Jeremy Goldstein

Jeremy Goldstein goldstein2017.com Occupation: Local business owner, commercial real estate brokerage company Previous candidacy: None Affiliations: Unaffiliated Short-answer questions Why are you running for City Council? To preserve and protect our quality of life during this period of intense growth. What relevant experience makes you a good candidate for City Council? Local, small downtown business […]

Andrew Fletcher

Andrew Fletcher fletcherforcouncil.com Occupation: Musician Previous candidacy: None Affiliations: Registered unaffiliated/independent Short-answer questions Why are you running for City Council? City Council shouldn’t be just for the wealthy, business-owning traditional political class. Someone who works paycheck-to-paycheck, a renter, who understands struggling economically in this city — that describes the underrepresented side of Asheville. Our politicians […]

Cecil Bothwell

Cecil Bothwell (I) cecilbothwell.com Occupation: Publisher/artist/musician Previous candidacy: Incumbent, elected 2009, re-elected 2013 Affiliations: Member of the board of the People’s Park Foundation, Biblioworks.org, Projecto de las Escuelas Guatemaltecas, PARC. Treasurer PARC PAC. Member Democratic Party, Democracy for America, ACLU. Short-answer questions Why are you running for City Council? My track record on Council is […]

Pratik Bhakta

Pratik Bhakta pratik4citycouncil.com Occupation: Hotelier Previous candidacy: None Affiliations: Did not provide Short-answer questions Why are you running for City Council? I am running to make a difference. I am passionate about Asheville and want to see our city thrive. However, we need better fiscal responsibility in our budgeting process and we need better accountability […]

Council holds “good-faith” water discussion with legislator­s

Only two legislators made it to the Asheville City Council discussion session Tuesday afternoon, held specifically to dialogue with the local delegation concerning the proposed merger of Asheville’s water system with the Buncombe County Metropolitan Sewerage District. But those present – council members and legislators – did manage to get a few things off their chests.

Council appoints planning commission members; will reconvene on water issue Thursday

It was a lengthy session for Asheville City Council on Aug. 28, and it’s not technically over: Council will reconvene Thursday, Aug. 30, at 4 p.m. to discuss changing the language of the water system referendum. At Tuesday’s meeting, Council appointed Joe Minicozzi and Holly Shriner to the powerful Planning and Zoning commission, among many other matters.

City will go forward with referendum on water system transfer

At a worksession this afternoon, July 30, Asheville City Council directed staff to craft a referendum for November’s ballot asking voters to weigh in on a possible transfer of the Asheville water system to the Metropolitan Sewerage District. The city is also communicating with MSD, studying the financial impacts of a merger and trying to arrange a meeting with local legislators. (photo by Max Cooper)

Can the Basilica be trusted to build a park?

Over the past few months there have been several letters objecting to the proposed hotel on Haywood Street across from the Basilica. I wonder if anyone remembers the particularly awful building called the education annex that the church itself built right across the street in its direct sightline. When they tore it down, it did […]

Mind the crack!

Now that a crack has been discovered in the dome of St. Lawrence Basilica, we know that heavy construction in the area is likely to bring down the wonderful Guastavino tiles, and perhaps the dome with it. We don't need another hotel near one of Asheville's most famous attractions. City Council member Cecil Bothwell is […]