Roughly 86% of Asheville Police officers live outside of the city limits, according to Asheville Police Department spokesman Samantha Booth.
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Roughly 86% of Asheville Police officers live outside of the city limits, according to Asheville Police Department spokesman Samantha Booth.
Buncombe joined representatives from eight other municipalities and counties around the state to form a language access collaborative, which met throughout 2023 to develop a language access plan.
Bruce O’Connell is running as an unaffiliated candidate for Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 2.
The county derives 62% of its more than $400 million budget from property taxes, which relies on the accurate assessment of thousands of properties, a process that happens every four years in Buncombe County. State law requires counties to perform reappraisals at least once every eight years.
Paul Benjamin, a Republican, is running for Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 1.
Asheville City Council learned during an April 9 budget work session that a 4.11% pay raise for city employees next fiscal year would drive the city’s undesignated general fund balance below its preferred minimum.
Jennifer Horton, a Democrat, is running for Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 1.
In February, former Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan surpassed the 8,295 signatures required to get on this year’s ballot for chair of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. Duncan, a one-time Democrat who served as sheriff from 2006-18, is running as an unaffiliated candidate.
Incumbent Buncombe County Commissioner Park Sloan will run in an uncontested race for this District 3 seat. Sloan joined the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners in 2020, where he serves as chair of the newly formed Buncombe County Climate and Environment Committee.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 on April 2 to invite private developers to partner on a $59.1 million complex for 200 affordable units at 50 and 52 Coxe Ave., directly across from the Asheville Regional Transit bus station and Rabbit Rabbit music venue.
Democrat Amanda Edwards announced her bid for chair of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners in October, where she currently serves as a commissioner for District 3. If elected in November, Edwards would become the first female chair.
The proposed changes will be considered at a public hearing Monday, April 22, at A-B Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium starting at 5:30 p.m. in which planning board members will vote on whether to approve the recommendations.
Hundreds of units of mixed-income housing are coming to a Ferry Road property, resolving years of uncertainty over the use of the land.
At its meeting on Tuesday, April 2, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will consider launching a pilot program that could transition up to 20 units from STRs to affordable long-term rentals for residents in its first year.
County staff reported sales tax revenue growth continues to slow from a peak in 2022 and occupancy tax collections are down 3% year-to-date compared with last year. That, along with expiring funding from the American Rescue Plan Act has the county projecting essentially a no-growth budget.
The mayor shared her enthusiasm about a potential business improvement district, or BID, in the city’s downtown.
According to a city presentation, the 2024 short session begins Wednesday, April 24. New bills must be submitted by Monday, April 15, and introduced between Thursday, May 2 and Tuesday, May 7.
At a Community Reparations Commission meeting March 18, the Carter Development Group identified four themes and outlined 10 “high priority” recommendations for actions local governments should take to cease harm to their Black residents.
Community members who spoke with Xpress say they are relieved that the Swannanoa Library has been saved from the chopping block for now. But many questions still remain about its future as well as who will be involved in the decision-making process moving forward.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted 5-1 to pay Charlotte-based education consultants Prismatic Services about $300,000 to provide a comprehensive report, including an analysis of the risks and benefits of consolidating Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools.
With over 34 years of experience in fire safety, few people understand the inner workings of a fire department quite like Asheville’s recently hired fire chief, Michael Cayse. As the new chief, Cayse plans to focus on the professional development of his staff, increase diversity within the department and advocate for more modern equipment, fire stations and technology.