January 10, 2023

What residents raised

The topics public speakers raised, as the minutes list them. These are residents' comments, not findings.

• appreciation for pickleball courts with offers to participate in the process to address Montford pickleball concerns

Voted on separately

Each of these had its own motion and vote.

1. Council amends Chapter 15, Solid Waste Management, of the City Code of Ordinances.

   Passed. Everyone present voted yes.

   More

   Council voted to amend Chapter 15, Solid Waste Management, of the City Code of Ordinances related to yard waste collection to prohibit plastic bags for curbside brush and leaf collection, effective August 1, 2023.

   • The money, in the minutes' words: “Funding in the amount of $20,000 has been identified within the Public Works Department operating budget to support implementation of the plastic leaf bag ban.”
   • “Funding will be used for education and outreach about the ordinance change and for the one-time purchase and distribution of 30,000 leaf bags to residents.”

2. Council approves the 2023 City Council Legislative Agenda.

   Passed. Everyone present voted yes.

   More

   Council voted to approve the 2023 City Council Legislative Agenda. It also directs the City Attorney to provide the resolution to the members of our local delegation.

Approved together on the consent agenda

7 items, approved in one vote without separate discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.

1. Council changes a contract for the Swannanoa River Greenway Phase II.

   More

   Council voted to change its contract with Equinox Environmental Consultation and Design for the Swannanoa River Greenway Phase II.

   • The money, in the minutes' words: “The City has also been awarded funds from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority in the amount of $2,300,000.”
   • “Funding for this contract is currently budgeted in the General Capital Projects Fund.”

   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.

2. Council approves, after the fact, the execution of a contract with Daikin Applied Americas Inc. for safety repairs to the HVAC system.

   More

   Council voted to approve, after the fact, the execution of a contract with Daikin Applied Americas Inc. for safety repairs to the HVAC system at harrah’s cherokee center - asheville.

   • The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution ratifying the execution of a contract with Daikin Applied Americas Inc. in the amount not to exceed $165,600 for HVAC emergency repairs and upgrades at Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville.”
   • “This included installation of 10 new air handler units, new boiler systems and additional support infrastructure.”
   • “In the course of 14 months three of the ten new air handler units have failed, as well as numerous portions of support infrastructure down the line.”

   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.

   After the fact:

   Council approves something the City already did. This often happens in an emergency, when there's no time to wait for a meeting.

3. Council changes a contract to add additional station alerting equipment at the Broadway Public Safety Station.

   More

   Council voted to change its contract with the Contract with Motorola Solutions Inc. to add additional station alerting equipment at the Broadway Public Safety Station.

   • What the City says it's for: “The requested equipment will extend visual and audible alerts to additional spaces within the building.”
   • The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a change order to the contract with Motorola Solutions, Inc. to add additional station alerting equipment at the Broadway Public Safety Station in the amount of $11,941.20.”

   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.

4. Council reduces the total number of members on the Human Relations Commission of Asheville from 15 to 9, retaining existing members.

   More

   Council voted to reduce the total number of members on the Human Relations Commission of Asheville from 15 to 9, retaining existing members until their present term expires, resignation or removal; and to allow up to 3 members to be non-city residents who currently reside within Buncombe County.

   • “The BRC’s final recommendations included a 15-member board of city residents.”
   • “The current establishing ordinance for the HRCA also requires that members be residents of the City in order to be eligible to serve on the commission.”
   • “Providing some allowance for non-city residents to serve would help alleviate the difficulties in filling the full commission membership.”

   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.

5. Council approves an agreement with the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority for tourism product development grant funds.

   More

   • What the City says it's for: “The grant funds awarded to these projects supplement existing project budgets and help to ensure that the projects are completed as envisioned and presented to the granting agency.”

   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.

6. Council sets the schedule for the 2023 budget.

   More

   Council voted to set the schedule for the 2023 budget.

   • “Formal presentation of the City Manager’s Proposed Budget on May 9, 2023.”
   • “A public hearing on the Proposed Budget on May 23, 2023.”

   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.

7. Council sets a public hearing on February 14, 2023.

   More

   Council voted to set a public hearing on February 14, 2023, on closing an unopened right-of-way connecting to the east side of Buncombe Street between Commerce Street and Aston Street, and declaring its intent to close this right-of-way.

   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.

   Right-of-way:

   Land set aside for a street, sidewalk or path. An unopened right-of-way was never built as a street.

   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.