►
Description
Regular Meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners' from Dec. 3, 2019. To view the meeting agenda or previous Commissioner meetings, please visit buncombecounty.org/commissioners.
A
A
We
hold
our
meeting
this
evening
in
cold
winter
weather
is
coming
to
our
mountains.
More
frequently,
I
wanted
to
ask
that
we
take
a
moment
to
think
about
the
individuals
and
families
in
our
community
who
do
not
always
have
a
roof
over
them
at
night
or
a
place
to
call
home
on
these
cold
winter
nights.
A
Last
winter,
nearly
eight
hundred
students
in
Buncombe
County
experienced
homelessness
during
at
least
some
period
of
the
school
year.
We
know
we
have
many
veterans
in
our
community
who
experience
homelessness.
So
before
we
begin
our
meeting,
let's
haven't
hold
a
moment
of
silence
to
offer
a
silent
prayer
for
those
who
struggle
with
homelessness
or
housing
insecurity
and
to
reflect
on
what
we
can
do
as
a
community
to
better
support
people
in
need
during
the
season.
Please
join
me
in
a
moment
of
silence.
Please.
A
Thank
you
all
right.
We've
got
a
couple
of
different
announcements
to
make
I'd
like
to
announce
that
we
have
parking
validation
and
for
people
who
use
the
county
parking
facility
or
transit
to
attend
the
meeting
this
evening
you
can
get
validation
for
your
parking
pass
or
transit
pass
from
one
of
the
security
officers
who
is
with
us
this
evening,
see
them
on
the
way
out.
I
want
to
read
the
ethics
reminder
to
the
board.
A
In
accordance
with
the
code
of
ethics
adopted
by
the
board,
all
county
commissioners
have
a
duty
to
obey
all
applicable
laws
regarding
official
actions
to
uphold
the
integrity
and
independence
of
the
office,
to
avoid
impropriety
in
the
exercise
of
official
duties
to
faithfully
perform
the
duties
of
the
office
and
to
conduct
the
affairs
of
the
governing
board
in
an
open
in
public
manner.
Any
item
on
the
agenda,
the
outcome
of
which
would
have
a
direct,
substantial
and
readily
identifiable
financial
impact
for
any
board
member.
A
Does
any
board
member
have
a
financial
interest
in
any
public
contract
coming
before
the
board.
Today,
all
right
there
being
none
all
board.
Members
have
a
duty
and
obligation
to
vote
on
any
matters
voted
on
by
the
board
at
this
meeting.
Okay,
we
come
to
the
consent
agenda.
Are
there
any
questions
from
any
board
members
about
any
items
on
the
consent
agenda.
B
A
B
A
Is
there
any
objection
to
any
Commissioner
to
add
that
under
new
business
under
state
statute,
the
vice
chair
for
county
commissions
must
be
appointed
at
the
first
meeting
in
December?
So
we
need
to
do
that
this
evening,
all
right,
any
members
of
the
public
who
have
any
questions
about
any
item
on
the
consent
agenda.
A
All
right
is
there
a
motion
to
approve
the
items
on
the
consent
agenda
and
to
follow
the
remainder.
The
agenda
as
published
with
the
addition
of
the
appointment
of
a
vice-chair
under
new
business
so
move?
Second,
all
in
favor,
please
say
aye
aye,
any
opposed
all
right.
All
right.
First,
under
good
news,
DK
Wesley,
our
assistant
county
manager,
is
going
to
talk
to
us
about
the
communications
departments.
When,
yes,
we're
gonna
do
that
under
new
business.
A
C
By
way
of
introduction,
our
communications
director
Qatada
will
provide
more
information
to
you
about
this
exciting
news,
but
I
just
wanted
to
briefly
give
an
intro
I.
Think
communication
is
one
of
the
most
difficult
things
to
master
in
an
organization
large
or
small,
specifically
internal
communication.
This
is
modules.
I,
think
we
struggle
with
making
sure
we
have
adequate
communication
throughout
an
organization
that
there's
a
continuous
feedback
loop,
as
well
as
an
opportunity
for
our
staff
to
share
and
so
I
was
very
excited.
C
We
were
very
excited
to
hear
that
our
communication
team,
along
with
the
IT
team,
won
a
national
award
for
employee
communication
for
our
employee
focus
intranet
site.
So
I
want
to
congratulate
Kotaro
for
his
leadership
on
this
effort
and
he's
going
to
share
a
little
bit
more
information
about
the
association,
as
well
as
the
award.
E
D
The
sappy
awards
recognize
outstanding
local
government
marketing
achievements
and
the
professionals
who
have
creatively
planned
and
carried
out
successful
innovations
in
City
and
County
communications.
Three
CMA
is
a
national
organization
with
over
950
members
from
more
than
575
local
governments,
there
were
over
700
Award
entries
for
all
the
categories.
In
total
in
Buncombe,
County
won
first
place
over
numerous
applicants
with
Johnson
County
Kansas
taking
second
and
Phoenix
Arizona.
Taking
third
place
comments
from
the
three
CMA
judges
were
what
a
great
redesign
of
the
intranet
it
is
so
important
to
ensure
that
employees
are
well
informed.
D
Another
comment
was
this
looks
like
a
great
improvement
from
the
old
site,
an
inviting
and
personal
way
to
change
the
culture
of
your
agency
by
working
from
the
inside
out.
Employee
focus
is
easy
to
read
and
visually
appealing.
Employee
focus
was
launched
in
January
2019
and,
to
date,
has
featured
16
departmental
spotlight
articles
and
over
30
employees
spotlight
write-ups
that
are
shared
both
internally
and
externally
on
social
media
and
our
website.
D
The
employee
focus
news
page
is
a
place
where
staff
can
find
important
organizational
administrative
news
and
announcements
as
well
as
where
employees
can
showcase
their
great
work
for
our
County
I'd
like
to
give
a
special
thanks
to
the
IT
web
developers,
Anthony
perón
and
Britton
Kline,
who
are
not
here
tonight,
for
building
the
platform
and
to
the
communication
staff
that
manages
the
platform
which
is
dan,
has
max
Tanner
and
Cassie
day
and
to
all
the
employees
and
departments
for
submitting
content
for
sharing.
Thank
you.
A
F
Hi
good
evening,
my
name
is
Mao
foo
and
I'm,
the
Buncombe
County
community
health
assessment
coordinator
and
I.
Thank
you
for
this
opportunity
today
to
present
our
community
health
assessment
and
health
improvement
plan
that
will
guide
our
population
health
initiatives
from
2018
to
2021.
