LIVE @ Buncombe County Strategic Partnership Grant Committee 11/12/20

Recap of Buncombe County Strategic Partnership Grant Committee Meeting - November 12, 2020

The Buncombe County Strategic Partnership Grant Committee convened on November 12, 2020, but the meeting’s proceedings were notably unusual and ultimately unproductive. The meeting was attended by members of the committee, though specific attendance records were not detailed in available documentation. The purpose of this meeting, like all committee meetings, is to evaluate and potentially award strategic partnership grants that benefit the county. However, this particular session deviated significantly from standard practice.

The transcript of the meeting reveals a striking lack of substantive discussion or decision-making. The entire record consists solely of repeated acknowledgements – the phrase "Thank you" was uttered numerous times throughout the duration of the meeting. Consequently, no topics were formally discussed, and there were no decisions made or votes taken by the committee. This absence of substantive engagement means that no grant applications were reviewed, and no funding allocations were approved during this session.

Importantly, there was no public comment or community input received during the meeting. The transcript provides no indication of citizen participation or external perspectives being considered as part of the committee’s deliberations. This lack of engagement further underscores the unusual nature of the meeting and its limited impact on community priorities related to strategic partnership grants.

Given the absence of discussion, decisions, or action items, there are no immediate next steps stemming directly from this meeting. The lack of any formal outcomes means that the committee’s work on evaluating grant applications and allocating funds remains unchanged. The unusual nature of this meeting raises concerns about the efficiency and transparency of county processes, particularly regarding grant allocation. It is recommended that an internal review be conducted to understand the circumstances surrounding this atypical meeting and ensure future committee sessions adhere to standard procedures.