Commissioners also voted unanimously to pass a non–binding pledge to loan Mountain Housing Opportunities up to $2 million to fund Eagle Market Place, a proposed development near the corner of Eagle and South Market streets in downtown Asheville. The $12 million development would include the renovation of several neglected historic buildings and the construction of 60-70 affordable rental apartments, as well as retail, commercial and office space. Officials with Mountain Housing Opportunities said the promise from the commissioners would help the project have a better chance of coming to fruition by increasing the chances of securing housing tax credits through a program of the N.C. Housing Finance Agency.

In other business, the board instructed county staff to study a request from Waste Pro to allow it to raise garbage pickup rates, and  it unanimously endorsed a 5–year County Sustainability Plan.

Continue reading to watch David’s video recap of the May 15 meeting.

Chairman Gantt comments at the May 1 Commission meeting (Mountain Xpress)

At their May 1, 2012 meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners heard a report on the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s secondary roads construction program. According to the presentation, DOT is planning to spend nearly $2.2 million on improvements to various roads in Buncombe County. The largest single project is $210,000 worth of shoulder widening, drainage upgrades and sight distance improvements planned for a 10 mile stretch of Old Fort and Chestnut Hill roads in Fairview.

In other business, Commissioners approved two rezoning requests from property owners and passed a resolution that empowers county staff to negotiate financial contracts for several already-approved capital projects.

In addition, Bill Eaker of the Land of Sky Regional Council was presented with the Buncombe Environmental Leadership Award and Sherriff Van Duncan presented several of his deputies with Medals of Honor for outstanding service to the community.

This Generator at the Buncombe County Landfill Converts Methane Gas into Electricity (Photo by Max Cooper)

During their April 3, 2012 meeting, the Board of Commissioners was updated on Buncombe County’s innovative landfill gas-to-energy project, which taps methane gas produced by decomposing trash and uses it to generate electricity.

The project began in 2010 with the installation of additional gas collection wells at the landfill and the new generator began producing electricity at full capacity this month. It is expected to produce 1.4 megawatts of electricity for the next several years, enough to power about 1,100 homes annually. The energy is sold through NC GreenPower.

In other business, a new campaign to prevent child abuse was introduced by Health and Human Services Department staff, and the commission also heard a presentation about the Robotics program at 4H.

Go to the next page for David’s video recap of the April 3rd meeting.

Asheville City Schools officials express their appreciation for the Commission's consideration of replacing two aging facilities

At its March 20, 2012 meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners took the initial action needed to build two new schools in the city of Asheville, voting 5–0 to borrow $2 million from the School Capital Commission Fund to pay for studies and architectural plans. If built, the new buildings would replace the aging structures that currently house Asheville Middle School and Isaac Dickson Elementary with a total cost of at least $60 million, according to estimates. County officials will develop a plan to pay back the initial $2 million loan from the School Capital Commission Fund (whose funding source is lottery and state sales tax revenue) and pay for construction of the new schools.

Board Chairman David Gantt told the Asheville Citizen-Times, “I think the feeling of our board is that we have worked hard to get the county schools up to standard and the city schools have started lagging behind.  I think whatever board gets elected in November, they’re going to have to come to grips with the problems at these schools,” he said. “We’re going to make sure that all of the students at Buncombe County have decent facilities to go to school in and these schools have gone below a level we would like to see.”

Commissioners also heard a report from members of the Land Conservation Advisory Board. Since 2004, the amount of land that’s protected from development in Buncombe County has grown from roughly 12 percent to about 14 percent, according to the report. The land includes thousands of acres preserved through conservation easements as well as land that’s protected under national forest and watershed designations.

Continue to the next page to watch David’s recap of the March 20 meeting and to hear his thoughts on the importance of the actions taken.

In addition to offering the opportunity for elected officials to meet with their county’s congressional representatives, numerous workshops are presented. David attended sessions on data analytics for public safety, taxation of internet purchases, and green jobs.

Continue to the next page to see David’s summary of the conference.

David and Commissioners Jones, Bailey, Peterson, and Stanley Look Over Their List of Priorities (Photo by Bill Rhodes, Mountain Xpress)

During their half-day retreat January 31, 2012, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners looked back at what they have achieved thus far,  and looked forward to their goals for the future.  They emphasized their efforts to bring jobs to the area, citing their involvement in the expansions of Arvato Digital Services in Weaverville and Ingles Markets in Black Mountain, plus bringing Linamar to Skyland through the use of incentives. Also highlighted were the implementation of the Parks, Greenways and Recreation Master Plan, building new schools, improvements at the landfill,  and consolidating the Health and Social Services departments.