Before
I
begin.
My
presentation
this
evening,
I'd
also
like
to
acknowledge
our
Buncombe
County
Health
and
Human
Services
leadership.
That
has
been
really
supportive
of
our
work
and
was
instrumental
in
us
being
able
to
share
the
strategies
in
the
plan
that
we
have
to
guide
our
work
for
our
county.
F
So
the
purpose
of
today's
presentation
is
provide
an
update
on
the
summary
of
the
2018
community.
Health
improvement
process
will
also
recap
some
of
the
key
community
engagement
milestones
and
provide
an
overview
of
what's
ahead
and
our
community
health
improvement.
As
a
final
result,
we
aim
to
illuminate
for
you
several
key
relevant
and
meaningful
instances
of
alignment
between
the
community
health
improvement
process
with
our
forthcoming
community
informed
Buncombe
County
strategic
plan
and,
as
we
move
together,
realize
a
healthy,
thriving
and
resilient
community.
F
F
The
community
health
assessment
is
required
by
health
department's
by
the
North
Carolina
Division
of
Public
Health
and
local
health
department
accreditation
board
every
three
years:
Buncombe
County,
Public,
Health,
Department
partners
with
mission
may
HEC
community
members
nonprofits,
as
well
as
health
agencies
and
universities
in
schools,
to
ask
key
questions
such
as
what
are
the
strengths
in
our
community?
What
health
concerns
do
communities
have?
What
are
the
resources
available
and
what
do
we
need
in
the
community
to
address
these
concerns?
F
So
continuing
since
the
start
of
the
chip
cycle
in
2018,
we've
heard
from
more
than
800
community
members,
that's
one
point:
five
percent
of
all
those
who
live
in
our
County.
This
provided
input
that
was
incorporated
into
our
final
2018
health
assessment
or
the
char
report
with
the
support
of
45
organizations
as
you'll
see
here
on
the
slide.
There
are
some
key
and
we
think
really
impactful
communication.
Community
engagement
highlights
where
over
300
and
for
respondents
took
part
in
a
telephone
survey.
F
Over
20,
we
had
29
community-based
organizations,
leadership
act
as
key
informants
into
informing
this
document,
as
well
as
137
community
members,
who
gave
an
hour
to
two
hours
of
their
time
in
listening
sessions.
From
all
of
this
intentional
outreach
with
our
County's
residents
and
partners,
we
were
able
to
take
that
input
and
then
identify
to
health
folks
focus
conditions
that
being
infant
mortality
and
birth
outcomes
and
mental
health.
F
Shortly,
you
will
hear
more
specificity
on
the
data
informing
these
focus
areas,
the
evidence-based
strategies
selected
in
part
by
community
members,
along
with
agency
partners,
and
we
will
also
share
how
we
plan
to
measure
our
wins
and
those
opportunities
to
do
better.
In
reporting
the
community
health
improvement
cycle.
F
Pictured
here
is
a
visual
summary
of
the
most
common
themes
residents
gave
during
this
process
in
the
response
to
the
prompt.
What's
the
most
important
thing
that
you
need
for
you
and
your
families,
health
and
well-being,
this
word
cloud
also
demonstrates
that
our
County's
residents
are,
in
fact
experts
in
what
works
for
health.
Our
community
cares
deeply
about.
Our
community
is
also
informed,
and
they
here
articulated
the
direct
linkage
between
the
context
of
where
they
live,
learn,
work,
play
and
pray
together,
known
as
social
determinants
of
health,
with
the
status
of
their
helping.
F
It's
clear
from
this
word
cloud
that
they
are
making
a
connection
between
social
determinants
of
health
as
well
as
our
community's
well-being
with
the
community
at
the
heart
of
it.
All.
This
data
provides
a
compelling
case
to
remain
diligent
champions
of
efforts
that
help
sustain
a
diverse,
equitable
and
thriving
community.
F
F
We
see
improvements
in
our
organizational
cultures
as
well
as
our
team,
as
our
teams
are
developing
awareness
and
skills
in
equity
to
be
trauma-informed
as
well
as
brilliant,
as
well
as
resilience,
responsive
approaches
in
our
strategic
learning
and
innovation.
We
are
making
data
informed
decisions
and
making
innovations
in
how
we
gather
analyze
report
as
well
as
leverage
technology.
For
example.
Throughout
the
summer,
our
community
health
assessment
attended
baseball
games
at
the
McCormick
Stadium
and
asked
people
to
use
their
smartphones
and
respond
and
see
their
answers
displayed
on
the
jumbotron.
F
In
what
matters
most
to
health,
there's
nothing
more
American,
there's
much
nothing
more
inclusive
and
there's
nothing
more.
That
builds
people
that
brings
people
together
than
baseballs.
So
what
you
can
see
from
that
issue
is
we're
using
innovation
and
taking
those
opportunities
where
we
see
pre-existing
self-organized
groups
of
people
coming
together
to
engage
them
in
conversations
for
health.
We're
also
exceeding
benchmarks.
Our
child
report
and
our
chip
are
both
recognized
as
meeting
in
exceeding
expectations
by
the
community
health
assessment.
F
Reviewers,
we're
leading
our
leading
projects
and
we're
seeing
is
exemplary
in
our
use
of
results
based
accountability,
and
it
is
our
community
health
improvement
process
that
has
been
identified
as
a
key
catalyst
for
moving
forward.
All
other
counties
that
actually
create
a
chip
to
use
results
based
accountability
in
how
they
plan
and
do
their
work.
F
F
To
that
strong
partnerships
are
key
catalysts
to
developing
well-defined
networks
and
parish,
sharing
and
capacity
development,
visibility
and
messaging
are
also
key,
as
we
earlier
noted,
the
value
of
communications
for
our
county
government
and,
finally,
as
we
work
to
bridge
community
and
health,
we
acknowledge
that
this
work
is
iterative
and,
albeit
complex,
rely
on
authentic
engagement
source
in
relationships
and
committed
to
building
trust
I.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
share.
In
brief
what
we've
learned
and
as
well
as
our
readiness
to
stand
up
this
work
and
what's
needed
to
go
forward
and
to
continue.
G
When
we
talk
about
substance
use
we
automatically
we've,
we
have
a
tendency
to
emphasize
opioid
crisis
and
forget
that
substance
use
piece,
institutionalized,
racism
and
urban
renewal
and
prison
and
jails
often
serve
as
some
of
our
biggest
mental
health
service
providers.
