning and Economic Development
Remains mostly the same
Committee scope and policy areasHousing and Community Development
Remains mostly the same
Committee scope and policy areasYou can review each of the Committees’ proposed scopes and identified policy matters in this presentation or the adopted Resolution 22-250. If you have any questions regarding the Council Committee restructure please contact the City Clerk’s office at boards@ashevillenc.gov.
We need a better forum to work through our major challenges.
The NEW Environment and Safety council committee completely transforms the ability of APD, AFD, and Buncombe Emergency Services to coordinate with COA Leadership. It’s a city manager choice as well as the Mayor and council to get into the fifteen strategic layers involved in the Environment and Safety council committee as of January 2023.
This is something that gets coverage and a public forum BEFORE the vote… as in a year in advance. And maybe there’s alternatives. I will cover what’s in this Google Drive folder more in the future but I was observing all this unfold this year and asked about alternative pathways:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12KL-8LnidqV_tlU7I-oRRymIgMdlj8Xs?usp=share_link
Finally, “expanded scope” is the wrong strategic scope in this case. The public should be way more involved in COA Strategic Management options.
Environment and Safety
Expanded scope of Public Safety Committee to include Environment