Asheville Police Chief David Zack submitted his resignation on Dec. 15, according to Kim Miller, the city’s communication specialist.
Tag: Debra Campbell
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Safety, transit concerns raised at first Asheville budget meeting
Tom Tesser was one of several commenters from the Asheville Coalition for Public Safety, a recently formed advocacy group that looks to build support for the APD. Five of the nine speakers on budget matters sought larger salaries for police officers and shared their personal experiences of downtown crime and safety issues.
Asheville joins Buncombe County surveillance system
An agreement between Asheville and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, approved by City Council in a 4-1 vote Jan. 24, will allow the APD to use a county-operated camera network to monitor the public.
Council approves independent committee to review water outages
The new nine-member board will include two residential water customers, one commercial customer, one emergency response or disaster relief professional, two communications professionals and three experts on public water systems.
From AVL Watchdog: Information about holiday water failures is trickling out, as Asheville officials meet in private
Asheville’s water may be restored, but the spigot of information from city officials is still clogged.
Zack, Kilgore talk police recruitment at CIBO
Asheville Police Department Chief David Zack and Vice Mayor Sandra Kilgore filled in the Asheville-based trade group Jan. 6 about the city’s recent efforts to address dozens of vacancies among the APD’s patrol staff.
Manheimer addresses county board on water outages
During the Jan. 3 meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer fielded questions about the chain of events that left tens of thousands without water over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Council approves grant for downtown microhousing
Of 80 microhousing units, 16 would be designated as affordable for people earning at or below 80% of the area median income. However, developer David Moritz confirmed that market-price rent for all of the project’s units would be about $1,000 including utilities, meaning that the city-subsidized units would not immediately be cheaper for their tenants.
Ten things to know about Asheville’s proposed budget
Asheville City Council will hold a hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2022-23 budget during its 5 p.m. regular meeting Tuesday, June 14. In anticipation of that hearing, Xpress has pulled 10 noteworthy takeaways from the 112-page document.
Council outlines priorities in annual retreat
An exchange between protesters and Asheville City Council member Sandra Kilgore marked the start of Council’s March 17-18 retreat, where the elected officials heard feedback from top city staffers and plotted their approach to the coming year.
Why are officers leaving APD?
It’s no secret that officers are quitting the Asheville Police Department in droves, but what’s less certain is why officers are leaving. Xpress reached out to more than 50 former APD officers about their resignations. Only two agreed to share their thoughts, both under the condition of anonymity out of fear of professional consequences at their new jobs.
Asheville budget hearing draws a crowd
As in previous years, members of the public both applauded the city for funding long-promised initiatives, such as the 2018 Transit Master Plan and increases to firefighter pay, and voiced concern over how other taxpayer money would be spent.
Council returns to in-person meetings with June 8 budget hearing
Asheville City Council and the community will participate in city business face to face for the first time since April 2020. The meeting will take place in the Banquet Hall at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville at 5 p.m.
Council talks budget, eyes property tax increase
Some additional revenue will be needed to fund a growing list of priorities for the 2021-22 annual operating budget, city staffers suggested at an April 27 Asheville City Council budget work session.
Community members blast planned homeless camp removal
Asheville has issued removal orders for camps at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Aston Park, along Cherry and Hill streets and at Riverbend Park near the Walmart Supercenter on Bleachery Boulevard in East Asheville.
APD staffing shortage reaches critical level
“Whether you’re a private entity or are providing a public service, a 30-35% daily loss of staff is going to have a major impact on operations,” says Asheville Police Chief David Zack. “I think we’d be hard pressed to find another agency who is dealing with as many big challenges as we are.”
Team-building, trust at core of Asheville City Council retreat
As the sometimes contentious discussions unfolded, members grappled with ambitious priorities for the upcoming year, and, perhaps more importantly, what their working relationships would look like for the next 18 months.
Beat a retreat: City Council doubles down on plan to meet behind closed doors
In a change from previous City Council practice, and in opposition to advice provided by a UNC School of Government expert on open meetings, Asheville City Council plans to go ahead with a closed-door meeting devoted to “strengthening personal relationships, teamwork and communication required to do meaningful work together” on Wednesday, March 31.
Asheville encourages participation as budget process heats up
Asheville has contracted with consultants Shemekka Ebony and Christine Edwards to host six “equity-focused budget engagement” sessions for community members. The pair previously facilitated the city’s “Reimagining Public Safety” engagement efforts in the fall.
Council to reconsider ask for elected school board
Two proposals are up for consideration. One outlines a request for a fully elected school board; the other sets up a hybrid model in which Council would appoint two members and allow ACS district residents to elect the other three.
Reparations Commission will be formed by July, Asheville manager says
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.