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From YouTube: City Council Swearing In Ceremony - December 5, 2017
Description
December 5, 2017
Asheville City Council Organizational Meeting.
Oaths of Office administered to:
• Mayor Esther Elizabeth Manheimer
• Council Member Vijay Kapoor
• Council Member Sheneika Elaine Smith
• Council Member Gwen Colleen Wisler
B
C
A
A
D
It
is
indeed
an
honor
to
offer
this
implication
today.
Let
us
pray
dear
father.
We
thank
you
for
this
opportunity
to
be
in
such
a
prestigious
and
honorable
occasion,
father.
We
thank
you
for
our
City
Council.
We
thank
you
for
our
mayor
Lord.
We
thank
you
that,
as
this
government
is
being
upheld
by
these
citizens
father,
we
thank
you
that
you
give
them
wisdom,
knowledge
and
understanding
even
how
to
administrate
through
these
perilous
times
now
father
as
we
joined
today.
We
thank
you
for
the
business
that
shall
be
accomplished
in
this
place
today.
D
E
F
A
H
G
B
F
F
A
B
A
Far
beyond
his
term
of
office,
in
particular,
his
dedication
to
promote
affordable,
safe
housing
for
all
his
dedication
of
energy
reduction
and
his
commitment
to
a
tree.
Canopy
study
which
directly
contributes
to
clean
air
as
trees,
produce
oxygen,
intersects,
airborne
particulates
reduces
smog
and
enhances
our
community's
respiratory
health,
whereas
Cecil
served
as
a
member
of
the
City
Council
Finance
Committee
alternate
member
of
the
French
Broad
Metropolitan
Planning
Organization
member
of
the
Buncombe
County
metropolitan
sewage
district
for
chair
of
the
City
Council
Public
Safety
Committee.
A
The
members
of
the
Asheville
City
Council
hereby
express
their
gratitude
to
Cecil
Bothwell
for
the
service
he
has
rendered
to
his
community,
and
that
is
this
resolution
be
entered
into
the
minutes
of
the
Asheville
City
Council
and
that
a
copy
be
presented
to
mr.
Bothwell
and
then
this
property.
This
resolution
is
signed
by
all
the
members
of
the
council,
including
our
newest
members,.
A
A
A
Whereas
Gordon
has
demonstrated
in
many
practical
ways
his
deep
and
genuine
love
for
the
city
and
the
surrounding
area.
Now,
therefore,
be
it
resolved
by
the
City
Council
of
the
city
of
Asheville
that
the
members
of
the
Asheville
council
hereby
express
their
gratitude
to
Gordon
deed
Smith
for
the
service
he
has
rendered
to
his
community
and
that
this
resolution
be
entered
into
the
minutes
of
the
Asheville
City
Council
and
that
a
copy
be
presented
to
mr.
Smith.
B
I
Everybody
for
being
here
and
there's
I'm,
gonna
I've,
threatened
to
hope
for
that
length
of
the
last
meeting.
But
I
don't
intend
to
do
that,
but
I.
What
I
want
to
do
is
express
what
I'm
feeling
today,
which
is
a
very
deep
gratitude
for
the
opportunity
to
have
the
experience
of
serving
this
community
on
this
board
for
the
new
members.
I
just
want
to
say
how
much
I
appreciate
and
respect
your
willingness
to
step
up.
I
It's
going
to
be
more
work
than
you
think
it
is,
and
what
I
found
is
that
the
things
that
you
guys
want
to
get
done
it'll
require
that
amount
of
work
that
I
have
so
much
confidence
that
you're
here
with
the
utmost
integrity
and
the
utmost
work
ethic,
and
so
I'm
excited
that
you're.
Here
it
feels
wonderful
to
be
leaving
this
body
in
such
amazing
hands
to
my
colleagues
that
I've
been
serving
with
you've,
been
so
supportive
and
so
driven
and
so
responsive
to
the
people
of
this
community.
That.
I
You
work
they're
not
going
to
know,
but
I
will
and
know
that
as
you're
sweating
it
out
and
reading
till
midnight
and
being
up
here
trying
to
figure
out
how
to
make
the
right
decision.
