City Council Worksession on Policy, Finance and Infrastructure (Jun 10, 2025)

City Council Worksession Recap: Shaping Asheville’s Future After Disaster

On June 10, 2025, the City Council convened a crucial work session focused on Policy, Finance & Infrastructure (PFI) – marking the launch of a new committee structure designed to streamline city planning and resource allocation. This session, attended by all seven City Council members, centered on aligning the city's recovery efforts with priorities identified during a previous council retreat and optimizing how those efforts are implemented. The meeting included an engaging workshop with FountainWorks, a consulting firm specializing in organizational planning and recovery strategies.

A core focus of the session was reaffirming four key priority areas for city recovery: People, emphasizing community resilience and clear communication; Economy, aiming to reinvest in Nashville’s economy and support underrepresented businesses; Housing, with a commitment to expanding housing initiatives; and Infrastructure & Environment, prioritizing future-ready infrastructure and environmental sustainability. The Council also discussed restructuring existing advisory boards and commissions to better support these recovery goals, a proposal that sparked considerable discussion. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to understanding FountainWorks’ framework for sequencing recovery initiatives, highlighting dependencies between projects like HUD Disaster Recovery Funds Management and the Affordable Housing Plan.

While no formal votes were taken on all matters, a key decision was the reaffirmation of the four priority recovery areas. The Council also approved minutes from three previous committee meetings via a voice vote. A particularly notable discussion centered around the potential to temporarily pause approximately 30 advisory boards and commissions (excluding those mandated by statute) for 18-24 months, consolidating their efforts under four “supercommittees” aligned with the city's strategic pillars. This proposal, while not finalized, aims to streamline efforts and ensure greater alignment with the Council's overarching goals. The discussion highlighted a desire to improve efficiency and ensure that advisory board efforts are effectively integrated into city planning.

The meeting was primarily an informational session, with no formal public comment taken due to the work session format. However, community engagement and incorporating feedback were recurring themes throughout the discussions, reflecting a commitment to transparency and responsiveness.

Looking ahead, several key action items emerged from the session. City staff will develop work plans for advisory boards to align them with council goals, and a workshop led by FountainWorks will be held on June 16th for advisory board chairs and vice-chairs to discuss organization and direction. The PFI committee will continue meeting bi-monthly, and the Council will revisit the restructuring proposal at a future retreat. Bo (City Staff) is tasked with meeting with existing boards and commissions to discuss alignment with the proposed supercommittee structure, and criteria for these new "supercommittees" will be developed.

This work session represents a significant step towards shaping Asheville’s future following the disaster, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively and community voices are heard. Residents can stay informed about these ongoing efforts by visiting [https://www.ashevillenc.gov/government//policy-finance-infrastructure worksession/](https://www.ashevillenc.gov/government//policy-finance-infrastructure worksession/) and following the City Council's progress on their website.