And with multiple reversals by city council members running for election/ reelection, we definitely saw those contradictions on display.
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Thanks for following and have a great night! #avlgov
Public comment concludes. Manheimer adjourns the meeting.
Thanks for following tonight's @avlblade.bsky.social coverage of the city council meeting. #Avlgov meetings are 9/10 a parade, a cherade. We're here to keep you updated on what city hall says, and more importantly, what they do.
While what commenter is saying is interesting, #avlgov could just make the transit system free.
Thanks @davidforbes.bsky.social , I will most likely close us out.
Next commenter addressing transit.
Citing drivers checking city employee badges to get free rides. "Visual checking is already something we are doing."
Discusses different pay options such as card readers and apps #avlgov
Thanks y'all. @matildabliss.bsky.social will cover final part of this Asheville city council meeting. #avlgov
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Naturally, the mayor demands a direct update on what city hall staff are doing to cater to the whims of the Biltmore Village crowd. They claim higher-ups are working directly with them "and responsive."
Manheimer and Turner want direct updates.
The gentry, y'all. #avlgov
Having lived here for well over 20 years, I can say that the Biltmore Village business gentry are, as a general group, notorious for treating everyone else in the city terribly, and badly underpaying/mistreating workers.
So there ain't much sympathy for this spoiled crew #avlgov
Good lord. One of the owners, in tears, is demanding that city hall use public funds to buy from Biltmore Village's (notoriously overpriced) businesses to prop up their profits. #avlgov
There is something particularly laughable to see a transplant who bought a building in a devastated flood plain — after a catastrophe — whining that their business isn't profitable. #avlgov
Rebuilding a historically badly overbuilt flood plain just like it was pre-Helene means the next major storm will be even more devastating.
To many locals, the shuttering of a handful of businesses most people here could never afford anyway is a small price to make rest of the city safer. #avlgov
Renewing transit management contract with RATP Dev passes 4-3. Mosley, Turner and Smith against.
Roney cast deciding vote in keep dollars flowing to the widely-hated for-profit company. #avlgov
Council member Sage Turner: not going to be supporting new RATP Dev due to sharp increase in cost of contract.
But she's doing so for awful reasons because she wants to, longer term, cut transit. #avlgov
Manheimer using the state's anti-labor laws as an excuse. While those are a problem, plenty of other cities in n.c. have far more functioning transit syatema than Asheville.
Gutting it, for years, has been policy of city hall and she's been absolutely fine with it #avlgov
Speaker with Sunrise movement wishes city hall could find better transit
Next speaker: I was a bus driver, criticizes "terrible management" by RATP Dev. Fired five people, multiple open EEOC cases, worker issues ignored.
Criticizing Ullman for being "grateful" to the company. #avlgov
"This proposal is terrible and damaging. I'm voting for it anyway" is such a common feature of Asheville's "progressive" council members that it's a running joke. #avlgov
Ullman, who regularly reaches new depths of corporate crony behavior, thanks RATP Dev, a company the city's set to pay *$54 million* to over four years, "for bidding" on contract.
"Didn't want the only thing on the record to be disdain" for the for-profit company. Heaven forefend. #avlgov
City attorney Brad Branham gets (as usual) vague, and claims there are ways to cancel the contract.
Roney pulls her usual move, after criticizing RATP Dev and noting riders hate thrm, of saying she'll vote for the contract anyway (with promises of improvements as the excuse). #avlgov
Roney: longtime transit rider, when people heard we were staying with the contract holder, the nicest term for what I heard was "disdain."
What happens if the contract doesn't work and we need to get out of it? #avlgov
Thanks Matilda. On to renewing the contract with RATP Dev for managing the transit system. They don't have a good record but city hall's set on sticking with them while further gutting the system.
NC's anti-labor laws mean #avlgov hires a company to be middle man with unionized transit workers.
Passing coverage over to @davidforbes.bsky.social for the next part. Thanks for supporting the @avlblade.bsky.social
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Councilmember Kim Roney thanks community for "bringing the heat." Still votes for next stage of the proposed project. So does Smith who said she wouldn't vote for it, and the proposal passes unanimously.
#avlgov
Mosley suggesting that funds raised from an art gallery could be used to offset property tax increases (like the two would even compare).
Smith: "I like where the conversation transitioned."
Says that community wants to be a "partner," and not just have a "seat at the table." #avlgov
Councilmember Bo Hess asking about potential for things like a daycare's potential for being part of the project. Staff says it's possible "with the right partner," but an art gallery is preferable. #avlgov
Councilmember Sage Turner asking if there are other locations being considered. Staff says arts center would need to be within walking distance of retail, restaurants, and hotels. Says that the acoustics are better next to a fire station rather than a parking lot. Seriously.
#avlgov
A lot of this revolves around the use of "partnership," which East End and community groups are demanding as co-ownership/control of any future project and city hall are using to mean input they'll later, as usual, ignore. #avlgov
Unfortunately projects like this get a certain momentum once #avlgov has dedicated resources towards it & powerful groups such as the Chamber of Commerce & the TDA gather resources to back it. Projects like the hotel Project Aspire can get sidelined later, but, usually best to take these out early.
Commenter is allowed to speak and says that his support for project was based on it having the chance to be voted down later after additional input was gathered.
At this point, his, and supposedly other colleague's support, is based on this being a land hold, not a preapproval #avlgov
Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley saying that some of the Black orgs that she talked with beforehand said that the project was sufficient. "Now I'm hearing that it's not."
Someone from audience is speaking. Manheimer moves to quiet them. Mosley says allow him to speak or she can just "vote no." #avlgov
Councilmember Sheneika Smith (up for reelection) saying that project is not preapproved.
"I'm not going to vote for this."
#avlgov
Michael Hayes comments noting that he's here for Black locals who can't be here.
"I've been in Asheville for 51 years."
"You're slowly but surely taking away Black Asheville."
Ponders what daughter will see what's left of Black Asheville when she is 39 years old. #avlgov