That
I'll
be
one
of
the
people.
Who
knows
that
difficult
in
your
position
that
you're
in
and
really
appreciate
your
for.
I
You
guys
you
you
so
I
was
saying
how
no
one
understands
how
hard
these
guys
work.
These
folks
might
to
the
members
of
the
press
in
the
chamber
and
where's
that
other
camera
where's
other
it's
Jason,
Sanford
I'm,
looking
at
you
that
y'all
are
here
week
after
week,
I
know
you
took
a
break,
went
to
Black
Mountain
for
a
minute,
but
you're
back.
It's
been
good.
David's
been
here
at
as
many
meetings
as
I
and
y'all.
I
Every
time
you're
here
you're
here
to
take
in
a
lot
of
complex
information,
figure
out
how
to
boil
it
down,
interpret
it
and
communicate
it,
and
no
one
else,
but
y'all
are
doing
that
in
in
this
journalistic
way
that
you're
doing
it
and
our
community
would
be
much
weaker
and
lesser
without
you.
So
I
just
want
to
know
how
much
I
appreciate
the
work
that
you
do
here.
C
I
I
saw
him
earlier
today.
It
looked
a
little
sorry,
well,
Gary,
I
hope,
you're
watching
from
home,
because
here's
the
deal
the
folks
up
here
are
making
big
decisions
and
having
big
ideas,
and
then
there
are
about
1100
people
who
work
for
the
city
of
Asheville,
whose
job
it
is
to
make
all
that
happen.
In
addition
to
all
these
big
ideas,
it's
also
getting
the
trash
collected,
keeping
the
streets
clean,
keeping
the
transit
running
on
time,
doing
all
the
basic
city
services
over
and
above
everything
that
we're
asking
them
to
do,
which
is
ridiculous.
I
You
should
hear
how
much
we
ask
so
the
amount
of
dedication
that
I've
seen
from
the
staff
here.
What
I
want
everyone
in
Asheville
to
know
is
that
these
1100
plus
people
are
serving
you
every
day,
they're
working
more
than
40
hour
weeks,
they're
thinking
about
this
stuff
when
they
go
home
and
they're
trying
to
figure
out
how
to
make
everybody's
lives
work
better.
So
I
couldn't
be
more
appreciative.
Nothing
happens
without
you.
So
thank
you.
I
In
addition
to
Rach
I
want
to
thank
everyone
who
has
helped
me
along
the
way.
All
of
my
friends
who
have
listened
to
me
hold
forth
at
length
about
all
this
stuff
have
been
there
for
me
when
it
was
very
difficult
and
had
been
there
to
celebrate
with
me
when
things
went
well
that
without
that
strong
support
around
me,
you
just
you
just
kind
of
fly
apart
up
here.
If
you
don't
have
that
and
so
I
want
all.
I
I
I
Now,
I
worked
with
so
many
people
across
this
community
who
are
strong
advocates
for
the
things
that
are
most
important
to
them
and
their
communities
I've
worked
with
so
many
people
who
are
really
just
trying
to
make
a
life
to
make
sure
their
kids
are
healthy
and
safe
and
getting
through
school
and
have
enough
food
and
have
a
good
place
to
live.
I
have
run
into
people
who
were
less
than
happy
with
me
and
again
and
again
what
I've
been
struck
with.
I
Is
that
even
to
step
forward
and
express
that
require
so
much
passion
and
care
for
your
community?
Because
you
don't
have
to
say
it,
you
can
keep
it
to
yourself.
You
could
not
make
a
difference,
but
instead
to
come
forth
and
say
it
so
for
every
one
of
those
voices
out
there,
everyone
who
has
come
to
me
with
their
needs
and
company
with
their
hopes
and
said
Orson.
Can
you
help
with
this
there's
some
things
that
we
need
to
get
done?
I
A
A
B
A
I
am
very
glad
to
see
my
friend
Glenn
Wesler,
as
vice
mayor
again.
She
has
worked
very
hard,
as
vice
mayor.
