The media’s attention was captured by a report to the Buncombe County Commissioners from their Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. It provided an update on the Parks and Recreation master planning process. It expressed the board’s needs, including web site upgrades and a greenways department. They needed to hire a planner, a fulltime director, a recreation and wellness coordinator, a grant writer, and an arts and events coordinator. An aquatics facility and a softball park were two very important capital improvement initiatives. Four dog parks are also in demand.

Of apparently no import was the “Manager’s Report,” delivered during the same meeting, from the Buncombe County Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee. Buncombe County has ninety-four adult care homes. All homes were visited last year thanks to 292 hours of volunteer time. Presenter Barbara Hinshaw invited the commissioners, once again, to tour some of the homes. “It would be an eye-opener.” The committee’s report states, “There are an unacceptable number of facilities that are in need of cleaning and repair.” The greatest problem, however was that since de-institutionalization, people with emotional problems, including substance abuse, are being housed in these facilities designed for the frail elderly. “The supervisors and staff of adult care and family care homes do not have appropriate training to handle residents with severe, persistent mental illness, thus endangering everyone in the home, including staff. Training of any kind for supervisors and staff is minimal, and turnover is high.”