Asheville City Council — And the kitchen sink…

It’s a particularly eclectic meeting tonight for Asheville City Council, with matters including a proclamation recognizing LGBT History Month, an update on the re-opened Hillcrest Bridge, expanding the power of the planning commission, establishing an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and transferring housing investigations to the NC Human Rights Commission. For live coverage, follow @DavidForbes on Twitter with #avlgov.

Civic morality 101

Developer Frank Howington and his E. F. Howington Company have once again circumvented the wishes of the residents of the Kenilworth section of Asheville and the spirit of the initial City Council vote. Howington hired the Van Winkle law firm, which employs Council member Esther Manheimer. [She] had to recuse herself, thereby changing the votes […]

Asheville City Council report: Budget passed 6-1

At its meeting on May 24, Asheville City Council passed $132.5 million dollar budget for fiscal year 2012 in a 6-1 vote. Mayor Terry Bellamy voted against the proposed budget citing concerns over the water-rate increase on commercial and industrial customers, the increase in the household recycling fee, the lack of a cost-of-living increase for city employees, and the city’s inability to meet their stated goal of keeping the reserve fund balance at 15 percent of the total budget. The budget contains no property or sales tax increases.

DA blasts APD evidence room handling, Council approves $175,000 audit

It was a tense scene last night during the Asheville City Council meeting as District Attorney Ron Moore criticized the leadership of the Asheville Police Department for the handling of its evidence room. APD Chief Bill Hogan, meanwhile, said the problems were due to one individual who “betrayed the trust.” Council approved $175,000 to conduct a full audit.

Lit up

Asheville City Council March 22, 2011 meeting Trash pickup may be retooled Living wage approved for city contracts To some observers, it may have seemed as though Asheville City Council members and Ingles Markets were playing a game of development chicken, reaching the cliff’s edge during Council’s March 22 meeting. In February, Council members balked […]