The
vice
mayor
has
to
do
all
the
filling
work
for
all
the
things
the
mayor
can't
do
and
you
wouldn't
believe
how
much
there
is,
but
she
would
because
she's
been
doing
it.
So
thank
you
for
continuing
to
do
that.
I
have
a
few
comments.
I'd
like
to
make
and
I
know,
there
may
be
a
couple
others
on
council.
A
A
So,
first
of
all,
I
want
to
go
ahead
and
make
sure
that
we
think
our
they've
already
left,
but
our
Asheville
high
school
Junior
ROTC
Marine
Corps.
That
was
here
that
that
was
here
who
handled
our
color
guard
duties
and
then
also
again
thank
Jade
Dundas,
our
assistant
city
manager,
for
his
singing
of
the
national
anthem,
which
is
very
special,
normally
he's
heading
up
our
capital
projects.
A
So
that
was
a
different
thing
for
him
to
do,
for
us,
and
and
also
for
pastors
Louis,
for
joining
us
and
and
performing
the
invocation
and
judge
thorne
Burke,
who
I
think
had
to
scoot
today
for
for
handling
all
of
the
swearing
ins
of
all
the
council
members
for
today.
So
we
really
appreciate
all
of
that.
I
would
also
personally
like
to
thank
my
family
for
being
here.
A
A
And
I
want
to
thank
all
the
people
of
Asheville
for
their
support
and
participation
in
this
a
recent
election,
although
not
every
single
voter
voted,
we
still
saw
the
greatest
turnout
ever
in
a
municipal
election
here
in
Asheville,
and
the
people
also
elected
the
most
diverse
council
in
the
history
of
this
city.
Yes,.
A
That's
pretty
cool
okay,
but
this
council
has
a
great
deal
of
work
ahead
of
it
and
in
in
order
for
us
to
effectively
tackle
the
work
before
us.
We
are
going
to
need
to
work
together
and,
while
we've
had
disagreements
on
this
council
in
the
past,
I
am
very
proud
of
our
ability
to
navigate
differences
with
civil,
productive
discussion
and
deliberation
and
I
know
that,
as
we
welcome
our
new
faces
to
council,
we
will
continue
in
that
being
when
I
joined
this
council
in
2009,
along
with
Gordon
Smith
and
Cecil
Bock.
A
Well,
all
the
way
back
in
2009.
At
that
time,
this
city
was
crushed
by
the
recession.
We
were
in
the
middle
of
dealing
with
the
recession
and
Gary
Jackson,
our
city
manager,
who
normally
sits
right
there,
but
has
sick.
This
evening.
He
and
his
team
worked
with
this
council
to
see
us
through
that
struggle,
and
today
this
city
is
strong.
It's
in
an
extremely
strong
financial
position.
A
We
have
a
triple-a
bond
rating,
the
voters
added
74
million
dollars
in
bond
projects
and
coupled
with
the
ongoing
capital
program,
we're
in
a
situation
now
where
the
city
has
the
most
robust
capital
investment
program
in
its
history.
So,
while
there
are
positive
indicators
such
as
Asheville
enjoying
the
lowest
unemployment
rate
in
this
state
for
many
quarters
running
at
this
point,
we
are
not
without
our
challenges.
A
Affordability,
long-term,
sustainable
affordability
continues
to
be
a
challenge
we
face
in
Asheville.
This
includes
housing,
wages,
transportation,
the
overall
cost
of
living
and
deeply
enmeshed.
In
this
conversation
is
the
issue
of
equity,
of
fairness
and
inclusion.
These
are
some
of
the
many
challenges
facing
our
community
and
to
effectively
tackle
our
community's
challenge
challenges.
This
council
will
need
to
continue
to
work
together,
sometimes
disagree,
but
to
be
able
to
collaborate
and
communicate
and
compromise
and
to
help
us
be
better
leaders.
We
can
work
to
work
more
effectively
with
each
other.
A
We
need
the
support
of
our
community.
This
means
that
this
community
must
exhibit
the
kind
of
civil
discourse
that
we
are
desperately
needing
today
in
our
city,
our
state,
our
nation
and
our
world.
Let
us
lead
by
example,
and
demonstrate
that
through
respectful
disagreement,
communication
and
listening
to
one
another,
we
can
accomplish
more
and
let's
discard
destructive
rhetoric
and
saber-rattling
to
make
our
community
a
better
place
tomorrow
than
it
was
yesterday.
G
Owe
me
all
right,
yeah,
Thank,
You
mayor.
Let
me
first
say
how
humbling
it
is
to
be
sitting
up
here.
I
was
the
first
in
my
family
to
be
born
in
this
country,
and
I
grew
up
near
Asheville.
I
have
so
much
to
the
city
and
to
this
country
and
I'm
very
thankful
to
be
in
a
position
like
organ
was
here
to
be
able
to
give
back
and
be
sitting
up
here
to.
G
Those
who
will
come
after
us
I
want
to
thank
the
voters
of
Asheville
for
electing
me
and
also
to
all
of
my
volunteers,
especially
Pat
deck
who's
who's
in
the
audience.
I
recognize
my
mom
who's
in
the
audience.
My
daughter
Rose,
my
wife
and
my
son
James,
who
loves
to
clap
we're
not
here
at
the
moment
they
had
to
for
a
while.
You
may
see
her
clapping
me
in
the
hallway,
but
I'm
also
very
honored,
to
be
joining
this.
This.
This
group
of
council
members
I,
want
to
know
I
want
to.
G
G
And
I
want
to
ensure
that
all
residents
go
ahead,
go
to
sleep
each
night,
feeling
safe,
fed,
healthy
and
valued,
and
to
make
sure
that
we
were
addressing
the
needs
of
all
of
our
neighborhoods,
that
we
have
rational
and
responsible
development
policies.
And
then
we
have
a
local
economy,
that's
diverse
and
resilient,
so
we
can
raise
wages
and
and
help
people
better
their
lives.
For
me,
it's
time
to
translate
those
words
into
actions.
As
the
mayor
said,
this
council
takes
office
at
a
time,
that's
very
difficult
in
our
nation's
history.
B
E
G
I
realized,
there's
a
great
deal
of
responsibility
in
our
shoulders,
but
I
would
not
bet
against
this
council
or
against
this
city.
To
answer
the
call
for
me
saying
that
I
want
to
leave
our
city
a
better
place,
isn't
just
a
trite
phrase,
but
it's
a
promise
to
my
daughter
to
my
son,
to
my
wife,
to
my
family
and
thousands
like
them
here
in
Asheville
and
I.
Think
that's
true
of
those
of
us
who
were
sitting
around
this
dais
as
well.
G
K
B
K
We
have
a
great
job
to
do
to
govern
and
leave
this
community
and
its
people
today
is
very
important
to
me
and
my
family,
because
we
dare
to
be
great-
and
this
is
very
audacious
for
us
to
be
a
first-time
candidate
and
if
in
this
race,
and
to
actually
come
out
with
a
victory
so
to
the
many
people
who
supported
us
along
the
way
and
when
I
say
for
me
just
everyone
who
believes
in
the
value
that
this
campaign
stood
for.
First
of
all,
my
mom
Miss
Karen
Smith.
K
Thank
you
for
always
being
there
and
helping
me
rear
my
children,
my
oldest
daughters,
I
khari
Jones,
my
younger
baby
Alisha.
Thank
you.
Thank
you
very
much
for
always
sticking
in
there.
She
is
a
great
encouragement
to
my
sister,
who
is
my
younger
sister,
but
very
wise
when
she
is
the
boss
to
my
friend,
Amy
Worthen
has
been
there
from
the
very
beginning
and
to
others
who
were
on
the
campaign.
Trail
I
see
miss
Kimberly,
Kim
Roni.
K
Thank
you
for
being
a
sidekick
encouragement
and
always
a
baby
to
talk
policy
at
the
drop
of
a
dime.
You
you're,
very
intelligent
and
I
look
forward
to
serving
with
you
someday
you're.