So
all
these
are
parts
of
that
process
of
unpacking.
G
We
had
more
than
20
additional
stakeholders
and
our
community
health
improvement
advisory,
who
worked
with
us
to
refine
strategies
prior
to
submitting
our
community
health
improvement
action
plan
to
the
North
Carolina
Division
of
Public
Health
on
September
9,
with
our
new
ability
to
submit
our
community
health
improvement
plan
online.
The
chip
is
a
living
document
that
is
available
in
real-time
and
will
be
refined
and
developed
with
ongoing
community
and
partner
input
over
time.
G
I'm
going
to
spend
a
few
minutes
talking
specifically
about
our
mental
health
and
well-being
focus
condition.
There
has
been
broad
participation
by
a
large
number
of
organizations
that
have
engaged
in
the
action
planning
to
date
and
I.
Think
it's
really
important
to
note
that
we
continue
to
broaden
this
list
by
meeting
with
individuals
and
organizations
that
can
inform
our
learning
around
this
work,
as
well
as
develop
eration
relationships
that
can
help
this
work,
move
forward.
G
Our
partners
identify
to
community
level
and
by
community
level,
I
mean
population
level,
whole
population
indicators
to
show
progress
towards
achieving
this
result.
A
criteria
for
choosing
indicators
is
that
data
is
reliable
and
is
available
available,
frequently
enough
to
show
process.
We
also
look
for
indicators
that
say
a
lot
about
a
condition,
in
this
case
mental
health
in
Buncombe
County.
So
a
large
number
of
individuals
are
seeking
care
at
the
IDI
for
suicidal
thoughts.
G
There
were
612
individuals
who
did
so
in
quarter
two
of
this
year
and
approaching
6000
sought
care
for
anxiety,
mood
and
psychotic
disorders.
This
implies
that
likely
many.
If
not,
most
of
these
individuals
are
not
able
to
receive
the
routine
care
that
they
need,
and
it
also
implies
that
prevention
efforts
are
inadequate,
because
these
numbers
continue
to
go
up
our
first
strategy
identified
by
our
community
partners
to
change
what
we
call
the
story
behind
the
data
is
to
support
cross
sector
collaboration
to
create
a
trauma,
responsive
and
resilience
focused
community.
G
This
will
entail
first
defining
what
we
collectively
mean
by
trauma,
responsive
and
resilience
focused
and
second,
developing
a
community
plan
to
meet
that
definition.
Our
initial
conversations
have
been
focused
on
what
are
the
community-based
and
prevention
focused
approaches
that
can
be
employed
so
not
as
much
focused
on
the
clinical
or
the
access
piece.
But
what
can
we
do
in
community?
How
can
we
lift
ongoing
and
innovative
work
of
local
organizations,
such
as
resources
for
resilience
or
the
Emoji
health,
well-being
and
justice
collaborative?
G
Where
can
we
support
the
good
work
our
schools
are
already
doing
by
helping
to
support
teachers
and
parents?
Where
can
we
align
with
and
enhance
existing
work
around
community
efforts
like
homework
diners?
So,
what's
so
supporting?
What's
working
what's
available,
where
people
live
from
trusted
resources
and
helping
fill
gaps
were
needed.
Our
second
strategy
is
one
that
it
was
independently
identified
in
the
top
two
actions
for
both
our
focused
conditions:
around
mental
health
as
well
as
birth,
equity,
and
that
is
undoing.
Excuse
me,
is
an
advancing
cross
sector.
H
Before
we
jump
in
to
the
work
to
improve
equity
and
birth
outcomes
and
infant
mortality
or
birth
equity,
for
short,
as
we'll
be
referring
to
it,
I'd
like
to
make
sure
that
we're
speaking
the
same
language,
our
community
partners
have
repeatedly
voiced
the
importance
of
advancing
equity,
which
is
distinctly
different
from
equality.
In
plain
language,
health
equity
means
ensuring
that
everyone
has
a
fair
and
just
opportunity
for
good
health.
As
shown
in
this
image.
H
So,
in
order
to
advance
health
equity,
this
requires
removing
obstacles
to
health,
such
as
poverty,
discrimination
and
their
consequences,
including
powerlessness
and
the
lack
of
access
to
good
jobs,
with
fair
pay,
quality,
education
and
housing,
safe
environments
in
health
care.
The
three
main
systemic
barriers
to
health
equity
in
our
society
are
institutional
racism,
class
oppression
and
gender
discrimination
and
exploitation.
H
This
list
includes
organizations
that
gave
input
on
the
chip
plan
to
advance
birth
equity,
both
chip,
advisory
and
mothering
Asheville,
our
collaborative
x'
within
additional
stakeholders
with
birth
equity.
We
are
building
off
existing
work
that
chip
has
been
supporting
alongside
many
of
these
partners
over
the
past
five
plus
years,
with
a
lot
of
leadership
and
support
from
members
of
the
mother
in
Asheville
movement,
including
the
YWCA
and
many
others
shown
here.
H
Our
action
planning
process
brought
together
many
partners
who
have
been
leaders
in
this
work.
Along
with
folks
who
are
newer
to
the
focus
on
birth
equity.
You
can
see
on
the
list
of
potential
indicators
that
impact
birth
equity.
The
issues
community
members
raised
ranged
from
traditional
measures
of
birth
equity,
including
rates
of
infant
mortality
and
equities
prematurity
and
low
birth
weight,
including
underlying
factors
of
access
to
true
living
wages,
affordable
housing,
the
impact
of
the
school-to-prison
pipeline
community
violence
and
segregation
on
community
and
individual
stress
levels.
H
In
these
images,
you
can
see
the
parts
of
the
story
behind
these
data
that
really
hit
home
for
people
as
they
were
thinking
about
what
strategies
we
should
be
lifting
up,
strengthening
or
creating
the
photo
on
the
right
harness
is
the
strategy.
There
highlights
the
strategies
that
really
rose
to
the
top.
Our
community's
understanding
of
the
impact
of
racism
on
birth
outcomes
aligns,
with
decades
of
research
that
have
found
the
black
women,
regardless
of
their
education
or
income
level,
are
more
likely
to
have
poor
birth
outcomes
than
white
women
of
any
education
or
income
level.
H
The
commonly
thought
of
protective
factors
of
education,
income
level
and
even
health
behaviors
are
not
enough
to
counteract
these
inequities.
