So David Gantt is spineless?

Yes, David Gantt is so spineless that he supports, supported or initiated, sometimes under fire, the following measures, according to his website:

• a national model at the landfill that sped decomposition of trash preventing the need for future landfills
• a landfill generator that converts gas from waste and turns into 1.4 kilowatt-hours of electricity sold to a local utility company
• a conservation easement program that preserved over 5,000 acres county farmland, ridge tops and open spaces;
• initiated an ordinance to ban new billboards in county
• initiated a measure to protect 80 acres of land adjoining the Blue Ridge Parkway
• a resolution that stopped construction of a paved road through a National Forest
• a Dark Skies ordinance that saves energy and limits light pollution
• a steep-slope and ridge-top ordinance
• the first countywide zoning plan to protect mountains and communities
• a storm-water ordinance that reduces flooding and landslide potential
• measures to limit condominiums on ridge tops and steep slopes
• a county law limiting new cell tower construction on mountaintops
• a zoning overlay designed to protect views on Blue Ridge Parkway
• an ordinance to clean up junkyards, junk cars throughout the county
• a resolution to create Craggy Garden wilderness area near Blue Ridge Parkway
• a recycling center for compost, construction waste
• measures to clean up trash and garbage in county
• a new courthouse, the first LEED certified building in downtown Asheville

And yes he supports protection for LGBT County employees, and voted for it at the Aug. 7 commissioners’ meeting. If this is spineless, I’ll take spineless any day!

— Beverly Switzer
Asheville