Letter: Smith is needed on our City Council

I believe that Sheneika Smith is one of the finest people to ever serve on the Asheville City Council. A native Ashevillean of distinguished roots, she has now had five leadership years on Council in a variety of key roles. Among Asheville’s leaders, she has distinguished herself as a brave community representative with the grace of humility and giving and has so often boldly been on target with the city’s needs. She has become an impressive vice mayor.

It appears that becoming a good elected person can be a school-of-hard-knocks kind of experience, learning through conflict and responding thoughtfully and yet quickly. In this way, she has built a reservoir of experience and knowledge for us. As a retired city and county planner and a civic advocate for equitable decision-making and sound growth management and helping the underserved, I know she will be strong for justice, kindness and sharing.

She is a business coaching client at Mountain Bizworks. Before her election in 2017, she demonstrated her grasp of Asheville by founding the Date My City program. This unique social organization coordinates events that activate Black history and plans corresponding events within the business community.

She is the chair of the city’s important Boards and Commissions Committee, at this time being evaluated for greater reach and decision-making strength. She is an active member of Asheville’s Housing and Community Development Committee, helping achieve affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization. She strongly supported the Haywood Street Congregation’s progressive development of its Haywood Street Community Development project. In addition, she occupies an equally important seat on the city Public Safety Committee, now reimagining the role and assignments of our police department. She serves as City Council liaison to the Public Art and Cultural Commission.

She has enthusiastically been endorsed by The Sierra Club. Sheneika is being courageous on our behalf and, in my opinion, should be reelected by us to the Asheville City Council.

— David Nutter
Asheville