Asheville City Council
May 14, 2019
Regular meeting
Budget and taxesHousingHomelessnessStreets and transitOther City business
The short version
12 decisions: 11 approved together in one consent-agenda vote, and 1 voted on separately. 1 vote split.
- Council votes down a plan to approve $7,900 additional funds for his training purposes.
Failed. Voted no: Esther Manheimer, Julie Mayfield.
- Council approves a contract worth up to $275,000 to conduct the follow master plans: Pedestrian Plan, greenway plan; and americans with Disabilities Act transition plan.
Council voted to approve a contract with Transportation Planning and Design to conduct the follow master plans: Pedestrian Plan, greenway plan; and americans with Disabilities Act transition plan, worth up to $275,000.
The short version is picked by a fixed rule, never by the order of the minutes: split votes and failed motions first, then changes to a program, a service or who qualifies, then the largest amounts, then budgets, zoning, laws and fees. Schedules, appointments, event permits and tax refunds come last.
The recording and the record
Voted on separately
Each of these had its own motion and vote.
Council votes down a plan to approve $7,900 additional funds for his training purposes.
Failed. Voted no: Esther Manheimer, Julie Mayfield.
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- The money, in the minutes' words: “Therefore, he requested additional funds for training in the amount of $7,900.”
Approved together on the consent agenda
11 items, approved in one vote without separate discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
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Council voted to approve a contract with Transportation Planning and Design to conduct the follow master plans: Pedestrian Plan, greenway plan; and americans with Disabilities Act transition plan, worth up to $275,000.
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with Transportation Planning and Design (TPD) not to exceed $275,000 to conduct the following master plans: Pedestrian Plan, Greenway Plan and ADA Plan in City Rights of Way Transition Plan.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
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- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Approval of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a contract for two years with Blanchard, Miller, Lewis, and Isley, P.A. in the amount of $144,000 for government relation services for two years.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
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- The money, in the minutes' words: “Motion to adopt a resolution adopting a contract amendment to an existing sidewalk design contract with Mattern & Craig, Inc., of Asheville, North Carolina (Mattern & Craig), for the amount of $106,650 for the project known as Bond Sidewalk Bundle B Design.”
- “These supplemental funds were necessary to fully fund the projects as proposed.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
- Bonds:
- Bonds are loans the City pays back over many years, with interest.
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Council voted to change its contract with Green Built Alliance to implement the Blue Horizons Project for an additional two years, to expand the scope of the work.
- What the City says it's for: “The contract amendment will provide continued engagement and education opportunities on energy efficiency and renewable energy programs to neighborhood associations, community groups, and our local business community.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution to amend the contract with Green Built Alliance to 1) implement the Blue Horizons Project for an additional two years, 2) expand the scope of work and 3) authorize the City Manager to execute the amendment in an amount not to exceed a total contract amount of $100,000.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Council changes the budget for the fiscal year 2018-19 senior center general purpose fund grant.
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- The money, in the minutes' words: “Move to approve the budget amendment authorizing the City Manager to establish a budget in the amount of 1) $3,565 for Senior Opportunity Center, and 2) $3,565 for Harvest House for facility improvements and equipment.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
- Budget amendment:
- A change to the City's spending plan after it's passed. It adds money that came in, or moves money to a new use.
- Fiscal year:
- The City's budget year runs from July 1 to June 30. Fiscal year 2027 runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.
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Council voted to waive permit Fees for residential and commercial structures affected by the April 19, 2019, flood event.
- “In an effort to assist residents and property owners that incurred flood damage to structures during this event the Development Services Department proposes to waive all permit fees for these structures.”
- “In review of the proposed change and based on information provided to us from Dan Brubaker at the NC Department of Public Safety, it is common for communities to waive permit fees, post disaster.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
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Council voted to approve a contract with Mcgill & Associates for design and engineering Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and related professional services under a Master Services Agreement.
- “The City’s review team utilized a scoring matrix to assess the qualifications of the proposed firms.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
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Council voted to approve a contract with McCracken & Lopez P.A. for design and engineering Building Commissioning, testing, Adjusting, Balancing and Related engineering professional services under a Master Services Agreement.