This
is
believed
to
be
due
to
the
negative
impact
of
chronic
and
unmitigated
stress
of
experiencing
racism
over
the
life
course,
combined
with
disparate
access
to
consistent
quality
and
culturally
appropriate,
responsive
health
care,
community
and
systemic
resources.
H
This
slide
includes
screenshots
of
our
new
chip.
With
result,
language
directly
shaped
from
the
talk
to
action
participants
who
envisioned
wanting
to
achieve
a
thriving
and
safe
community
leading
to
100
percent
healthy
births,
mamas
and
Families,
a
community
where
families
are
educated
and
supported
with
access
to
adequate
resources
and
a
stable
household.
H
The
current
indicator
has
shown
our
starting
points,
key
indicators
that
we
have
been
tracking
and
we
know,
stand
for
so
much
more.
Our
overall
infant
mortality
rate
in
Buncombe
County
of
5.1
means
that
for
every
thousand
babies
born
in
Buncombe
County,
roughly
five
will
die
before
their
first
year
of
life.
This
rate
is
better
than
the
North
Carolina
rate
of
7.1
and
it's
on
par
with
a
national
average.
However,
the
u.s.
is
infant
mortality
rate
is
number
thirty-three
out
of
thirty-six
developed
countries,
so
we
still
have
significant
room
for
growth.
H
Most
importantly,
the
inequity,
the
avoidable
and
unjust
difference
between
black
and
white
infant
mortality
rates
in
Buncombe
County
is
persistent,
and
it's
increasing.
In
our
most
recent
data,
black
babies
in
Buncombe
County
are
now
four
times
more
likely
to
die
before
their
first
birthday
than
white
babies.
H
So
to
unpack
our
community's
infant
mortality
and
equity
a
little
bit
further
since
2010
the
white
infant
mortality
rate
in
Buncombe
County
has
decreased
from
four
point:
seven
to
three
point:
eight
deaths
for
every
thousand
live
births.
This
is
on
par
with
some
of
the
best
states
in
our
country.
During
the
same
time
period,
our
black
infant
mortality
rate
has
increased
from
eleven
point.
H
Seven
to
fifteen
point
one
deaths
for
every
1000
babies
born
again,
meaning
that
black
babies
in
Buncombe
County
are
now
four
times
as
likely
to
die
before
their
first
birthday
as
white
babies
in
a
county
with
so
many
resources.
This
is
unacceptable
and
must
be
addressed
during
the
same
time.
Period
from
2010
to
2014
is
black.
Infant
mortality
rate
declined
from
fourteen
point,
seven
to
twelve
point:
seven
and
the
white
infant
mortality
rate
for
the
state
declined
from
five
point:
nine
to
five
point:
two:
making
the
statewide
and
equity
ratio.
H
Around
the
world,
infant
mortality
rates
are
seen
as
a
key
measure
of
how
healthy
a
community
is,
because
we
know
that
so
much
more
goes
into
this
than
just
prenatal
care.
Infant
mortality
rates
are
often
considered
the
tip
of
the
iceberg
or
the
canary
in
the
coalmine
for
the
health
of
a
community
as
a
whole,
and
our
community
partners
share
this
view
in
the
comprehensive
approach
that
it
helped
us
shape.
As
dr.
Arthur
James,
one
of
our
nation's
leaders
in
combating
infant
mortality
describes
it.
Infant
mortality
is
multifactorial.
H
Across
both
the
birth
equity
and
mental
health
action
planning
processes,
advancing
cross
sector
collaboration
to
undo,
racism
was
identified
by
community
partners
members
and
our
chip
Advisory
Council,
as
an
essential
strategy
to
prioritize.
Although
there
is
work
already
happening
in
our
community
to
undo
racism
and
discrimination,
this
is
a
new
strategy
for
chip
to
officially
prioritize
and
support.
We
are
still
determining
how
this
strategy
weaved
through
and
guides
all
of
our
work
for
the
ongoing
birth
equity
work.
H
Our
partners
in
advancing
this
work
through
mothering
Asheville
have
committed
to
addressing
structural
racism,
implicit
bias
and
access
to
care
to
improve
equity
and
birth
outcomes
in
our
community
and
this
summer,
Buncombe
County,
with
the
leadership
of
the
Public
Health
Department,
was
selected
to
join
communities
across
the
country
to
participate
in
City
matches
Institute
for
equity
and
birth
outcomes.
Over
the
coming
three
years,
City
matches
a
national
learning
collaborative
and
maternal
and
child
Public
Health
Department
program
leaders
working
to
promote
health
equity
among
women,
families
and
communities.
H
We
hope
this
update
is
useful,
as
you
are
finalizing
your
strategic
planning
process
and
that
your
community,
and
that
the
community
voice
and
strategy
summarized
here,
are
able
to
inform
and
infuse
your
global
strategies
moving
forward.
We
will
continue
to
work
with
community
partners
to
define
our
action
plans
and
begin
implementation
to
bolster
the
work
with
existing
stakeholders
and
engage
new
partners
and
to
explore
how
this
would
work
to
advance
cross
sector
collaboration
to
undo
racism
and
discrimination
weaves
throughout
all
of
our
work.
H
We
will
continue
to
assess
our
progress
in
March
of
2020,
the
Buncombe
state
of
the
county
health
report.
The
saach--
will
be
our
next
update
on
this
work
to
the
North
Carolina
Department
of
Public
Health,
and
we
recognize
that
there
are
always
more
partners
to
be
engaged.
So
if
there
is
anyone,
you
would
like
to
recommend
we
connect
with
please.
Let
us
know.
I
I'd
first
just
like
to
say
thank
you
to
everyone
who
worked
on
this
and
thank
you
all
for
the
in-depth
presentation,
and
this
obviously
elevates
issues
that
we
need
to
be
talking
about.
A
lot
in
our
community.
I
had
a
question,
just
as
you
all
did
the
work
around
birth
equity.
What
what
the
thinking
was
among
community
members
among
y'all
around
why
we
saw
rise
and
infant
mortality
rates
among
black
babies
in
the
last
eight
years
when
that
trend
didn't
happen
in
other
parts
of
the
state.
H
There
are
theories,
but
we
don't
have
a
concrete
answer
for
why
I
know
that,
in
talking
with
dr.
mullendore
since
2013,
there
was
a
spike
in
deaths
that
are
identified
as
sleep
related
and
and
said,
an
infant
there
senator
unexplained
infant
deaths.