Very
great
I,
see
a
lot
of
community
leaders
here
today
who
helped
shape
my
thought
process
along
the
way,
miss
Tammy
for
taillow,
and
thank
you
for
teaching
me
patience
and
teaching
me
how
to
listen
and
respect
everyone
and
to
know
all
work
is
dignified.
Thank
you
to
my
pastor.
K
She
said
we
were
going
to
have
a
sweat,
lift
victory
and
we
won,
but
it
was
a
feat
for
us
to
accomplish
I'm
native
to
the
city
and
I'm
going
off-script
now,
just
because
I
still
meet
you
I'm
native
to
the
city,
and
there
are
a
lot
of
great
stories
that
are
told
about
Asheville
how
the
city
has
transformed
over
the
years.
It
was
one
point
where
me
and
my
sister
would
travel
down
town
by
way
of
bus.
K
But
now
Ashe
feels
a
lot
different
and
the
tales
that
people
tell
about
Asheville
are
quite
different
as
well
they're,
a
great
fraction
of
our
community
that
suffering
homeless
children
who
go
to
school
every
day,
who
can't
focus
on
their
education
or
retaining
what
they've
learned
because
they're
hungry
this
is
the
Asheville
that
I
interface
with
daily
working
in
grassroots
nonprofit,
bring
opportunities
and
I
see
some
of
my
co-workers
here
today
and
thank
you
to
you
all
as
well,
for
always
keeping
me
conscious
of
who
we
are
and
our
social
moves
forward.
Again.
K
We
dare
to
be
great
and
we
won,
but
it
doesn't
stop
here.
Everything
food
won't
be
a
victory
and
I'm
gonna
tell
you
now.
I'll
probably
disappoint
you
at
some
point,
but
together
we
can
fight
for
justice
because
we've
been
doing
it
out
the
whole
time
we
were
born
fighting,
though
of
us,
because
we
were
born
marginalized
and
some
people
a
victim
of
circumstance.
K
They
are
very
acquainted
with
our
social
struggles,
so
we
join
us
as
we
walk
in
fight
for
justice
and,
as
this
counsel
last
year
has
embraced
equity,
we
will
fight
for
equity
and
fairness,
I,
look
forward
to
working
and
learning
and
growing
and
leading-
and
thank
you
for
choosing
me
thank
you
for
pushing
me.
Thank
you
for
everyone
on
the
dais
who
encouraged
along
the
way
Vijay.
We
became
very
good
friends
on
the
campaign
trail.
Sometimes
we
just
make
eye
contact
like,
oh
god,
another
forum,
but
I
respect
you
greatly.
K
Your
integrity
and
I
enjoy
conversations
with
you
Bryan
your
self
spoken,
but
I
feel
your
heart
natives
native
to
Asheville.
We
have
a
deep
heart
for
the
community
Gwen.
Thank
you
for
always
being
willing
to
help
and
thank
you
for
even
having
the
discernment
to
see.
Sometimes
when
I
was
a
little
off
just
being
encouragement
encouraging
mayor.
Thank
you
for
your
integrity
and
thank
you
for
you.
So
graceful
I
love
that
Keith.
K
E
L
Didn't
prepare
any
statements
up
two
years
ago,
I
was
in
the
same
seat
as
Vijay
and
Shaniqua
and
Glen,
and
we
got
sworn
in
before
I
go
any
further.
I
want
to
say
that
has
been
an
honorable
experience
to
serve
with
councilman
Gordon
Smith
and
Cecil
Bothwell
I've
learned
a
lot
from
both
of
you,
especially
Gordon.
I,
really
appreciate
the
way
that
you
articulate
your
concerns
in
a
compassionate
way.
You
do
that
really
well
and
that's
gonna
be
missed.
That's
gonna
be
missed.
L
I
appreciate
the
way
that
councilman
Bothwell
has
the
courage
to
say
what
he
means.
It
means
what
he
says.
Even
when
it's
going
to
be
unpopular
and
I
think
that's
something
that's
going
to
be
greatly
missed
with
that
said,
for
the
individuals
that
are
new
on
council,
putting
yourself
out
there
to
even
get
in
the
race
is
a
big
step
forward
and
it
takes
a
lot
of
courage.
