Tonight’s meeting of the Buncombe County Commissioners was dominated by public comment on sundry issues. The commissioners’ business was short. They heard a plea for continuing funding for teachers’ aides, cafeteria nutritionists, and others that are playing an instrumental role in reducing the dropout rate. A per capita accounting was made of the cost dropouts impose on society with their criminality and other features. This number was then multiplied by the number of students graduating to determine how much the county SAVES.
Then, the commissioners approved an ordinance creating Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural Districts. Nobody cared. Government just wants people to sign contracts to not develop their land and in exchange receive money from the state’s deficit. Commissioner Carol Weir Peterson called the question quickly after one member of the public had a chance to talk.
During public comment, Don Yelton objected to the commissioners saying there were no applicants for the URTV board when he had submitted an application. Then, they waived their rules to reappoint another person. He and two other people complained about rumors that URTV memberships were going to soon cost $300.
Mike Fryar appeared to be pitting the commissioners against Sheriff Van Duncan. During the election, Fryar had questioned the sheriff’s vehicle and phone allowances. Duncan allegedly told Fryar to compare his perks to what the commissioners were getting. Fryar then complained that the commissioners’ allowances equaled the property taxes of 107 residents owning $160,000 homes. Fryar managed to have eight supporters in the audience, as is required for ten minutes at the podium.
Aaron Penland couldn’t understand why the county didn’t have enough money to provide water for victims of cancer he attributes to the CTS scare. He complained about an undevelopable piece of property the commissioners just committed to purchase for its 2.5 miles of hiking trails. Taking a parcel valued at $561,000 off the tax rolls would shift a chunk of the property tax burden onto the shoulders of the poor, and the commissioners would have to dredge up money for the albeit discounted purchase price and $175,000 in parking improvements.