- “The City’s review team utilized a scoring matrix to assess the qualifications of the proposed firms based on submitted qualifications and experience of the firm and project team, relevant past projects, and the firm’s ability to respond to on-call projects.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Council changes a contract to provide Bulk Refuse and recycling collection for City Facilities.
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Council voted to change its contract with Waste Pro of North Carolina, Inc. to provide Bulk Refuse and recycling collection for City Facilities.
- What the City says it's for: “This contract will also be amended to reflect a rate increase in Fiscal Year 2020 of 3.5% for all services; to update numbers of receptacles needed and frequency of service required; and to update the method by which annual CPI increases may be calculated.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
More
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
More
Council voted to set a public hearing on May 28, 2019, on adoption of the fiscal year 2019-20 Annual Operating Budget.
- “Set May 28, 2019 as the date to conduct the public hearing on the City of Asheville Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-20 Proposed Annual Operating Budget.”
- “The 2019-20 Proposed Annual Operating Budget is scheduled to be presented to City Council on May 14, 2019, and adopted on June 11, 2019.”
- “In accordance with the North Carolina Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act (G.S. 159-12), the board is required to hold a public hearing on the Proposed Budget prior to adoption of the annual budget ordinance.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
- Fiscal year:
- The City's budget year runs from July 1 to June 30. Fiscal year 2027 runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.
- Public hearing:
- A time at a Council meeting when anyone can speak about the item before Council votes on it.
Everything on the agenda
From the minutes, in the order the City lists them. Each item's first lines are the minutes' own words.
PROCLAMATIONS
Proclamation proclaiming May, 2019, as “Tick-Borne Diseases Awareness Month”
“Mayor Manheimer read the proclamation proclaiming May, 2019, as "Tick-Borne Diseases Awareness Month" in the City of Asheville.”
Proclamation proclaiming May, 2019, as “jane’s walk month”
“At the requester’s request, this proclamation has been moved to the May 28, 2019, meeting.”
Proclamation proclaiming May 19-25, 2019, as “Public Works Week”
“Councilman Young read the proclamation proclaiming May 19-25, 2019, as "Public Works Week " in the City of Asheville.”
Receipt of the g. hebert stout award for visionary use of gis by a North Carolina city
“Tim Johnson, Director, Center for Geographic Information and Analysis of the North Carolina Department of Information Technology, was pleased to award the City of Asheville with the G. Hebert Stout Award for Visionary Use of GIS by a North Carolina City.”
CONSENT AGENDA
11 consent-agenda items, approved together in one vote.
PRESENTATIONS & REPORTS
Presentation of the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Annual Operating Budget
“City Manager Campbell was pleased to present the Fiscal Year 19-20 Annual Operating Budget.”
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public hearing to consider conditional zoning of property located at 20 Battery Park Avenue and known as the Flat Iron Building from Central Business District to Central Business District expansion/conditional zoning for the renovation…
“Planning & Urban Design Director Todd Okolichany said that this is the consideration of an ordinance to conditionally zone property located at 20 Battery Park Avenue and known as the Flat Iron Building from Central Business District to Central Business District Expansion /Conditional Zone for the…”
NEW BUSINESS
Discussion and direction regarding City Council travel & training budget and practice
“Mayor Manheimer said that the City has a City Council Travel Policy adopted in August of 2008.”
Boards & commissions
“Vice-Mayor Wisler, Chair of the Boards & Commissions Committee, said that this is the consideration of appointing a member to the Citizens-Police Advisory Committee.”
INFORMAL DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC COMMENT
Public comment
“5-14-19 Page 24 Mr. Reid Thompson spoke about the commercial traffic in front of his house on Maxwell Street.”
Summaries are written by hand from the minutes, and every number and name in them is checked against the minutes' own words. An item not written yet shows a summary built by fixed rules from its official title. Every item shows its official title. Procedural motions, like approving the agenda or adjourning, are left out.