The John Locke Foundation gave Asheville and Buncombe County B grades in transparency. There is, however, a great deal of difference in the way the two bodies handle information. Asheville publishes hundreds of pages of staff reports with each formal meeting agenda, which often runs three pages long. Buncombe County publishes about a paragraph of information on most agenda items. Numerous items pass by way of an unquestioned consent agenda in the county. Asheville had a bound copy of its proposed budget in circulation when Buncombe County didn’t even have its budget online. City council meetings run until the cows come home, but Buncombe County meetings only last about an hour.