In a letter dated September 13, 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency has demanded payment of $6.5 million dollars to cover costs already incurred in its efforts to deal with contaminated ground water and soils near the former CTS of Asheville plant, located on Mills Gap Road in South Asheville. Meanwhile, Buncombe County Commissioners have postponed until November 1 their consideration of a decision to demolish the derelict building at taxpayer expense. Photo: Officials from EPA’s Superfund Branch stand at the gate to the CTS property during a recent sampling trip. Photo by Susan Andrew.
Tag: Buncombe County
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Buncombe County commissioners preview: Playing the field
At its Oct. 18 meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will consider a proposal to lease soccer fields at the Buncombe County Sports Park in Enka-Candler to the Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association.
A-B Tech’s quarter-cent sales tax doesn’t sound like much
You know it’s more than just the money we‘re talking about. It’s about making sure we have a healthy local economy. It’s about making sure Buncombe County is a place where business can prosper and people can afford to live. It’s about making sure the leadership in our community is responsive to our needs and […]
Access excess?
What happens when Buncombe County physicians offer free specialty care to uninsured, low-income patients amid a down economy? A deluge. In Buncombe County alone, there were about 38,000 such residents in 2005, according to census data; three years later, that number had swelled to nearly 78,000. And year by year, the county has consistently surpassed […]
CTS property owner appeals condemnation
In an Oct. 6 letter to the Buncombe County Clerk, CTS property owner Mills Gap Road Associates appealed the county’s recent order that the building be demolished, saying that it would continue to cooperate with EPA. That agency is moving to place the property on the National Priorities List, a.k.a. Superfund, which would rank the Mills Gap site among the most contaminated properties in the nation.
Federal trucking safety rules aren’t being enforced, says Jackie Novak
On Oct. 24 last year, an 18-wheeler driven by Rouman Velkov plowed into a line of nine cars on I-26. Jackie Novak lost her son that night, who was in one of those cars. “Jackie Novak’s case is unusual in that it asks the FMCSA to better enforce its own rules and, as an afterthought, [asks it] for money,” writes a trucking-accident attorney.
MSD gives itself high marks in its 2011 performance report
Every day, the Municipal Sewerage District collects and treats — and discharges into the French Broad — an average of 18 million gallons of wastewater, relying on millions of microbes to do what they’ve been doing since the Earth was young: consume organic waste. And every year, the Clean Water Act requires the utility to provide an assessment of how well they’re doing. That report was submitted to DENR August 30; let’s take a look.
Opposition mounts campaign to STOP A-B Tech sales-tax referendum
Opposition is mounting against a Nov. 8 referendum that would pave the way for a 0.25 percent sales-tax increase in Buncombe County to fund $129 million in building improvements at A-B Tech.
Senator says teacher cuts won’t be as bad as predicted; local district doesn’t concur
A state legislator says staff cuts will not be as severe as earlier predictions, but a Buncombe County Schools representative says that view doesn’t jibe with reality.
Buncombe County Register of Deeds responds to WE DO campaign
Buncombe County Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger upheld state law Oct. 3 by denying a marriage license to a number of same-sex couples, including Rev. Kathryn Cartledge and Elizabeth Eve, her partner of 30 years, among others. They were joined by a group of supporters including state House Rep. Patsy Keever and Asheville City Council member Gordon Smith, both of whom Reisinger supported in their respective elections. Later that day, Reisinger posted the following thoughts on his Facebook page
County issues requirements for former CTS facility to escape demolition
The case of the contaminated former CTS facility in Mills Gap has taken a new twist, as Buncombe County last week responded to the property owner’s appeal of its move to demolish the derelict plant building. The county provided property owner Mills Gap Road Associates with a list of measures needed to prevent demolition as scheduled.
CTS owners appeal county decision to condemn derelict plant building in Mills Gap
As Mills Gap residents looked on, an attorney representing the current owner of the former CTS of Asheville plant appealed to local government officials, asking them not to move forward with their plan to demolish the derelict plant building. Attorney Billy Clarke, representing Mills Gap Road Associates, told the presiding officials — County attorneys Kurt Euler and Michael Frue, and County Building Inspector Matt Stone — that the owners want to stabilize the building instead.
Incentive country: Behind an ongoing controversy
With rumors flying about local governments’ closed sessions on economic development (a New Belgium brewery?), government incentives for private business are once again in the news. Whether they’re spat on as “corporate welfare” or lauded as “job creation,” they remain controversial as ever.
Going green
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Sept. 13, 2011 meeting CTS building condemned, demolition planned Grants sought for Mountain Mobility Buncombe County is working to cut energy costs, lower carbon emissions and preserve farmland, various staffers told the Board of Commissioners Sept. 13 in a series of reports on current environmental initiatives. Assistant County Manager Jon […]
Buncombe County government website wins national award
The National Association of Government Webmasters announced its Pinnacle Awards last week, and Buncombe County’s website won the top award.
Actions taken at the the Sept. 13 meeting of the Buncombe Commissioners
Here’s a list of actions taken at the Sept. 13 meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners.
Twitter dispatches from the Sept. 13 Buncombe Commissioner meeting
Environmental initiatives top the agenda for Buncombe County Commissioners in today’s Sept. 13 meeting. Follow Xpress reporter on Twitter (@jakefrankel or #bcgov) for live dispatches.
Buncombe Commissioners preview: Green initiatives and ROAP funds
During their Sept. 13 meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will be presented with several reports on its environmental initiatives. The Commissioners will also hold a public hearing on a Rural Operating Assistance Program application.
Supporters launch campaign to pass A-B Tech sales-tax referendum *Multimedia*
A-B Tech administrators, teachers and students joined with community leaders Sept. 12 to launch “Jobs for the Future,” a campaign on behalf of a 0.25 percent sales-tax increase to fund capital improvements at the school. Photos by Jerry Nelson
Loss of public employment sends Asheville jobs numbers plunging
Jobs numbers worsened across the state in July, according to data from the state’s Employment Security Commission, and the Asheville area was no exception, losing a total of 2,900 jobs, mostly from the public sector. While unemployment in the area declined slightly, combined with the net job losses, this indicates some unemployed have stopped looking for work.
Actions taken at the Aug. 16 meeting of the Buncombe County Commissioners
Here’s a list of actions taken at the Aug. 16 meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners.