Board of Commissioners Meeting

On September 15, 2026, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting to address disaster recovery, affordable housing, land conservation, and board appointments. The session included a public hearing on transportation funding, a review of federal disaster recovery awards, and the approval of a master planning contract for a newly acquired park.

Key Decisions The Board unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included the minutes from the September 1 and August 18 meetings, a resolution for a pyrotechnic expert, and a budget amendment for a Governor’s Crime Commission grant. The Board also unanimously adopted resolutions authorizing the Chair to execute an application for FY 2028 Public Transportation Program funds for the "Mountain Mobility" project.

In new business, the Board unanimously approved a $1,392,190 contract with Equinox Environmental for the Deaverview Mountain Master Plan, which includes engineering and community outreach. Additionally, the Board unanimously approved budget amendments totaling approximately $311,300 from the annual budget and $2.2 million from the Open Space Bond to fund conservation easements for the Rymer-Davis properties, Ruby Brown Farm, and an expansion of the Camp Sequoyah easement.

The Board made several appointments to advisory bodies, all of which passed with a 6-0 vote:

• Agricultural Advisory Board: Charles Hubbard and Mark Diaz.
• Strategic Partnership Grants Committee: Sala Menaya-Merritt, Sandy Feutz, Rachel Dudasik, and Christine Crespo Valentin.
• Historic Resources Commission: Melody Oxendine.
• VIA Regional Board: Dr. Ellis Matheson.
• AB Tech Board of Trustees: Edward Willis.
• Board of Adjustments: Scott Elliott (alternate) and James Diaz (regular member).

Discussion Highlights A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a manager’s report on the third anniversary of Hurricane Helene. Chair Amanda Edwards presented a video and report highlighting recovery progress, including FEMA funding, property buyouts, and road repairs. Edwards stated, "Recovery is not a sprint, it's a marathon. And we're definitely in the long stretch of that marathon as we go forward."

Staff also provided an update on Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) awards. Commissioners expressed frustration regarding the disparity in funding Buncombe County received compared to other disaster-impacted counties, specifically noting that the Cox Avenue project did not receive an award despite being a top-scoring application. Commissioner Parker Sloan stated, "I think that the day of being polite about this... are over. That behavior has to end today. I think the state of North Carolina, the governor's office, and the agencies that roll up under him screwed this up royally... This slide... shows to me either incompetence or games are being played with the funding." Commissioner Al Whitesides added, "We know why we know mom let's not beat around the bush we know why but it's just not fair to the people of Buncombe and we need to voice the opinion where it's a letter whatever let them know... let's put it on the table." Commissioner Drew Ball noted, "We have stood shoulder to shoulder in Raleigh and DC with neighboring communities, but it's a misalignment when you have an area like ours that has been so... WILDLY IMPACTED... It just seems they've really fumbled this one, and it's really -- it's frustrating." Chair Edwards emphasized, "I think we've said all too often... that the county is not the city... We have over 150,000 residents living in unincorporated Buncombe County... It is not acceptable that our recovery is being delayed, pushed further back for reasons that we don't know and that we don't understand."

The Board also issued proclamations recognizing First Step Farm of WNC’s 50th Anniversary, National Manufacturing Day and Month, National Hispanic & Latino Heritage Month, the Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District’s 75th Anniversary, and Human Resources Professionals Day.

Community Input During public comment, Tom Desereaux of the Sandhill Community Garden expressed concern that stakeholders were not consulted regarding the design contract for the proposed indoor recreational facility, requesting a "seat at the table" to discuss traffic and access. David Greenson of GAP AVL requested that the Board direct staff to assess and publicly report displacement risks associated with the Deaverview Mountain Park project, arguing for a standardized anti-displacement analysis framework.

During the public hearing for the FY28 NCDOT application, Kim West, a Mountain Mobility rider, praised the implemented technology but requested the adoption of tracking software to improve efficiency and highlighted the ongoing shortage of drivers.

Follow-ups Staff member William High stated that funds were approved two years ago for Mountain Mobility tracking software and that they are "actively in progress of acquiring the technology needed." Regarding the driver shortage, staff stated they are endeavoring to leverage penalties in operating contracts to address the failure of contractors to keep operators' roles up. Staff member Matthew Cable noted that the development partner for the Cox Avenue project is "actively currently looking at alternative sources for the capital stack" to close a $15 million gap, with a new LIHTC application anticipated for the January pre-app window. Staff indicated plans to start the Deaverview Mountain master plan by the end of summer 2026, with community engagement in fall 2026 and a draft master plan by summer 2027.

Impact These decisions advance the county’s long-term recovery and infrastructure goals. The approval of the Deaverview Mountain master plan initiates the planning phase for a 342-acre park that must be open to the public by 2029. The conservation easement funding protects agricultural land and open space, while the transportation grant application seeks to improve the efficiency of the Mountain Mobility service. The Board’s discussion on disaster recovery funding highlights ongoing challenges in securing equitable state and federal resources for the county’s residents.