Ronald Winters, CEO of the independent monitor for HCA Healthcare, faced an unhappy crowd at a community meeting Oct. 19. Current and former physicians, nurses and patients from Mission Hospital implored Gibbins Advisors to monitor the health care system’s quality. Throughout the 90-minute public meeting, Winters repeatedly told the audience that quality of patient care […]
Political scientists and women who have run for office in Buncombe County suggest that obstacles for women to get elected to local office here are much lower now than they once were — even though the proportion of female elected officials is still a good bit less than their share of the county’s population.
After former Buncombe County Commissioner Holly Jones finished her questions about an allegedly improper $20,000 allocation of county money to build an animal barn at Charles D. Owen High School, her colleague Ellen Frost messaged then-County Manager Wanda Greene: “Like you said earlier, silence is a beautiful sound.”
ASHEVILLE
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners said goodbye to three of its members during its meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 15.
During its meeting on Nov. 1 the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved putting two art projects on hold, tabled nonprofit funding restructuring and more.
Buncombe County Commissioners approved a rent restructuring for Eagle Market Place that will allow 30 of the 62 units to transition from affordable to work force housing. Developers say the move is necessary to secure funding needed to get the stalled project moving forward again.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners wrapped up the budget season during its Tuesday, June 21, meeting by approving a $413,574,951 spending plan for fiscal year 2017. During a more than five hour meeting Commissioner Tim Moffitt proposed an alternate budget, that would lower the property tax rate, but it was shoot down, via party lines, in favor of the approved budget.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners is back to seven members after Tim Moffitt was officially sworn in to replace Miranda DeBruhl, who abruptly resigned last month. Commissioner Moffitt said, “It’s and honor to serve with you and I look forward to contributing where I can.” The Tuesday, June 7, meeting also featured members of the public expressing concerns about rezoning a parcel of land in east Asheville and continued budget talks ahead of a June 30 deadline to approve a spending plan for fiscal year 2017.
While the number of women in politics has definitely grown over the last few decades, “Politics is still a gendered space,” says Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics. “Women see these institutions and don’t see a lot of people that look like them in charge, and that may lead to a reluctance to run for office.”
Over the last few weeks, it seems as though many Asheville and Buncombe politicians are moving pieces in a bigger puzzle. From retirements to withdrawals, shifting boards to a run for state office — and 15 candidates running for Asheville City Council, a lot is happening these days in local politics.
Buncombe County Commissioner Holly Jones announced today that she is entering the race for Lieutenant Governor. Jones, who has spent the last 14 years serving in local government, said she is running because of the General Assembly’s constant meddling in local affairs.
At the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners’ March 17 retreat, the Planning Department gave two separate presentations, each containing proposed actions to be discussed at future meetings.
Buncombe County officials joined with community partners May 13 to unveil a new plan to curb domestic violence.
Commissioners voted 6-1 on Dec. 3 to appoint Democratic freshman Ellen Frost to succeed Holly Jones as vice chair of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, putting her in a symbolic leadership position as she heads into a reelection year.
Following contentious Oct. 1 deliberations over who will head a powerful new government entity that will manage Buncombe County’s libraries, parks and recreation facilities, Commissioner Holly Jones expressed “deep concerns about the absence of a District 1 taxpayer voice at the table.”
Over the course of tense Oct. 1 deliberations, the board of commissioners named three of its own members and four additional community leaders to oversee a powerful new government entity that will manage the county’s libraries, parks and recreation facilities.
Asheville residents focused much of a July 15 community meeting with the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on new schools and a possible new shooting range.
The full seven member Buncombe County Board of Commissioners held its first meeting since the election on Feb. 5, setting the stage for how they will conduct business for the rest of the year.
For the first time in several years, the vice chair position on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners is being contested.
Every election, Xpress queries candidates on key issues. In this post, candidates for the two District 1 seats on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners give their replies: Don Guge, Holly Jones and Brownie Newman. (photo by Max Cooper)