Unfortunately,
there's
a
lot
of
complexity
to
those
cases
that
aren't
easily
explained
and
and
similarly
to
kind
of
the
overarching
theory
there's
a
there's.
A
lot
of
it's
hard
to
drill
down
on
the
concrete
health
behavior
is
linked
to
these
incidences.
J
I
F
I
You
all
I,
really
appreciate
you
flagging
their
strategic
plan
and
very
much
hope
that,
as
we
head
into
sort
of
the
final
season
of
that
that
this
conversations
around
both
mental
health
issues
and
birth,
equity
issues
and
sort
of
thinking
about
children's
health
from
a
prenatal
perspective
will
help
shape
that.
This
is
also
certainly
so
deeply
connected
to
the
work
we're
doing
around
affordable.
K
I
Around
early
childhood
education,
but
feels
like
it
gets
at
some
of
the
core
and
also
structural
issues
that
that
that
means
some
people
in
our
community
are
in
an
arm.
Painting
and
I
just
really
appreciate
the
work
you
all
are
doing
to
bring
so
many
voices
into
this
and
to
bring
data
to
bear
on
it
and
to
sort
of
help
lead
the
lead
the
work
forward.
So
thank
you.
Thank.
M
You
knock
walls
down
because
you
want
help
from
wherever
you
can
get
it
right
and
where
I
live.
I
ask
for
an
Amen
from
those
in
the
room
which
is
true
so
I
would
encourage
you
to
reach
out
to
the
faith.
Community
I
would
knock
down
all
the
doors
that
I
could
on
churches.
I
would
reach
out
to
the
pastor's
their
congregations
for
their
help.
Their
assistance
both
physically
and
prayerfully
I
would
encourage
you
to
do
that,
the
other
that
I
heard,
which
I'm
a
witch
which
I
would
also
encourage.
M
M
I
think
that
it
does
a
lot
of
things
for
families
and
encourages
them
in
a
lot
of
different
ways.
So
if
there's
any
way
that
the
county
can
help
with
putting
that
message
out,
I
know
we're
all
glad
glad
to
do
that,
and
it
is
a
worth.
It
is
a
very
worthwhile
message
because
I
think
it
it
empowers
the
entire
family
and
I
think
it
helps
the
entire
family.
M
I.
Don't
think
there
is
anyone
on
the
board
that
when
you
showed
the
mortality
rates
that
there
wasn't
a
sinking
feeling
you
know
within
our
within
our
heart
and
so
I
would
encourage.
You
know
to
continue
to
drill
down
to
the,
why
and
continuing
to
focus
on
that,
because
if
you've
got
one
person,
if
you
change
that
by
by
one
it's
worth
all
of
this,
and
so
really
really
spending
some
time
on
that,
and
that's
not
your
responsibility,
it's
our
responsibility.
M
N
Want
I
want
to
thank
you
for
bringing
this
report
forward
it's
unfortunate
because
it
brings
back
a
lot
of
bad
memories
in
some
ways.
For
me,
I
can
remember
in
a
conversation
a
group
of
us,
my
freshman
year
in
college.
We
were
meeting
with
dr.
Martin,
Luther,
King
jr.,
and
he
said
something
then
and
I
just
had
a
recent
birthday
that
reminds
me
of
what
he
said.
He
didn't
say,
equality.
He
said
young
men,
you
will
be
fighting
for
equity
for
the
rest
of
your
life
lives,
and
you
know
he
was
right.
N
Unfortunately,
but
I
want
to
thank
you
for
bringing
this
to
the
attention
not
only
of
us,
but
hopefully
the
people
who
are
watching
tonight
and
they'll
understand
why
we're
bringing
forth
affordable
housing
pre-k.
These
are
issues
that
you
get
it
get
right
to
the
core
of
what
you're
talking
about,
not
only
for
racism
for
the
black
and
brown
communities,
but
for
the
Tolle
community,
even
for
poor
people,
but
this
is
something
we've
got
in
America.
N
We
are
Fred
to
discuss
this,
but
until
we
own
up
to
living
in
a
racist
society-
and
it's
been
that
way
for
me
for
my
people
for
over
400
years
until
we
get
to
the
crux
of
it
and
really
start
doing
something
about
it.
We're
not
gonna
be
anywhere,
but
thank
you
for
what
you're
doing
and
it's
up
to
us
to
give
you
the
back
in
the
elected
officials
of
what
you
need
to
continue
to
correct
this,
and
as
long
as
I'm
in
this
seat,
I
guarantee
you'll
get
the
support
from
me.
Thanks.
A
Terry
Hanna,
so
thanks
so
much
for
your
presentation
this
evening
appreciate
all
the
work
you're
doing
all
right
all
right.
Next
up,
we
have
a
public
hearing
on
a
resolution
approving
the
delivery
of
a
tax
exempt
installment
loan
between
inka
Candler
Fire,
&,
Rescue,
Department
and
First
Bank
and
Michael
crew.
We'll
get
us
started
on
this.
Mr.
O
This
would
be
a
request
for
an
interest-free
loan
and
it's
through
what
we
call
a
tephra
hearing,
tax
equity
and
Fiscal
Responsibility
Act
of
1982
way
back
when
the
Reagan
administration
did
the
last
overhaul.
The
Revenue
Code
raised
taxes
for
many
they
put
in
place
this
act
to
allow
for
interest
refinancing
for
certain
projects,
and
since
this
body
is
the
governing
unit
having
jurisdiction
over
the
area,
the
request
comes
to
you
just
to
approve
the
project.
It
does
not
Pledge
the
Faith
and
Credit
of
the
county
to
pay
it.
O
It's
not
a
pledge
of
the
taxes
and
it
does
not
constitute
a
debt
of
the
county.
It
is
purely
a
debt
of
Inc
of
Kandla,
Fire,
Department
and,
as
I
understand,
it
they're
securing
the
loan
with
the
old
fire
department
on
151
and
some
fire
apparatus.
So
that's
the
request
for
the
approval
of
this
board
only
not
to
guarantee
the
debt
and
as
to
any
specifics,
we'll
ask
the
chief
is
here
to
answer
any
questions
you
might
have
great
Michael.
P
Thank
You
mr.
Newman
fellow
commissioners,
I
want
to
thank
you
for
taking
your
time
to
consider.
This
resolution
is
a
day
for
those
that
I
think
everybody
knows
me
on
our
Bedingfield
mica
far
apart
and
on
behalf
I,
think
the
fire
department
and
our
board
of
directors
again
I
want
to
thank
you
for
your
consideration
and
support.
