News in brief: NCDOT to host public meeting on I-40 interchang­e in Black Mountain

The Asheville Police Department has released additional data sets at the city’s online open data portal. A new survey ranks Asheville #20 on the list of America’s best retirement destinations. And the NCDOT is planning a public meeting to discuss proposed improvements to an Interstate 40 interchange near Black Mountain.

Asheville Police Department Chief Tammy Hooper

Asheville City Council split over Hooper resignatio­n agreement

According to interim City Manager Cathy Ball, Council held a closed session vote on the amount of Hooper’s $118,000 compensation. Mayor Esther Manheimer, Vice Mayor Gwen Wisler, and Council members Keith Young, Sheneika Smith and Brian Haynes all voted in favor of the agreement, while Vijay Kapoor and Julie Mayfield voted in opposition.

Asheville Police Department Chief Tammy Hooper

Asheville Police Department Chief Tammy Hooper to resign in January

In a Nov. 7 press release, interim City Manager Cathy Ball announced that Chief Hooper would be resigning effective Wednesday, Jan. 2 — as well as that Hooper had previously attempted to resign in February. As part of her resignation agreement, Hooper will be paid $118,000 and will provide 75 hours of consulting services “to assist with the transition” of police leadership.

Asheville city seal

Updates to police policy up for discussion at Council’s Sept. 25 meeting

Although Chicago-based 21CP Solutions finished its report on Asheville’s response to a police beating scandal in August, the city isn’t done hiring consultants to assess its policing approach. That’s one of the key takeaways from interim City Manager Cathy Ball’s memo discussing action items from the report, to be presented at Asheville City Council’s upcoming regular meeting.

Police group threatens legal action against Asheville City Council on recent policy changes

The words City Council adopted on May 22 could land the five members who supported them in hot water, according to lawyers from the N.C. Police Benevolent Association. Language in the city’s charter suggests that the consequences could be serious, possibly even including loss of office if convicted of giving an order to a city […]

Police accountabi­lity and transparen­cy focus of City Council meeting

Amid calls for increased public access to policing data, Asheville City Council left the city’s volunteer board dedicated to hearing residents’ concerns about law enforcement in place for now. At the same time, the elected officials noted many vacancies on the Citizens Police Advisory Committee and signaled their longterm intent to dissolve the body once the newly forming Human Relations Commission has gotten up and running.