The city’s proposed nondiscrimination ordinance is nearly identical to that passed 6-0 by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on April 20, which prompted extensive public comment from residents in both support and disagreement.
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The city’s proposed nondiscrimination ordinance is nearly identical to that passed 6-0 by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on April 20, which prompted extensive public comment from residents in both support and disagreement.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners recognized April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Dogwood Health Trust opened on online grant application portal. Read about these items and more in this week’s wellness roundup.
Made up of 18 community partners, the network would be convened and coordinated by the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County
A second reading of the amended ordinance could come before the commissioners for a vote at the board’s Tuesday, April 20, meeting.
The new plan will include a hybrid model that will allow residents to either call in or attend commission meetings in person. In June, the public comment policy will shift entirely to in-person, eliminating the option for the public to call in to the meetings.
“Concerned residents should contact the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and demand a signed memorandum of understanding with ACS that preserves all ACS buildings and pre-K classrooms before future funding is approved.”
The county funds represent half of the $70,000 price tag for hiring a consultant to determine what’s next for the location.
“There has never been what seemed like such a crucial time for understanding how we can continue to feed, clothe and sustain ourselves without crushing the natural world to death.”
“Brownie Newman says that if we give tax relief to businesses that have suffered from the pandemic, we would have to raise taxes on everyone else in order to maintain county services.”
“Faced with significant development pressures, we must do what we can to protect some of the region’s natural habitat and biodiversity, as well as our most productive farmland.”
“The path we’re on right now is a collision that puts us backwards and actually takes classrooms offline,” said Buncombe County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, regarding the Asheville City Schools plan to relocate preschool classrooms from Asheville Primary School to other elementary schools and Asheville Housing Authority developments.
The funds, equal to roughly a quarter of budgeted property tax revenue for the current fiscal year and more than its budgeted spending on general government administration, represent by far the largest pot of federal support yet provided to the county during the pandemic.
“Permanently protected farms have helped preserve a portion of the county’s rich farming heritage, kept intact part of the rapidly vanishing agrarian landscape, maintained the viability of local food supply and created new opportunities for agritourism.”
Buncombe County would become the first local government in Western North Carolina to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance. Orange County and several municipalities have approved similar language after a statewide ban on such ordinances expired Dec. 1.
“I ask: Who is more likely to die from COVID — schoolchildren or seniors?”
“We would end up basically having to raise taxes on everyone else to fund these rebates to businesses that we understand have had a tough year, but many of which have had a great decade ahead of this year,” said Board of Commissioners Chair Brownie Newman.
“On Feb. 16, Buncombe County commissioners decided that political considerations were more important than science-based plans for COVID-19 vaccinations.”
At its meeting of Tuesday, March 2, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will consider a contract with Asheville-based Equinox Environmental Consultation and Design to develop possibilities for the county-owned property, which has previously been considered for an outpost of Oregon-based Deschutes Brewery and a 416-unit subdivision.
For months, residents have pressured elected leaders to fulfill their commitment to reparations for Asheville’s Black community. Plans are now in the works to form a joint city and county Reparations Commission by July, says Asheville City Manager Debra Campbell.
“We must ask ourselves, ‘What are we sowing in our community and in our world for generations to come?’ Will we build our economy on poison?”
“Please reach out to those who control the taxes and our future direction with your complaints. We do have a voice, so please use it.”