P
P
A
M
L
A
Say:
aye
aye
in
a
post,
all
right,
Thank,
You,
chief
yeah.
Thank
you,
Michael,
miss
Pender.
Are
there
any
items
on
the
manager's
report?
Okay,
all
right.
We
have
no
old
business
items
under
new
business.
Let's
go
ahead
and
take
up
the
appointment
of
the
Vice
Chair,
and
this
will
be
an
appointment
for
the
12
month
period
coming
up
basically
for
for
2020,
I
guess,
but
starting
it
it's
effective
as
soon
as
we
vote
on
it
tonight.
So
basically
for
the
next
12
months.
K
A
Q
Good
morning,
church
good
morning,
I've
been
here
a
long
time
good
evening
at,
as
you
know,
you
contracted
with
Clifton
Larsen
Allen
to
conduct
the
fiscal
year.
19
audit
that
has
been
completed,
Chris
Kessler
from
CLA,
is
here
to
provide
the
report
to
you
for
your
listening
pleasure
and
to
accept
staff
worked
very
hard
in
the
four
months.
Well,
I
shouldn't
say
four
months:
really
it
was
the
two
months
from
the
time
we
presented
it,
the
18
in
April.
Until
it
closed
the
business
to
get
things
cleaned
up
the
best
we
could.
Q
They
did
a
fantastic
job,
so
I'm
very
happy
that
we
were
almost
on
time
with
the
10:31
deadline.
If
it
wouldn't
been
for
some
factors
beyond
our
control,
we
would
have
made
that
date,
but
all
in
all
it
was
a
very
good
audit,
I'm
going
to
turn
it
over
to
Chris
after
he
speaks
then
I
believe
Trisha
is
going
to
say
a
few
words
from
the
audit
committee
and
we'll
be
happy
to
answer
any
questions
after
that.
Thank
you.
Thank
you.
E
Good
evening,
max
already
for
the
presentation,
thank
you
hi.
So,
as
Don
said,
my
name
is
Chris.
Kessler
I
am
the
engagement
principal
on
the
2019
audit,
with
CLA
I
work
purely
out
on
state
level,
governments
around
the
country,
my
entire
year
performing
audits
and
other
services,
so
I
am
located
out
of
our
Fort
Myers
Florida
office
I
used
to
be
in
this
area,
but
you
know
our
firm.
We
take
an
approach
of
putting
the
right
people
in
the
right
seats
to
serve
our
clients.
E
We
don't
just
put
the
local
folks
on
the
audit
team,
so
that
is
why
I
am
here
as
your
audit
principal
and
here
to
talk
about
the
results
from
the
2019
audit.
So
the
agenda
for
what
we're
going
to
talk
about
we're
going
to
talk
about
the
services
that
we
performed
over
the
course.
The
audit
will
have
some
required
communications
that
we
are
required
to
make
to
you
all.
E
We
make
them
in
writing,
but
I
like
to
highlight
a
few
things
within
this
presentation
as
well,
because
it's
important
for
you
all
as
the
board
as
governance,
to
hear
these
things
from
me.
We'll
talk
about
the
audit
approach
summary
some
of
the
areas
that
we're
higher
risk
that
we
spend
some
significant
time
on
and
then
we'll
talk
about
some
findings
as
well,
that
we
had
that
really
kind
of
summarize
the
results
of
the
audit,
so
the
services
we
provide.
E
We
audit
the
financial
statements,
which
is
the
comprehensive
annual
financial
report,
referred
to
as
the
kafir'
we
audited,
June
30
2019
Kaffir,
and
we
perform
that
honor
audit
under
government
audit
standards,
which
is
required
for
a
municipality
like
yourselves
and
then,
of
course,
we
audit
the
federal
and
state
compliance
which
is
known
as
the
single
audit.
This
is
the
audit
of
the
federal
and
state
grant
awards
that
you
all
receive
on
basis,
so
the
reports
that
we
deliver
that
are
included
within
your
financial
statements.
E
We
have
our
independent
auditors
report,
which
is
the
opinion
we
have
the
report
and
internal
control
over
financial
reporting,
which
is
referred
to
as
the
report
in
internal
controls
in
short
form.
Then
there's
the
independent
auditors
report
on
compliance
for
each
major
federal
and
state
program.
This
is
your
single
audit
opinion
and
then
there's
the
governance
communication.
E
That
is
a
letter
that
summarizes
the
results
of
our
audit
that
we
issue
at
the
end
of
the
audit
to
the
Board
of
Commissioners,
and
that
has
required
communications
that
we
have
to
make
and
I'm
going
to
discuss
some
of
those
required
communications
for
you
all
now.
So
the
first
thing
is
our
auditors.
Opinion
on
the
financial
statements
was
unmodified
and
what
this
means
is.
It
was
a
clean
opinion,
which
means
the
financial
statements
were
free
of
material
misstatement,
and
this
is
the
highest
level
of
opinion
that
you
all
could
receive
on
your
financial
statements.
E
Within
the
opinion,
there
is
an
emphasis
of
a
matter,
and
this
doesn't
change
our
opinion
in
any
way,
but
it's
a
result
of
prior
period.
Adjustments
being
present
within
the
financial
statements
and
those
are
detailed
further
in
note
11
the
financial
statements,
but
we
just
have
to
indicate
that,
in
the
opinion
to
bring
emphasis
to
the
users,
the
scope
and
timing
of
the
audit,
it
proceeded
as
planned.
I'm
going
to
talk
a
little
bit
about
some
of
our
approach
and
our
risk
assessment
procedures
that
we
did
to
determine
where
our
risk
areas
were.
E
We
do
that
at
the
onset
of
the
audit
and
we
communicate
that
to
the
audit
committee
before
we
start
our
procedures
and
if
anything
had
have
changed.
I
would
have
to
tell
you
that
now
and
tell
you
what
caused
that
change.
What
the
change
was,
what
procedures
we
had
to
do,
but
there
were
no
items
that
occurred
during
our
audit
that
caused
any
significant
changes
to
our
audit
plan,
significant
accounting
policies.
E
These
are
disclosed
within
note
one
of
the
financial
statements
but
the
conclusion
when
we
audit
your
financial
policies
and
procedures
they
are
in
accordance
with
generally
accepted
accounting.
Principles
referred
to
as
GAAP,
and
there
are
no
departures
from
authoritative
guidance.
