The $423.6 million general fund budget for fiscal year 2023-24, as presented by County Manager Avril Pinder during the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting May 16, represents a roughly 6.4% increase over the budget adopted last year.
Author: Greg Parlier
Showing 190-208 of 208 results
Asheville Schools board chooses new superintendent
Rick Cruz will start as the ACS chief July 1 after leaving his role as deputy superintendent for Houston Independent School District in Texas, where he worked in numerous roles for 15 years, according to a press release from ACS spokesperson Dillon Huffman.
Buncombe Schools’ board recommends pay raises for school employees
More than 20 teachers, staff members and parents spoke during the three-plus hour meeting in the Minitorium at 175 Bingham Rd., advocating for higher pay for all school employees in front of a crowd that at one point overflowed into an adjacent room with a live stream of the meeting.
Asheville considers ban on single-use plastic bags
“A third of microplastics we’re seeing in the French Broad watershed is coming from these plastics that we might use for 12 minutes and end up throwing away. So anything we can do to curb the input of that into our daily lives the better,” said Anna Alsobrook, watershed science and policy manager for MountainTrue.
BCTDA seeks to waive part of penalty for bed-and-breakfast’s missing taxes
If the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners take the BCTDA’s recommendation, owner Dean Whiteford still will owe almost $6,000 in late fees in what was the largest waiver request several board members could remember seeing during their board tenure.
Buncombe seeks new county park via partnership
Within the next few years, Buncombe County residents may have new public trails to roam close to downtown Asheville. The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously April 18 to partner with the Asheville-based conservation nonprofit Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy to explore acquiring 343 acres on Deaverview Mountain for what could become the county’s largest […]
Buncombe Schools seeks raises for some staff
Classified staff — school employees without teaching certifications — would get an average increase of 17.4% over 2019 pay, starting July 1, if the plan is fully implemented, said Tina Thorpe, chief financial officer for Buncombe County Schools.
Buncombe considers partnership for new county park
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners may partner with a conservation nonprofit to acquire 342 acres on Deaverview Mountain for a county park at its regular meeting Tuesday, April 18.
Buncombe sets hearing to block crypto mines
At its regular meeting April 4, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to set a public hearing on the moratorium for Tuesday, May 2.
Buncombe may put temporary block on crypto mines
The board will consider authorizing a public hearing for Tuesday, May 2, on a one-year moratorium on cryptocurrency mines.
BCTDA forecasts higher net income stream in 2024, to the benefit of county coffers
The TDA is on track to pull in $37.6 million next fiscal year, slightly more than this year’s projected $37 million.
Buncombe board backs up to $5M for McCormick Field upgrades
The Asheville Tourists are rounding third on a funding deal to stay in town after the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners agreed March 21 to pitch in up to $5 million over 20 years for upgrades to city-owned McCormick Field.
In Photos: ‘Our kids can’t wait’
Dozens of teachers, parents, school staff and supporters gathered in Pack Square Park on Monday, March 20, to demand higher pay for Asheville City and Buncombe County schools employees and deliver a petition to elected officials.
McCormick Field funding approaches Buncombe vote
Now that the city of Asheville has agreed to play ball, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will consider joining the financial team for improvements to the home of the Asheville Tourists. The board meets Tuesday, March 21, to consider pitching in $250,000 annually over a 20-year period — a total commitment of $5 million […]
Compared to 8 other districts, pay-to-cost-of-living gap highest in Asheville
A local teachers group presented a grim picture to the Asheville City Board of Education on March 14 illustrating that Asheville teachers are paid less but face a higher cost of living compared with eight similar North Carolina districts. While the state sets a base salary for various levels of teacher experience and education, local […]
Energy Innovation Task Force leaders cite new marketing campaign, dedication from Duke as positive action
The Energy Innovation Task Force, a joint effort of the city of Asheville, Buncombe County and Duke Energy Progress, along with community stakeholders, was created to find ways to slow the growth of energy demand in Western North Carolina. Two years in, how is that going?
How does Asheville’s single-stream recycling facility work?
Asheville recycled 590 pounds of trash per household per year in fiscal year 2016-17, the highest rate among North Carolina cities. But when you throw your commingled recyclables in the blue bins, where do they go? How does single-stream recycling work? Does it work? Xpress takes an inside look.
Local companies lead the way as Asheville considers composting service
Asheville and Buncombe County have worked for several years on plans to reduce the area’s solid waste stream, but implementing “pay as you throw” and municipal composting programs remain in the realm of good ideas rather than reality or even future plans. But the city says it hasn’t given up on initiatives to divert more waste away from the landfill.
Cost-share program helps farmers go organic
A program of the USDA shares the cost of organic certification with farmers, reducing the burden of obtaining organic certification and accessing a broader market for their produce. A recent change places the administration of the program with the Farm Service Agency, which operates out of 72 local offices across North Carolina.