Asheville City Council
April 23, 2024
Regular meeting
Other City businessPublic safetyStreets and transitBudget and taxes
What it did
- Approves the application of the grant.Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
- Applies for the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) 2023 Edward Byrne Justice Assistance…, and accepts it if awarded, for $83,673.Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
- Applies for the 2023 BVP Grant from the U.S. Dept, and accepts it if awarded.Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
- Adopts a resolution for City Council to authorize the City Manager to apply for the 2024 Office of Community Oriented Police Services (COPS)…Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
- Votes recorded
- 21
- Voted on separately
- 4
- Routine items, one vote
- 17
- Votes that split
- 4
Why it matters
Regular meetings are where Council votes on laws, the budget, contracts and zoning. Routine items pass together in one vote, called the consent agenda.
The recording
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 April 2024 as “Less Plastic Asheville Month”
“Councilwoman Ullman read the proclamation proclaiming April, 2024, as "Less Plastic Asheville Month" in the City of Asheville.”
Proclamation proclaiming May 12-18, 2024, as “National Police Week” and May 15, 2024, as “Peace Officers’ Memorial Day”
“Vice-Mayor Kilgore read the proclamation proclaiming May 12-18, 2024, as "National Police Week" and “May 15, 2024, as “Peace Officers’ Memorial Day” in the City of Asheville.”
CONSENT AGENDA
17 routine items, passed together in one vote.
NEW BUSINESS
Resolution allocating housing trust fund loans to specific affordable housing projects
“Affordable Housing Officer Sasha Vrtunski said that this is the consideration of a resolution to allocate six (6) HTF applications, $9,065,366, in total requests; and adoption of a resolution to approve five (5) applications for total HTF loan amount award of $4,660,622.”
Voted on separately
Each of these had its own motion and vote.
Approves the application of the grant.
Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The purpose of the HIDTA program is to reduce drug trafficking and especially production in the United States, specifically in areas where drug-related activities are having a significant harmful impact.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution to apply for the 2025 High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Grant on behalf of the Asheville HIDTA branch in the amount of $154,638.00.”
- “This unit does not focus on, or adopt cases, that are for simple possession, but focuses only on cases that deal in trafficking, manufacturing, and distribution of illegal drugs.”
Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for and accept the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) 2023 Edward Byrne Justice Assistance (JAG) Grant, and adopt a budget amendment in the City’s Special Revenue Fund in the amount of $83,673.”
- “Ensures the ability to better protect the safety of the residents of Asheville and Buncombe County.”
Applies for the 2023 BVP Grant from the U.S. Dept, and accepts it if awarded.
Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The funding will allow the purchase of 52 bulletproof vests over the two-year life of the grant.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for and accept the 2023 BVP Grant from the U.S. Dept. of Justice; and adopt a budget amendment in the City’s Special Revenue Fund in the amount of $40,973.40.”
Routine items, passed together
The consent agenda: items Council approves in one vote, without separate discussion. A member can ask to pull an item out for its own vote.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The award of this contract will result in much needed stabilization to an approximately 350 feet long section of Vance Gap Road.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Motion to adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with Rock Creek Grading, Inc. in the amount of $1,726,789.00, plus a 15% contingency of $259,018.35 ($1,985,807.35 total) for the Vance Gap Road Slide Repair contract.”
Changes the contract with Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Hickory, NC, at Harrah.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager execute an amendment to a contract with Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Hickory NC with an amount not to exceed $600,000.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “This project provides an important East / West connection in the overall greenway network”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “To-date, the City has contracted with Siteworks Studios totaling $577,000 for project design.”
- “The Nasty Branch Greenway is a planned ¾-mile-long greenway that starts at the Grant Southside Center on Depot Street and Livingston Street and terminates at Phifer Street near the McDowell and Southside intersection.”
- “The alignment goes through the Southside Community, providing additional transportation investments and recreational opportunities for Southside residents”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a budget amendment to the HCCA Operating Fund in the amount of $200,000 to reflect updated Fiscal Year 2023–24 (FY24) revenue and expenditure projections.”
Resolution ratifying a change order with Chonzie Inc. in relation to the Vance Monument removal.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “This change order will allow the completion of the monument removal that was begun in March 2021.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution ratifying a change order increasing the amount of the contract with Chonzie, Inc. in relation to the Vance Monument removal by $99,402 plus a contingency of 10,000, for a total change order amount not to exceed $109,402. 4-23-24 Page 19 Background:”
Changes the budget for capital improvements at the Asheville Municipal Golf Course.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The grant is specifically to allow the course to complete the remaining 25% of bunker restoration.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a budget amendment, in the amount of $56,000, to the Asheville Municipal Golf Course Capital Project account.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “This grant will assist in implementing the first phase of a larger comprehensive, multiyear system mapping effort.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- “As required under state statute, the Development Services Department is also planning to mail notice of the order to demolish to certain affordable housing organizations that have requested such notice and wait at least 45 days after such mailing before performing any demolition.”
Applies for U.S. dept. of Energy Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funds…
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “This funding will support the purchase of three electric vehicles.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- “APD’s Forensic Unit expects to use the device for 5-7 years depending on continued advancements in technology and ongoing support for the product by the vendor.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- “Local Government Investment Pools (LGIPs) are allowed by North Carolina State Statute to be formed by two or more participating local government units according to specific guidelines.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “This lease agreement will allow for planned structural repairs to proceed at the Municipal Building.”
- “Size: 11,415 square feet.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “This project will help the WNC Nature Center reach master plan goals by providing an entry experience to their Southern Appalachian journey.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The purchase of new fareboxes is intended to replace the existing fareboxes that are no longer manufactured and the City is no longer able to purchase replacement parts.”
- “The ART transit system has a fleet of 35 buses, of which nearly 50% (17 buses) have surpassed their typical useful life of 12 years and/or 500,000 miles.”
Monthly municipal property tax refunds or releases per N.C. gen. stat. sec. 105-381.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
The plain-language lines are written by fixed rules from each item's official title, which is on each decision's page. Every vote the minutes record is listed; procedural motions, like approving the minutes or adjourning, are left out.