The
significant
estimates
within
the
financial
statements
are
listed
here
and
what
this
means
you
know
estimate
are
subject
to
change,
there's
significant
assumptions
that
go
into
any
sort
of
estimate,
and
we
have
to
inform
you
all
as
the
users
of
the
financial
statements
what
the
significant
estimates
are
because
they're
subject
to
change.
E
You
know
they
could
fluctuate
significantly
depending
on
changes
in
actuaries
changes
in
specialists,
any
sort
of
adjustments
to
these
assumptions
year
to
year.
So
we
ought
that
we
audit
those
assumptions.
We
audit
those
estimates.
We
audit
the
work
of
the
specialists.
All
four
of
these
items
here
are
reliance
upon
work
of
specialists,
whether
it's
engineers
or
actuaries
or
other
professionals
within
this
service
field
that
you
all
as
the
county
hire
to
determine
these
numbers.
So
we
audit
those
numbers,
we
audit
the
assumptions
and
we
determine
that
they
were
all
appropriate
and
reasonably
stated.
E
We
have
to
communicate
any
sort
of
significant
corrected,
missed
statements
that
existed
within
our
audit
under
standards.
The
majority
of
these
items
listed
here
were
actually
caught
by
the
county.
They
were
management
that
reported
these
adjustments,
but
they
were
related
to
the
prior
period,
so
under
standards.
We
have
to
consider
those
to
be
audit
adjustments
because
it
wasn't
caught
in
a
timely
manner,
but
I
want
to
emphasize
that
to
you
all
and
that
you
know
the
county's
policies
and
procedures
did
bring.
E
The
majority
of
these
entries
to
us
during
the
course
of
the
audit
uncorrect
admit
statements.
This
means
adjustments
that
they
weren't
material
necessarily,
but
they
were
above
a
certain
level
that
we
have
to
summarize
and
report
to
governance
as
existing.
It's
not
not
posted
to
the
financial
statements,
but
again
they're,
not
material,
and
the
financial
statements
are
not
materially
misstated.
As
a
result,
we
had
no
difficulties
in
performing
the
audit.
E
We
had
no
disagreements
with
management
and
management
was
very
cooperative
professional
during
the
audit,
a
pleasure
to
work
with
you
know,
as
Don
indicated
in
his
opening
remarks,
I
mean
this
is
the
second
audit
that
has
been
issued
in
2019,
so
that
good.
You
know
that
is
significant
effort
to
get
things
cleaned
up
from
where
2018
was
for
2019.
So
you
know
I'll
say
from
our
standpoint:
I
think
you
to
the
county
and
Don
and
his
team
for
helping
us
get
things
done
effectively
and
efficiently
during
the
audit.
E
So
our
audit
approach-
these
are
some
areas
that
we
hit
on
and
consider
to
be
a
little
higher
risk
during
the
procedures
we
perform.
Some
of
them
may
seem
somewhat
obvious
when
you
think
of
a
county
operation
and
where
some
of
the
large
dollars
are,
but
because
of
the
amount
of
findings-
and
you
know
some
of
the
results
of
the
audit
last
year,
some
of
these
areas
still
became
higher
risk
because
we
needed
to
make
sure
that
a
lot
of
these
items
were
cleaned
up.
E
So
that
comes
into
the
findings,
and
you
know
what
we
report.
It
falls
into
two
categories
and
there's
a
material
weakness
and
a
significant
deficiency
for
items
that
are
small
and
best
practices
within
financial
statements.
We
can
make
a
verbal
recommendation
or
what
we
call
a
management
letter,
but
a
material
weakness
is
as
it
sounds.
It
is
an
internal
control
deficiency
or
an
adjustment
to
the
financial
statements
that
was
material
during
the
year.
E
Significant
deficiency
is
anything
that
would
be
considered,
not
material,
but
we
consider
significant
enough
in
our
judgment
that
we
should
be
reporting
it
to
you
all.
So,
from
a
financial
statement
standpoint
there
was
one
finding
this
year
was
a
material
weakness
related
to
those
audit
adjustments
that
I
discussed
earlier.
These
adjustments
were
to
restate
beginning
balances
within
the
financial
statements,
so
under
standards
that
does
become
an
audit
adjustment.
We
do
have
to
report
a
finding
for
that
and
the
finding
truly
related
to
the
fact
that
those
adjustments
were
not
detected.
E
From
a
single
audit
standpoint,
we
audit
our
major
programs.
There
are
a
variety
of
ways
that
we
determine
what
program
is
major
and
it's
a
certain
dollar
threshold
has
to
be
met,
and
then
we
have
to
look
at.
Was
it
audited
recently,
every
three
years
or
have
there
been
any
issues
within
the
program
or
turnover
or
changes
in
compliance
and
then
for
things
like
Medicaid?
The
federal
government
tells
us
we
have
to
audit
those
every
single
year,
regardless
of
what
is
happening
within
the
program.
So
our
five
programs
are
listed
here.
E
We
had
three
federal
and
two
state
programs
that
had
to
be
audited.
The
results
of
the
single
audit,
our
opinion
on
the
federal
programs
was
also
unmodified,
which
is
a
clean
opinion.
On
compliance,
we
noted
no
control
deficiencies
and
no
instances
of
compliance
within
those
federal
programs
within
the
state
programs.
E
We
had
a
clean
opinion,
modified
opinion
on
compliance,
but
we
did
know
two
internal
control
deficiencies
that
were
considered
to
be
significant
deficiencies
that
were
related
to
timely
report
filing
and
timely
bank
reconciliations
that
are
required
by
the
state
rules
governing
that
program
and
with
these
items
it's
important
to
note
as
well.
You
know
when
you
think
about
the
cycle
of
audit
findings
and
that
this
2018
audit
was
issued
in
April
of
last
year.
That
was
ten
months
in
to
fiscal
year.
E
Nineteen,
so
management
only
has
a
certain
amount
of
time
to
implement
a
corrective
action
plan
to
start
cleaning
these
things
up.
Meanwhile,
some
of
these
items
have
been
occurring.
We
have
to
audit
the
entire
year
for
2019.
So
these
instances,
we've
noted,
really
are
carryovers
from
the
prior
year
findings
as
well,
so
the
corrective
action
plans
have
already
been
implemented
by
management,
and
these
should
not
repeat
going
forward.
E
So
I
want
to
put
this
context
in
here
as
well.
For
you
all,
as
we
talk
about
findings
and
the
results,
and
you
know
what
a
you
know
an
achievement,
it
was
to
be
able
to
get
two
audits
out
in
one
year
to
financial
statements
or
2018.
