Citizens will have a chance to comment on a draft of Asheville’s Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Master Plan. The plan is being developed by GreenPlay, a Colorado firm. At last night’s city council meeting, Dr. Carl Mumpower requested a tally of the costs the city has incurred for outsourced studies, plans, and reports. The majority of his peers did not want to invest the necessary staff time in such an endeavor. Mumpower said he was addressing a quote from the mayor in the newspaper about the city struggling to find money to pave its streets. Mayor Terry Bellamy replied she never said such a thing, and she cannot be held accountable for bad reporting.
Later in the meeting, Councilwoman Robin Cape wanted to use the city’s love affair with planning to its personal advantage. She suggested a modification to a resolution members of council intended to send to the General Assembly in opposition to HB 2499, Drought/Water Management Recommendations. The majority on council opposed giving the governor powers to control local water rates and run local water systems in times of drought. Cape suggested granting exemptions to cities, like Asheville, that had established best practices as a result of master planning. After her friendly amendment was rejected, she suggested a separate vote on supporting the General Assembly in providing management services and financial assistance to water districts without the ability to contract for their own master plans. She withdrew her item before the vote, “seeing many heads sink.”
