According to a presentation available prior to the meeting, the county plans to use a point system to score eligible projects. Points will be awarded for work that would protect a scenic viewshed, preserve water quality and conserve working forests, among other criteria.
The decision comes after an extended back-and-forth between Council and staffers on whether the city could freeze rates for residential customers while still generating the revenue needed for water infrastructure maintenance and other expenses.
Together the projects would bring 281 units of affordable housing online.
The latest Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests Land Management Plan was implemented last month and outlines land use for the next 20 years.
The Asheville City Board of Education approved budget recommendations that include a 7% increase to each pay level for certified staff, which include teachers, and starting pay for all hourly employees, including bus drivers and custodial workers, to $20 per hour.
The new coworking space at 45 S. French Broad Ave includes 18 offices, 12 phone booths, 50 flex desks, a communal kitchen area and conference rooms.
Hosted by Lenoir-Rhyne University April 12, the Sustainability Symposium featured six speakers from different areas of expertise in conservation, renewable energy, city planning and more.
During Council’s last scheduled work session for the fiscal year 2023-24 budget on April 11, some members appeared to reverse course on a previous push to freeze residential water fees.
The direct filtration systems used by both the North Fork and William DeBruhl treatment plants may not be sufficient given the likelihood of more severe weather in the future. DEQ has called for upgrades to the plants, including the addition of sedimentation basins to capture eroded or disturbed soil washed out during storms.
Residential customers pay higher rates for water than do commercial or industrial water consumers — $4.77 and $4.20 per cubic foot for single-family and multi-family housing, respectively, compared to as little as $2.29 per cubic foot for large manufacturers. Several members of Council said that the discrepancy was troubling.
Some projects outlined in the plan include a gateway to reconnect McCormick Field and Memorial Stadium with downtown, public art installations and commemoration of the neighborhood’s African American history. The plan does not include specific funding commitments for capital projects or investments.
Attendees at baseball games may pick up part of the tab for the McCormick Field improvements through a new 50-cent “facility fee” to be added to each ticket.
Area teens choose their mental health, jobs and hobbies over participating on social media.
McCormick Field has been home to a minor league baseball team for each of the past 64 years. The current Tourists franchise brings in roughly $9.8 million in local spending annually for Buncombe County.
Council rates itself on success regarding team-building agreements and discusses top priorities for next fiscal year at annual retreat.
The new technology will include GPS tracking of school buses, onboard cameras and an accompanying parent app.
Tom Tesser was one of several commenters from the Asheville Coalition for Public Safety, a recently formed advocacy group that looks to build support for the APD. Five of the nine speakers on budget matters sought larger salaries for police officers and shared their personal experiences of downtown crime and safety issues.
In addition to providing public comment during the meeting, members of the public can also participate through the city’s budget priorities survey which is available until Friday, March 3.
As many as 1-in-5 women experience mood changes or anxiety after experiencing trauma while giving birth, with roughly 9% being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, according to Postpartum Support International.
The “aesthetic treatments” approved as part of the package include improved lighting, safety railing, pedestrian and bike surfaces and monument pillars.
Summit Search Solutions described itself in its proposal as a “boutique” search firm that specializes in education.
