Friday Open Thread: Away We Go!
ByFor the last few weeks, I’ve been having meetings with folks all over Asheville to hear their ideas and coordinate the advancement of the priorities I discussed during my campaign. Affordable Housing, sustainability, transportation, domestic partner benefits, and more have been occupying the bulk of my time. It’s been exciting to hear everyone’s optimism and motivation. We have enormous challenges ahead, especially in the face of an expected $5 million deficit, but there are many things we can do to move Asheville towards a more affordable, more sustainable future.
This thread, as always, is yours to do with what you will, but know that I’m also interested in hearing your thoughts on where Asheville City Council ought to focus its efforts in the coming months.
22 Comments
December 11th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Lk y, nd t st my prrts bcs wll nly gt 3 mnts t spk t nxt tsdy’s cncl mtng, nlk hr.
Nrmlly, wld sy tht dmstc prtnr bnfts shld b frst prrty bcs thy cn sv btlds f mny (th gnrnt wll rg th ppst) nd hlp th nvrnmnt fr mr thn ny “nvrnmntl” r “sstnblty” prgrm. Ths s bcs gys hv lss thn qrtr f th vrg frtlty rt nd dbt tht strght dmstc prtnrs hv hgh frtlty rt thr. Ths ttrctng gys t cty jbs wll sv fr mr n chldcr nd dpndnt bnfts thn thy cst n prtnr bnfts. Thy r trly gy bnfts fr th nvrnmnt.
Hwvr, Bncmb cnty s bt t cnsdr ndng nvctns t mtngs nd snc shvll s fr mr sclr nd rlgsly dvrs thn Bncmb, shvll nds t tk th ld nd ct n ths frst r ls nthr plcy wll prprly rflct rltv cnsttnt vls. nd f Bncmb cts n 1/5/2010, thn shvll hs vry lttl tm t ld. d pln t, nd hv, rqstd dly n th prt f Bncmb t gv shvll, nd Bthwll n prtclr, chnc t ld n th nvctn ss. dly xpct thy wll b hppy t grnt.
< hrf="http://grps.yh.cm/grp/chldfrtwn/" rl="nfllw">http://grps.yh.cm/grp/chldfrtwn/
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December 11th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
I know it’s sort of a back-burner issue right now, but I hope you don’t ignore the potential disaster brewing in the DMP. I know it’s not finalized yet, but from my reading of it, there are loopholes and decision-making structures that could wind up allowing many developments that we would like to see stopped, including the hot-button ones like Parkside.
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December 12th, 2009 at 12:50 am
A privately owned but City encouraged amphitheatre down on the river with tastey beverages and snacks for all.
Keeping chains out of the downtown. I know it’s a tall order but it is extremely important to the character of Asheville.
Rubber Balls and Liquor
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December 12th, 2009 at 12:59 am
SIDENOTE:
12:58am and Cecil’s article from AC-T is on the main page of Google News.
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December 12th, 2009 at 2:02 am
Wow – here we go on the long ride on the short bus…
BTW, H.K. Edgerton’s group he ‘founded’ to “inform the public about Southern Heritage from the perspective of the hundreds of thousands of black people who love and support the South”? It shares an address, phone number, and PO Box number with these guys: Dixie Outfitters, in Odum Ga. Chances are very good that if you see a ‘yeehah’ type rebel flag shirt around here, it came from Dixie Outfitters. Here’s one of my favorite shirts of theirs: an American flag with the words: “Old Glory Flew over ALL ships bringing Slaves to America.” WTF?
http://dixieoutfitters.com/dixie_store/browse?category_id=130&department_id=10
H.K.’s trip has always creeped me out, but now to find he’s allied with the guys who crank out all these “Confederate States of America” t-shirts? Too weird. And now we know who will be funding this attack on Cecil…
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December 12th, 2009 at 3:46 am
One last H.K. Edgerton tidbit – according to the Georgia Secretary of State website, the registered CEO of his “Southern Heritage 411, Inc.” is one Dewey Wayne Barber. Along with running Dixie Outfitters, he has another firm, Barber and Company. They print those lovely pictures of Obama dressed up like a witch doctor:
http://barberandcompany.com/barber_store/view_details?department_id=21&item_id=17185
Or this t-shirt of Obama as a Muslim monkey swinging from a tree:
http://barberandcompany.com/barber_store/view_details?department_id=20&item_id=13652
Classy choice of business partners, H.K.
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December 12th, 2009 at 7:43 am
Gordon important issues are coming up at council – and we hope that you will be an advocate for water quality when the buffer issue comes up on january 12. Dont let folks frame the issue as a multiple choice we can have it all – buffers, greenways and density – in fact the more density the more we need the buffer and the greenway – thanks
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December 12th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Gordon-
Let’s not declare that we are facing a “budget deficit” for next fiscal year (that’s negative morale-bumming terminology, and technically we don’t really have a deficit until we are into the year and revenues are clearly not keeping pace with expenditures).
Better way to say it is that under current tax and fee structure, we’d have a little less revenue to work with.
