City Council offers nothing new after closed session meeting

More later: Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy addresses members of the media after City Council went into closed session for nearly two hours to discuss a personnel matter. Bellamy says that nothing further can be discussed at this time. (Photo by Brandy Carl)

City Council had nothing new to say after a two-hour closed session. The July 5 meeting was called to discuss updates on an investigation of complaints against a “public officer or employee.” City officials would give no specific information about the “public officer or employee” discussed, citing the case was a personnel matter and cannot be discussed. However, WLOS confirmed Wednesday that the public official is Asheville City Police Chief William Anderson.

Anderson was accused of coercing Police Lt. William Wilke to give “false and misleading” information about the car accident Anderson’s son had been involved in.  Wilke issued formal complaints on June 17. On June 24, he called a press conference and read aloud from a two-page public statement, which claims the City Manager’s office failed to act on the complaint.

At the end of the meeting, Mayor Terry Bellamy announced that the matter has not been concluded and that investigations will continue next week.

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