In addition to continuing their focus on jobs, top priorities for the future included work-force training, holding the tax rate steady, farmland preservation, school funding,  and continuing public/private partnerships to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Read the full report from the Mountain Xpress.

Artist: David Cohen

At their January 17^th meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners passed a new outdoor lighting ordinance designed to minimize light pollution and improve energy efficiency in unincorporated areas of the county. Commissioners amended the original Planning Board ordinance, incorporating stronger measures recommended by the Sierra Club and local environmental groups. The amendments:

1. Expand the ordinance applicability to include all types of new development except single family residential.

2. Restrict all new Dusk-to-Dawn security lights including single family residential.

3. Include a five-year sunset clause for all non-conforming Dusk-to Dawn security lights including single family residential.

4. Require that all non-conforming light fixtures be made compliant at the time of a renovation or replacement.

The Commissioners also approved a pair of grant applications for over $900,000 in state and federal funding that would go to Mountain Mobility transportation system. The grants would require roughly $166,000 in matching local funds. In addition, the Board heard a report by economic services program administrator Tom Rhodes on the county’s poverty prevention and management programs. He emphasized the county’s success working with outside partners such as ABCCM. In other business, a wellness incentive for county employees was approved.

To watch David’s video summary of the January 17 meeting and hear his thoughts on actions taken,

The county has budgeted $150,000 this year for a study of workforce compensation. The initial phase covers employees in health and human services. The study thus far has found that pay of health and human services employees in Buncombe County is in line with the salary and benefits of their counterparts in North Carolina’s 10 largest counties and that the county has saved money by raising pay, which reduced turnover rates and cut training costs.

More details are in the coverage from the Mountain Xpress and the Asheville Citizen-Times. Continue to the next page to hear David’s assessment of the meeting and of the reports that the Commission received.

The board also approved a rezoning request by Norris Max Clubb to allow for commercial development of a 1.27-acre tract located at 1910 US 70 Highway, just west of its intersection with Warren Wilson Road. County planning staff and the Planning Board recommended approving the request, noting in a report that surrounding land is already being used for commercial development.

Taken into consideration during the meeting was a report on the role of substance abuse and mental health problems among the inmate population at the Buncombe County Detention Center and
an “Economic Development Report” from Ben Teague, executive director of the Economic Development Coalition. He said the organization was more organized and working harder than ever before to create jobs in the area.
 
In addition, the Commission honored Buncombe County Library Director Ed Sheary for being named “Director of the Year” by the North Carolina Public Library Directors Association.

Continue to the next page to hear David’s thoughts on the January 3rd meeting.

The sales tax will increase from 6.75 cents on the dollar to 7 cents as a result of commissioners’ action. The resolution levying the tax directs that all proceeds go to building needs at A-B Tech. According to AB Tech President Hank Dunn, the first project will be a 25,000-square-foot building that will offer training for law enforcement officers, firemen and emergency management workers. Work on that should begin by summer at an estimated cost of $5 million and take about a year.

Work on a 220,000-square-foot building to house training facilities for health care workers and basic education programs like GED classes on the main A-B Tech campus should begin by Sept. 15. Its estimated cost is $55 million, although Dunn said officials hope contractors will bid lower, and construction is expected to take three years or more.

The tax is projected to yield $130 million over 17 years, with all proceeds going toward renovations and improvements at the schools’ main and Enka campuses. County officials plan to borrow money next year to pay for the building projects and use tax proceeds to repay the debt. Dunn praised commissioners for authorizing the referendum and said voters may be happier about the outcome once work begins.

In other actions, the board:

• Heard and voted unanimously to accept a “Comprehensive Annual Financial Report” on the state of the county government’s finances. Staff emphasized that the county has a AAA credit rating and the highest bond rating possible.

• Voted to help fund a pair of conservation easements that will preserve 120 acres in Upper Hominey and 35.5 acres in Sandy Mush. Commissioners agreed for the county to cover $41,000 in transaction costs.

• Voted reappoint Bill Stanley as the its vice chair. After serving on the Board of Commissioners for 23 years, Stanley recently said he plans to retire when his term expires next year.

• Denied a rezoning request that would have allowed for more development of an 8.58 acre parcel of land at 101 Farida Drive in the Weaverville area. The Planning Board had recommended denying the request, writing that it’s not consistent with the Buncombe County Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

• Voted unanimously to designate the William Nelson Camp Jr. House — located at 92 Flat Top Mountain Road in Fairview — as a “historic landmark.”

Here is David’s summary of the meeting: