Political maneuvers came into play as the Metropolitan Sewerage District (MSD) considered a partnership that would help the City of Asheville close its budget gap. It seems the intent of both sides was to stall the measure. Currently, the city pays to extend sewer lines, and then lets the MSD charge fees. Under the proposal, Asheville would get half the proceeds from the fees for the lesser of ten years or the time required for full reimbursement. One contingency asked to postpone the vote to the next meeting so they could prepare a presentation of the impact of the proposal on small businesses, and the other threatened to skip the next meeting to prevent a vote if they did.