In 1999, total revenues for general governemnt operations (i.e., excluding self-funding programs like water dept.) was $61 million, and by 2008, it had increased by 54% to $94 million. During that same time, population + inflation grew by 43%, and average personal income of folks in the city grew by 41%. Bottom line is that city revenues have done pretty well the last ten years without serious tax-rate increases.
Sure, we are not as rosy on the revenue front as the past couple years, but the big picture suggests we are healthy and should have some options to help us adjust. I am not saying the choices you guys have to make won’t be difficult, but I do think we can still get a lot done – especially over time – that strategically aligns with the vision laid out in the campaign.
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December 12th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
ffrdbl hsng lk Bttry Prk, Bltmr twr nd Wndsr wr ll blt s lxry hsng jst lk Prksd, llsn nd ndg. Tht’s bcs nw thngs r nhrntly lxrs whl ffrdbl thngs r SD. Ths Mnnhmr’s pstn n DMP, s wll s Smt’s rcnt prms t ncrs nt dnsty, r th pth t ffrdbl hsng rgrdlss f th rgnl prps. ’m sr gld xpct hr t gt th dcdng vt n BTH fr mrkt dvlpmnt nd hng spply ND Gy (dmstc prtnr) bnfts fr th nvrnmnt (s thy hv lss thn qrtr f th vrg frtlty).
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December 12th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Hsng, bffrs, grnwys, nd cntrcptn r bsltly thr/r ndr ny lmtd bdgt nd ny lmtd lnd, nd mtng tm, whch s lwys. Y cn hv sm f ch, bt y cn’t hv ll f ch nd w nd ll f hsng nd cntrcptn, lvng lmst n mny, lnd r mtng tm fr bffrs r grnwys.
Tht sd, n wy t d grnwys n th chp s t cnnct cl-d scks wth bk pths. Mvng bks nd pdstrns, mpds? nt smll, rsdntl strts t lst f thy hv gd mps. nmtrzd cnnctvty.
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December 13th, 2009 at 7:30 am
How’s about passing a resolution asking the owners of the BB&T building to give it a facelift? “Whereas, the BB&T Building is really hideous…”
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December 13th, 2009 at 8:58 am
I agree with Michael about the BB&T building, but please also include a requirement for a rooftop bar now that downtown has the traffic to support it.
On a more serious note, I was amazed that the sidewalks on Kimberly are being improved (especially with all this budget deficit talk) when large swaths of Hendersonville Rd are without any sidewalks. If one were to argue that it is cheaper to improve existing sidewalks, then I would argue that Merrimon’s sidewalks probably need the upgrade more than Kimberly’s.
Kudos to Hotel Indigo for building their high rise right beside 240.
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December 13th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Grw p, nt t. Frcd nnxtn s mmrl, nprctcl, nfr, dspcbl, nd hndrds f thr lk wrds wll b dlghtd t spply f y try t.
Btwn shvll nd Wdfn, nprvkd ggrssn rns rmpnt n Bncmb nd n nncrprtd r sf.
Tw pnts:
1) f w wntd t lv n twn, w wld.
2) Thr r mr f s thn f y.
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December 13th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Whatever happened to the folks that ran that bar on the top floor of the BB&T? It was there before I did my Navy snit and when I came back, it was gone. Anybody know?
Oh and yes that building offends my artistic sensibilities as well…
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December 13th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Well, it’s decided then. Gordon, who do we have to talk to on the city staff to craft the appropriate language?
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December 13th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
lk th BB∓T bldng. t’s 60′s styl nd ts p nt t smrtgrwth styl. t sn’t mxd s bt f t ws wrthwhl t cnvrt, th wnrs wld d s.
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December 13th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
If we build seven or eight buildings TALLER than the BB&T (or the Northwestern Bank Building, it’s original name) we won’t even notice it anymore.
–Ralph
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December 13th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
I guess I’m out of step with most “progressives”, because I don’t mind the BB&T building so much. I like skylines. Plus, I often use it as a triangulation point when I’m headed downtown.
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December 13th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
“If we build seven or eight buildings TALLER than the BB&T (or the Northwestern Bank Building, it’s original name) we won’t even notice it anymore.”
If I hit myself in the head with this hammer, maybe my finger won’t hurt anymore…
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December 14th, 2009 at 6:52 am
I’m all for tall buildings, just not fugly ones. Maybe it’s my highly refined gay sensibilities, but I think The BB&T looks like a stack of rye melba toast that’s been sitting out for too long. Gimme something that smacks of the Bank of America Corporate Center or the Duke Energy Center in Charlotte.
Whack. Ouch! Damned hammer!
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December 14th, 2009 at 9:17 am
I don’t think liking/disliking the Big, Brown, and Tall building has anything to do with one’s political philosophy. Though I’ve gotta say that this may be the first time I’ve ever seen positive comments from anyone about the ol’ eyesore.
When I look at it, I see energy leaking from every window, a missing rooftop bar, and a glove-across-the-face challenge to architects trying to harmonize art deco with the BB&T’s distinctively musky flavor. There are a lot of positives to having her there, including jobs and stable lease values, but pretty she’s not.
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December 14th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Here’s a positive: the ol’ BBT reminds us daily of the incurrent passage of time, as we all wait patiently for the day some decades hence when the old bastard gets torn down.
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