At the heart of the case against Ellen Frost, who was first elected to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners in 2012 and served through 2018, are roughly $575,000 in county funds that she and former County Manager Wanda Greene allegedly funneled to support “various equestrian enterprises in North Carolina and Florida.”
Minneapolis-based CliftonLarsonAllen conducted roughly 2,700 hours of work — over three times its original estimate of 885 hours — from July 1 through May 14, when CLA principal Bill Early presented the results to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners.
Following federal investigations into former County Manager Wanda Greene and others, Buncombe County has recouped more than $3 million through legal settlements with former county officials. That total could increase during a Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting this month.
Joseph Wiseman, Jr., a former Buncombe County contractor implicated in a kickback scheme that has led to charges against three former county officials, has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services fraud.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to appoint Avril Pinder, the former deputy county manager for New Hanover County, to the role of county manager during a special meeting on Feb. 5. The county anticipates that her first day will be Monday, March 4.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will vote on the selection of a new county manager during a special meeting at 4 p.m. Feb. 5. in the third floor conference room at 200 College St. in downtown Asheville.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners has accepted a $189,000 settlement from former Assistant County Manager Jon Creighton, who pled guilty in October for his part in a kickback scheme involving himself and two other former managers.
ASHEVILLE, N.C.
Crying about the year’s area government scandals doesn’t do much good — but bursting into song just might!
Former Buncombe County Manager Wanda Greene has reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors and a settlement with the county.
Even after a full year of developments in the criminal investigation into former County Manager Wanda Greene, Buncombe County has still not reached the end of this tumultuous chapter in its history. Citizens did, however, witness many developments in the case throughout 2018.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will discuss a settlement related to the county’s civil lawsuit against former County Manager Wanda Greene and her son, former county employee Michael Greene, on Wednesday, Jan. 2.
Former Buncombe County Manager Mandy Stone has agreed to a plea deal with federal prosecutors for her part in an alleged kickback scheme that has snared three former county officials.
On Dec. 19, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners met in closed session to winnow 33 applications it has received for the position to a more manageable number. The county is still accepting applications.
Despite projections showing it could cost more than initially estimated, the long-awaited renovations to the East Asheville Library, located at 902 Tunnel Road, received unanimous approval on Nov. 20 from the Board of Commissioners.
ASHEVILLE, N.C.
Local political action committee Angry Taxpayers sent letters to the home addresses of hundreds of Buncombe County’s roughly 1,400 employees this month, encouraging them to vote for Republican candidates for the Board of Commissioners this year.
Jon Creighton, former assistant county manager and planning director for Buncombe County, has admitted guilt to one count of conspiracy in a plea deal entered on Oct. 25.
Commissioners voted Oct. 16 to put a 40-hour cap on the number of hours employees can sell back to the county, a decision that could save the county about $370,000 per year.
According to a spreadsheet showing annual leave payments to county employees from the beginning of fiscal year 2007 through March 31, 2018, former County Manager Wanda Greene benefited more than any other employee from the county’s annual leave sale policy. Commissioners will consider setting a yearly limit on the number of sellable hours during their meeting on Oct. 16.
“This is the perfect time to unwind, review, learn and rebuild the structure and environment to epitomize best practices — to create a system that, at its core, honors and promotes an ethical culture and is dedicated to the highest ideals of leadership, integrity, transparency and accountability.”