L
I,
don't
think
people
really
understand
how
much
courage
it
actually
takes
for
you
to
put
yourself
out
there
put
your
families
out
there
to
be
criticized
to
be
raised
either
way.
It
goes
I'm
proud
that
you
put
yourself
out
there
I'm
happy
that
you're
here
I'm
ready
to
work
with
each
and
every
one
of
you
as
this
city
moves
forward.
I
think
we've
got
a
lot
of
good
things
that
we
can
work
on.
The
mayor
laid
a
lot
of
that
out
and
her
address
affordable
housing
equity.
L
L
L
To
a
lot
of
people,
that's
out
there,
but
growing
up
here
and
being
here
in
this
position
now
to
hear
the
stories
that
I
hear
in
my
community.
When
I
hear
people
say
that
our
community
is
gone,
we
don't
have
jobs,
we
don't
have
homes,
there's
a
lot
of
poverty.
There's
a
lot
of
violence
sometimes
and
to
see
people
think
that
I,
the
community
is
dying.
I
want
to
say
here
today
that
that
is
not
the
case.
This
is
a
new
Renaissance.
This
is
a
new
birth.
L
You
have
two
people
that
are
here
that
represent
the
entire
city
of
Asheville.
We
represent
you
too,
and
I
am
elated.
I
am
happy
I
can't
control
among
those
is
to
say
that
I'm
happy
to
be
able
to
serve
with
not
only
DJ
and
Gwen
and
the
rest
of
Council,
but
also
Shaniqua
cement.
So
that's
that's
what
I'm
going
to
say
today
and
and
that's
it
I'll,
let
my
emotions
get
the
best
of
me.
Another
time.
J
I
will
be
very
brief.
Just
want
to
extend
my
very
warm
welcome
to
our
two
new
members
and
I
really
look
forward
to
getting
to
know
you
more
and
working
with
you
I
think
you
you
both
bring
incredible
strength
and
vision
and
perspective,
and
it's
it's
going
to
be
helpful
to
us
as
we
move
through
all
the
challenges
that
the
mayor
mentioned.
I
am
sorry
cecil's,
not
here
I.
Think
Cecil
has
been
a
great
voice
for
lots
of
things
on
council
through
his
eight
years
here,
and
it
is
a.
J
J
Gordon
I
have
said
this
to
you
privately,
but
I
want
to
say
it
publicly
as
well.
I
will
miss
you
terribly
I
I
you
in
my.
In
my
view,
you
have
tackled
three
main
things.
While
you
were
here
on
council,
we
first
started
working
together
on
transit,
and
then
you
shifted
to
food
policy
and
affordable
housing
and
on
each
one
of
those
issues
you
Moodle,
you
moved
the
needle
noticeably
and
the
city
is
in
a
fundamentally
different
place
on
each
one
of
those
issues
than
we
were
when
you
started
and
for
I.
J
Think
for
a
councilmember
to
do
that
on.
One
issue
is
is
extraordinary
to
do
it
on
three
issues
in
the
course
of
your
time
on
council
is,
is
it
is
unbelievable
and
again
if
I
can,
if
I
can
be
half
as
effective,
as
you
have
been,
I
will
be
very
happy
with
my
tenure
on
council.
So,
thank
you
very
much
for
your
service.
You
will
continue
to
be
a
resource
for
me
and
I'm
sure
others
on
council.
Your
your
wise
voice
is
is
not
going
silent,
I
know,
so.
Thank
you.
H
I
apologize,
I,
I'm,
gonna,
miss
Gordon
and
Cecil.
I
have
learned
a
lot
from
both
of
them
and
we'll
miss
them
greatly,
but,
more
importantly,
I
think
the
city
on
this
I'd
like
to
welcome
Shameka
and
Vijay
and
look
forward
to
working
with
them.
And
it's
not
yet
true.
But
if
this
will
be
a
truly
progressive
council.
But
by
looking
at
the
makeup
of
this
council,
we
certainly
have
seen
progress.
I.