Asheville and Buncombe County are considering consolidating their parks and recreation departments. Technically, the city now has a Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department that oversees the operation of 67 parks, greenways, and centers. The county has a Parks, Greenways, and Recreation Department that operates seventeen facilities. Citizen-Times reporter Joel Burgess envisions the merger as the creation of a “megabody.” Of regional interest, the Civic Center, McCormick Field, and the Municipal Golf Course could be included in or exempted from the final deal. Combined, the two departments spend $13 million a year.
The merger is viewed as a cost-saving strategy, but an agreement could be structured to give the department its own taxing and borrowing authority. Since talks are in the preliminary stages, no decisions have been made about whether or not any administrative jobs would be cut.
The merger would require permission from the NCGA. Representative Susan Fisher (D-Buncombe) has submitted a place-holder bill, so the megabody could be formed and operating within a few months.
The city has taken pride in upfitting recreational properties it recently regained from joint ownership under the Regional Water Agreement. Reportedly, the Regional Water Board had been too large to make executive decisions. The new board likely would not be so large and diverse.
