Eighteen nonprofits aiding mountain residents with services like housing, diapers, food, the arts, education and advocacy receiving more than $13.9 million of Buncombe County’s ARPA funding.
Tag: Buncombe County
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From CPP: Connecting some rural areas of WNC to high-speed internet getting boost from ARPA
Many areas of rural mountains in NC have limited internet access or people are forced to rely on satellites. Infusion of funds may change that.
Buncombe to weigh affordable housing goals March 15
According to a presentation available before the meeting of Tuesday, March 15, the county hopes to “impact 2,800-3,150 affordable housing units by 2030,” including 1,500-1,850 new rental units affordable for households making 80% or less of the area median income ($42,100 for an individual or $60,100 for a family of four).
Asheville board upholds employee firings over vaccine mandate
The volunteer Civil Service Board, which has authority over employee grievances, agreed with the city’s argument Feb. 22 that five workers had shown insubordination by refusing COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing in October. Asheville has since suspended its “test-or-vaccinate” policy effective March 2.
Development roundup: Multiple apartment complexes seek approval from Asheville, Buncombe
Stay up to date with projects working their way through the Asheville and Buncombe County development processes — as well as when and where to comment on them — through the Xpress development roundup.
Buncombe community survey flags trust, development concerns
Conducted by the ETC Institute, a Kansas-based consultancy, a recent survey aimed to evaluate resident perceptions of the county and its administration.
Local handling of COVID vaccine troubles breeds medical mistrust
Many Western North Carolina residents who spoke with Xpress say they shared their negative responses after COVID-19 vaccination with health providers. But they also say their concerns have been minimized or ignored, driving a lack of trust about the vaccines and the broader medical establishment.
Buncombe continues mask mandate amid record COVID spread
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners members unanimously voted Jan. 4 to extend the county’s indoor mask mandate through Wednesday, Feb. 16. The extended mask requirement does not contain any language regarding enforcement, nor does it specify the type of face covering that residents should wear, despite health experts saying cloth masks are insufficient against the omicron variant of the coronavirus.
Buncombe hires attorneys to help with redistricting
The Jan. 4 agenda for the county Board of Commissioners lists “a discussion of Board of Commissioner districts and structure,” accompanied by a letter of engagement with Raleigh-based law firm Poyner Spruill dated Dec. 1.
Letter: About those big, ‘remote’ outdoor weddings
“The best solution? Get the county to add a permitting aspect to the OU zoning structure, something that requires event-venue managers to request (and pay for) a permit for any commercial gathering of more than 20 people.”
Letter: A vote for Buncombe’s branch libraries
“Please keep the small branch libraries open!”
Letter: Why should city residents pay extra taxes?
“Paying taxes to the county for services which it does not provide city residents and paying twice for some of them is outrageous.”
Letter: Poorly managed growth costs us
“The primary purpose of zoning laws should be to mitigate these externalized costs, to prevent development from being a burden on the community.”
Letter: On conflicts of interest
“It is always up to the official/s who have the authority and the responsibility to enforce the rule to simply enforce the established rule!”
Letter: Stop underestimating the people
“Stop dishing money out to consultants living anywhere other than in North Carolina and preferably Western North Carolina. Make it easier for residents who aren’t able to attend your meetings to have input.”
$14M in COVID funds up for Buncombe grants Nov. 16
No further details on the organizations that will get new funding or the amounts they could receive were linked to the Board of Commissioners agenda. Over 125 nonprofits, community groups and governmental entities have pitched to the board over the past several months.
Council to consider 911 services consolidation
Per the agreement, all city 911 dispatchers would be hired by Buncombe County, which would eliminate all transferring between the county and city, and the city would reimburse the county for the cost of its dispatches.
Letter: Short-term rentals are harming neighborhoods
“There absolutely should be zoning rules, restrictions and regulations in Buncombe County that prevent investors, who have no interest in an area beyond making money, from creating these stand-alone STRs in established neighborhoods.”
Letter: Where are government’s priorities?
“I would like to know why North Carolina, Buncombe County and the city of Asheville don’t help people with disabilities.”
Buncombe proposes overhauling conflict of interest policy
The current policy runs for less than a page and does not specifically define what a conflict of interest entails. In contrast, the new proposal is six pages long and describes a conflict of interest as “when private interests interfere or appear to interfere with the performance of official duties.”
Buncombe to revisit sports park soccer agreement
At its Oct. 19 meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners also will consider spending $394,000 to support conservation easements on eight farms throughout the county.