The measure had first been discussed publicly by the commissioners in February; at an April meeting, Commissioner Terri Wells said she’d floated the proposal to county staff after hearing complaints from Cherokee County residents about noise and pollution created by the facilities.
Buncombe first hired Ward and Smith last May, agreeing to pay the firm $72,000 annually to advocate for the county’s interests at the state legislature. A Jan. 30 gathering at the DoubleTree hotel in Biltmore Village marked the first extended public discussion of the lobbyists’ work since that contract was inked.
