City Council Worksession on Policy, Finance and Infrastructure (In-Person) (Feb 24, 2026)

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City Council Worksession Recap: February 24, 2026 – Policy, Finance & Infrastructure

The City Council held a work session on February 24, 2026, focusing on critical areas impacting Asheville’s future: disaster recovery, budget challenges, long-term development plans, and board appointments. The session primarily served as an information-gathering exercise, with formal votes on major proposals deferred to subsequent meetings. The meeting was a mix of presentations and discussions, designed to inform council members and solicit feedback from staff and the community.

Key Discussions & Decisions:

The session was dominated by two major themes: recovery from Tropical Storm Colleen and addressing a significant projected budget gap. Regarding disaster recovery, the council heavily discussed allocating funds from the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (DR) program. Staff recommended prioritizing two projects: enhancing resilience and recreation at French Broad River Park & Azalea Park, and addressing water quality issues at the North Fork Reservoir through a pretreatment project. A significant portion of the discussion centered on reallocating funds to support community-led resilience hubs, recognizing their vital role during the storm and ongoing importance. Public input from a recovery priority survey was a key driver in these discussions, emphasizing environmental restoration and community resilience.

The council also confronted a projected $30 million budget gap for the upcoming fiscal year, stemming from factors including economic conditions, inflation, increased transit contract costs, and rising healthcare/retirement expenses. Potential solutions explored included spending reductions, revenue increases (including fees and charges), and leveraging the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). Staff will continue working on addressing this gap, presenting updates to the council and public in future meetings.

Beyond financial matters, the council engaged in discussions surrounding the Parkside land hold and potential mixed-use development opportunities. A partnership with ATG Entertainment is being explored, potentially involving a public-private arrangement for a performing arts facility and parking. Finally, the council reviewed findings from the Single Audit for Fiscal Year 2025, identifying qualified opinions related to subrecipient monitoring and reporting requirements for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The Community Economic Development Department will implement corrective action plans to address these findings.

Board Appointments & Vacancies:

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to reviewing applications for various advisory boards and commissions. The council discussed vacancies on the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, Asheville-BUNCOMBE Riverfront Commission, Audit Committee, Board of Adjustment, Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTA), Multimodal Transportation Commission, Neighborhood Advisory Committee, Public Art and Culture Commission, Sustainability Advisory Committee, and the Helene Housing Recovery Board. Recommendations were made for several positions, with formal votes to be taken at a later business meeting. The BCTA recommended Kyle Highberg for appointment, while the Audit Committee recommended Randall Hall and the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee recommended Mike Holmes and Michael Pesant.

Action Items & Next Steps:

Several key action items emerged from the session:

• City staff will draft contingent awards outlining requirements and funding levels for recommended DR projects.
• Staff will continue pursuing the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) for the North Fork Reservoir project.
• Council members directed staff to explore options for reallocating funds to support resilience hubs, with further discussion planned in future meetings.
• The Community Economic Development Department will implement corrective action plans to address findings from the Single Audit.
• Staff will continue working on addressing the projected budget gap, presenting updates to the council and public.
• The City Council will consider a formal request to hold the Parkside land in March.
• Formal votes on board appointments will be scheduled for a future business meeting.

Notable Perspectives & Future Meetings:

Council members consistently emphasized the importance of investing in community-led resilience hubs and a balanced approach to addressing the budget gap, considering both spending reductions and revenue increases. Several work sessions are scheduled in March and April to further discuss budget strategies, compensation, capital projects, and enterprise funds. Public forums will also be held to gather input on park projects. The City Council’s next meeting is scheduled for March 10th, where they will discuss GF projections and budget reduction options.