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: 

David celebrates with other supporters of the AB Tech tax referendum after hearing that voters had approved the measure. (Photo by Erin Brethauer, Asheville Citizen-Times)

On Tuesday November 8 2011, Buncombe County voters approved a quarter-cent sales tax increase designed to provide millions of dollars for renovations and new buildings at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. Voters approved the referendum by fewer than 500 votes — a 50.74 percent to 49.26 percent margin.  More than 33,000 votes were cast, with countywide turnout less than 20 percent.

With the approval by voters, commissioners now must pass a resolution levying the tax and submit that to the state Department of Revenue. The county can begin collecting the tax April 1 of 2012. The one-quarter percent amounts to 2.5 cents on a $10 purchase in Buncombe County or 25 cents on $100.

The tax should generate about $130 million for AB tech over 17 years.  About 30 percent of the money is expected to come from visitors to Buncombe County.

On August 16, the county commission issued an official resolution designating that the money from the tax would be used exclusively for AB Tech. You can view that resolution here.

Continue to next page to hear David explain what comes next in the implementation of the AB Tech tax.

Kevin Turner, supervisor of Buncombe County Veterans Services, updated the board on the problems facing veterans in the county.  He informed commissioners that Buncombe County has one of the highest veteran populations in the state, at over 21,000. Outlining some of the challenges that veterans face, Turner reported that  an average of 18 vets commit suicide every day. The rate of suicide among vets is over twice the rate of the rest of the population.  Also, 8 percent of the population are veterans, but 20 percent of the homeless population are veterans. Some estimate that up to 35 percent of the 2 million vets who served in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last decade could suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Commissioners also passed a pair of proclamations. They declared Nov. 13 “UNC–Asheville Bulldog Day” – the same day the university’s basketball team faces a tough challenge by the UNC–Chapel Hill Tarheels, one of the top ranked college basketball teams in the nation.

They also declared November “Adoption Awareness Month.”  The purpose of the proclamation, it states, is “to call attention to the fact that every child deserves to grow up in a loving, nurturing, permanent home and that this experience lays the foundation for a happy, productive adulthood. …During the month of November, Buncombe County Human Services, private adoption agencies, the faith community and local advocacy groups will participate in a statewide public awareness campaign around adoption.”

In addition, commissioners delayed the appointment of three applicants to the Buncombe County Planning Board until the Nov. 15 meeting.

A local nonprofit will get control of much of Buncombe County Sports Park in Enka under an agreement approved by the Buncombe County Commission, part of county government’s ongoing move to privatize some services. The county will save about $130,000 a year in maintenance costs by leasing seven fields at the popular park for $1 a year to Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association,  according to county parks head Fran Thigpen.

The Board of Commissioners voted 4-0  (Commissioner K. Ray Bailey was absent) to approve in principle a five-year lease that shifts control of the fields and responsibility for their maintenance to Asheville-Buncombe Youth Soccer Association. It is likely to be in place by spring. Some details about access for other users have yet to be worked out. Commissioners David Gantt and Holly Jones said those involved should keep in mind the interests of users not affiliated with ABYSA as they work through those issues.

Buncombe County will continue to handle other facilities at the park, which sees about 350,000 visitors a year. That includes a volleyball court, playground, walking paths, common areas and a large soccer practice field sometimes called Field Eight.  The county will have the right to make the seven fields ABYSA will lease available for other uses periodically.

The county has contracted with several other entities in recent years in efforts to hold down costs. A private company took over operation of Mountain Mobility, a transportation service for senior citizens, the disabled and others, this summer. Many health care services the county once performed are now handled by a nonprofit.

A desire by ABYSA to avoid deterioration of the fields because of budget cuts apparently led in part to the agreement.

A draft lease obligates county government to pay up to $18,000 a year for each of the first three years of the lease for water for the fields. ABYSA would get to use county equipment to maintain the fields right away and would own the equipment at the end of the lease. The county would have the right to program up to 12 special events on the fields. The draft provides that use of the fields “by the general public will not be unreasonably restricted; however ABYSA shall have the right to limit usage of the Fields in order to maintain the competition level quality of the Fields.”

Gantt said ABYSA will have to be careful not to unduly restrict other uses. “I have full confidence in these guys, but it does have to be a public facility too,” he said.

The board also voted unanimously to make a change in the county’s zoning ordinance that will require developers to submit visual plans of retaining walls. Commissioners said they hope the change will help the Buncombe County Board of Adjustment and the Buncombe County Planning Board make more informed decisions regarding the approval of development projects. David Gantt remarked, “The more that people learn ahead of time about what a development’s appearance will be, I think the less likely it will be that we’re going to have these eyesores that don’t make any sense for the community”.  The change was made in response to concerns about a large retaining wall built as part of an apartment complex on U.S. 74A in Reynolds that has been widely criticized as ugly and too big.

In other business, the board agreed to hold a Nov. 1 hearing on the county’s decision to condemn and demolish the contaminated former CTS of Asheville plant on Mills Gap Road. The hearing had originally been scheduled for Oct. 18 but was rescheduled at the request of the property owner, Mills Gap Road Associates, which is in the process of appealing that decision.

At the meeting the commission also approved almost half a million in funds for a variety of affordable housing projects from local nonprofits, including home rehabilitation, housing location vouchers, homelessness prevention and work on Mountain Housing Opportunities Glen Rock Depot project.

During the public comment period, residents living near the contaminated former CTS site expressed their frustration at the pace of demolishing the old plant. The commissioners and county staff replied that they are ready for demolition but have to follow the proper process with the property owners to prevent a legal battle that could potentially delay things even further.

Rev Lisa Landis also addressed the meeting on behalf of Occupy Asheville.

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 at their August 16th meeting to ask Blue Ridge Parkway managers to establish an overlook with a view of downtown Asheville. The board’s resolution states that the overlook would be an asset to the county and would help draw visitors into the city.

Parkway superintendent Phil Francis said that he favors the Asheville overlook idea even though budget cuts will present a challenge and that it couldn’t be achieved in the near term. Parkway officials will consider the issue as part of a study that will probably begin next year and take about two years, according to Francis. He said it is too soon to say how much an overlook might cost or how it would be paid for, but soliciting donations or seeking a federal appropriation would be among the options.

The Commission also passed a resolution instructing the Buncombe County Board of Elections to put a 0.25 percent sales-tax increase on the Nov. 8 ballot. If voters endorse the advisory referendum and the commissioners then make it law, all funds generated from the increase would go toward building improvements at A-B Tech, raising $6 million to $7 million a year.