The last time the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners met on May 9, it was facing an almost $14 million spending gap and the possibility that it would have to raise property taxes to fill it.

The last time the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners met on May 9, it was facing an almost $14 million spending gap and the possibility that it would have to raise property taxes to fill it.
Less than two weeks before County Manager Avril Pinder must present a balanced budget to commissioners on Tuesday, May 21, the county has a $13.9 million funding gap in its projected operating budget, without considering requested increases for schools.
For the last year, officials with both Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County have debated what to do with the centrally located, ACS-owned facility on the corner of Haywood Road and Interstate 240. The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners got a plan update at its May 7 briefing meeting.
Commissioners will consider a new seven-year contract with global waste management company FCC Environmental Solutions, which — if ultimately approved at a meeting later in May — will be the county’s first new hauler since WastePro was hired in 2009.
The big question heading into the April 24 meeting of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority was whether affordable housing projects would qualify for financing from the agency’s new $10 million grant fund. The answer was “not really.”
County expenditures are expected to grow by more than $8 million next year, to $444.9 million, said Buncombe County Budget Director John Hudson.
If the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approves a contract next month with global waste management company FCC Environmental Services, whose U.S. headquarters is in Texas, residents will see an almost $5 a month increase on their trash bills next year.
Buncombe joined representatives from eight other municipalities and counties around the state to form a language access collaborative, which met throughout 2023 to develop a language access plan.
Jennifer Horton, a Democrat, is running for Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 1.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 on April 2 to invite private developers to partner on a $59.1 million complex for 200 affordable units at 50 and 52 Coxe Ave., directly across from the Asheville Regional Transit bus station and Rabbit Rabbit music venue.
Hundreds of units of mixed-income housing are coming to a Ferry Road property, resolving years of uncertainty over the use of the land.
At its meeting on Tuesday, April 2, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will consider launching a pilot program that could transition up to 20 units from STRs to affordable long-term rentals for residents in its first year.
County staff reported sales tax revenue growth continues to slow from a peak in 2022 and occupancy tax collections are down 3% year-to-date compared with last year. That, along with expiring funding from the American Rescue Plan Act has the county projecting essentially a no-growth budget.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted 5-1 to pay Charlotte-based education consultants Prismatic Services about $300,000 to provide a comprehensive report, including an analysis of the risks and benefits of consolidating Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools.
The possible consolidation of Buncombe County’s two public school districts will get a little more real on Tuesday, March 19.
The Swannanoa Library will remain open after an unexpected vote by Buncombe County commissioners on March 7 that reversed a previous decision to close the library branch.
While the March 5 primary delivered few surprises at the top of the ticket, local races delivered some firsts for Buncombe County in an election that saw a far lower turnout than the previous presidential primary in 2020.
At its regular meeting March 7, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will begin the application process for federal funds that provide temporary housing for those in recovery.
Duncan, 59, and his team gathered the signatures in 40 days, well ahead of the March 5 deadline, mostly by sending almost 40,000 mailers to unaffiliated or Republican voters in Buncombe who’ve voted in the past three elections.
While one local public school district redraws its district lines and the other considers merging its two middle schools, Buncombe County is moving forward with a study to explore consolidation of the two districts.
If passed, the county would send about 450-500 laptops it decommissions every year to Land of Sky Regional Council to distribute to households in need, according to a staff presentation.