Twitter-based coverage of the County Commissioners Meeting ***UPDATE***

The following is an aggregate of staff reporter Jake Frankel’s live Twitter-based coverage of tonight’s meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. You can follow Frankel on Twitter @JakeFrankel.

Warning to those not interested in Buncombe County government: I’ve been assigned to “live tweet” the commissioners meeting later today…

For those who are interested, the meeting starts about 4:30. More info at: http://bit.ly/cAqV6M

4:54 PM  Here at the Commissioners Chambers, Lori Hembree is discussing the Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP). #avlgov

4:56 PM  Majority of funding for ROAP comes from NC DOT grants. The program helps provide rural elderly and disabled residents with transport #avlgov

4:57 PM  Public hearing on ROAP: Candler resident Jerry Rice asks if county has looked into private funding in addition to state funds. #avlgov

4:58 PM  Rice: Is transport available on weekends? #avlgov

4:59 PM  Hembree: Services are available on Saturdays but not Sundays. Many residents have requested help getting around on Sundays. #avlgov

5:00 PM  Board passes resolution to apply for ROAP funding 5-0. #avlgov

5:02 PM  Board is now considering a rezoning request by Jeffrey Martin for a parcel of land in Fairview along Charlotte Highway. #avlgov

5:06 PM  Planning Board recommends board approve the rezoning request from NS to CS to allow for commercial development. #avlgov

5:08 PM  Com. Holly Jones asked about possible erosion concerns on the property. Martin assured her that catch basins have been installed. #avlgov

5:10 PM  His lawyer also assured the commissioners that erosion ordinances would remain in effect. #avlgov

5:12 PM  Chairman Gantt: We appreciate the efforts to deal with storm water erosion issues. Board approves rezoning request 5-0. #avlgov

5:22 PM  County Tax Collector Gary Roberts is now presenting the commissioners with his annual tax settlement report. #avlgov

5:25 PM  Roberts: Tax collection is going well, but bankrupt local businesses create problems. #avlgov

5:27 PM  Roberts: County could use new software system and new training for county employees. #avlgov

5:33 PM  Commissioners pass resolution passing tax settlement report 5-0. #avlgov

5:35 PM  The commissioners are now considering adopting a code of ethics. #avlgov

5:37 PM  Board passes new code of ethics 5-0 with very little discussion. #avlgov

5:39 PM  Board designates Vice Chair Bill Stanley to be voting delegate to NC Ass. of County Comm. Annual Conference in Pitt County 8/26-29 #avlgov

5:44 PM  Rice now during the public hearing: County deficits are worse than commissioners are indicating. It aint gonna be pretty in 2012. #avlgov

5:47 PM  Don Yelton rises to the podium to say that the county needs to cut spending. #avlgov

6:50 PM  My live tweeting of the BCC meeting was interrupted by catastrophic technical failure. #avlgov

Update

Jake Frankel reports that his twitter coverage was interrupted by the failure of multiple telecommunications devices. Note to Barry Summers and other concerned readers: The “catastrophic technical failure” wasn’t caused by Don Yelton’s public comments and no one was harmed by the failure of Frankel’s equipment.

In other news from the meeting, the commissioners took action to:

*Secure funding to construct a segment of sidewalk along Elk Mountain Road linking Woodfin Elementary School to Riverside Drive.

*Place a new Veterans Memorial at Pack Memorial Library when renovations are completed to the facility in the fall.

*Honor the YMI Cultural Center’s work and the Goombay! Festival (Aug. 27-29).  In addition to helping organize Goombay!, the center coordinates art shows, workshops and school outreach programs designed to highlight cultural diversity and African American heritage.