You
look
at
the
comparison
between
2018
and
the
2019
audits
and
the
number
of
findings
year-to-year,
and
you
look
at
these
three
that
were
in
2009,
tene
they're,
all
carryover
from
2018
they're,
all
prior
your
audit
items
that
have
dragged
into
2019.
E
M
Mean
I,
don't
know
where,
though
I
mean
I,
think
it
would
be
good
good
to
know
on
the
corrective
actions.
You
know
the
progress
of
those
you
know
what
they
are,
how
they're
been.
You
know
how
they're
being
handled
and
I
think
you
know
that
would
be.
That
would
be
my
only
question.
I
have
full
confidence,
as
the
are
being
as
you
do,
but
I
think
it'd
be
good
to
have
that.
You
know,
as
you
know,
ongoing
information
or.
M
E
And
I
can
comment
on
how
how
that's,
how
that
affects
the
audit
and
what
we
do
to
address
those
items
and
where
that
actually
does
get
reported
in
your
financial
statements
as
well.
So
whenever
there's
findings
in
a
prior
year,
we
understand
ERDs
are
required
to
look
at
management's
corrective
action.
They
have
to
provide
to
us
a
status
of
prior
findings.
Either
it's
been
fixed,
it
hasn't
been
fixed
or
we
have
no
intention
of
fixing
this
stop
asking
us.
You
don't
want
that,
but
those
are
the
options.
So
you
know
that's
the
first
step.
E
We
look
at
it
and
we
say:
okay,
they
have
been
corrected.
We
then
test
that
we
test
management's
assertion
to
say
have
these
findings
been
corrected?
Let's
look
at
the
documentation,
let's
look
at
policies
and
procedures.
Let's
look
at
these
reviews
and
authorizations
that
addressed
these
items
so
that
when
you
go
back
to
the
the
original
slide
that
had
the
data
on
it
as
far
as
how
many
there
were
last
year
into
this
year,
that's
the
sign
that
those
items
were
addressed
and
cleared.
E
A
A
R
For
the
record,
when
the
committee
was
created
in
the
year
2000,
its
primary
responsibility
was
oversight
of
the
external
financial
statement,
audit
process
that
just
was
presented.
This
includes
the
entire
process
from
the
selection
of
the
audit
firm
to
ensuring
that
those
audit
findings
are
followed
up
on
and
addressed
appropriately
resolved
and
anything
in
between.
So
the
committee
is
actually
made
aware
of
progress,
potential
issues,
outcomes
any
of
those
corrective
actions
and
what
was
done
about
those
and
for
informational
purposes.
R
R
Subject
matter:
experts
from
banking,
accounting,
business
fields
and
commissioners
as
well
that
composition
helps
ensure
that
that
what
is
talked
about
and
discussed
in
that
committee
meeting
is
is
meeting
best
practice
with
its
membership
and
ensuring
that
everything
that
needs
to
be
communicated
as
a
conduit
to
the
Board
of
Commissioners.
It
happens
because
of
this
responsibility,
of
course,
with
audit
the
Government
Accountability
Office.
B
Think
y'all
need
a
big
hand
for
what
y'all
done
and
Chris
appreciate
everything
and
what
we
heard
this
morning.
You
know
in
our
earlier
meeting
with
you
how
hard
our
staff
has
worked
to
do
two
outlets
in
one
year,
what
they've
done
and
with
the
people
that
you've
done
it
with,
and
you
know,
Don
Terry
started
it
and
passed
it
off
the
care,
Kelly
and
then
Trish.
N
Yeah
I
just
like
to
add
to
that
I
appreciate
and
I
hope
everybody
realizes
the
hard
work
that
I
employers
have
put
into
this.
You
know
I
spent
40
years
in
banking,
but
I've
never
seen
a
mess
like
we
inherited
when
I
became
a
commission,
but
thanks
to
the
good
employees
that
we
have
here,
Buncombe
County.
N
We
have
really
light
years
ahead
of
where
I
thought
we
would
be
at
this
point
in
time,
and
that's
all
due
to
the
hard
work
of
all
of
our
staff
and
what's
been
good
about
it's
a
good
mix
because
Don
we
have
several
new
people
in
law
along
with
employees.
Who've
been
here
for
years,
and
it's
all.
We've
formed
the
excellent
team
and
its
really
paying
off
for
us,
and
we
just
appreciate
the
hard
work
you've
done
done
and
I
can
say
this
now
only
for
the
commissioners,
but
for
the
constituents.
N
R
B
A
Q
A
A
motion
in
a
second
to
accept
the
audit,
all
in
favor,
please
say
aye
any
opposed.
Thank
you
all
right,
Don,
Chris
and
Trisha.
Thank
you
all
for
presentation
this
evening
and
Al
and
Robert.
Thank
you
for
serving
on
the
Audit
Committee.
On
behalf
of
appreciate
all
right.
That
concludes
our
new
business.
We
now
come
to
our
board
appointments
on
the
Women's
Commission.
We
have
one
opening.
A
In
favor,
please
say
aye
any
opposed
all
right.
We
are
also
need
to
talk
about
our
newest
public
Commission,
which
is
our
parks,
greenways
and
Recreation
Advisory
Board.
So
this
is
a
new
board
that
the
County
Commission
has
created
to
facilitate
community
engagement
around
the
county's
work
in
these
arenas,
and
so
we've
had
a
lot
of
interest
in
this
new
board.
We've
got
nine
positions
to
fill
three
from
each
of
the
each
of
the
three
Commission
districts,
so
we
have
25
applicants
and
we
talked
about
this
a
little
bit
in
our
pre
meeting.
A
I
think
the
direction
the
county
indicated
in
our
pre
meeting
we'd
like
to
go
is
to
have
a
chance
to
do
interviews
with
some
of
these
candidates
and
to
so
here's
what
I
wanted
to
suggest.
Based
on
our
earlier
conversation,
so
we've
got
I've
got
the
list
of
folks
in
front
of
us.
The
commissioners
have
all
been
emailed
everyone's
applications
and
associated
background
information
for
those
who
submitted
that,
so
we
do
have
25
applicants.
My
sense
that
we'd
like
to
do
interviews
with
a
lot
of
these
times.
But
how
about
this?
What?
A
A
My
hope
is
that
maybe
we
maybe
we
interview-
you
know
maybe
15
or
16,
or
something
in
that
neighborhood
still
gonna
take
a
probably
about
two
and
a
half
hours
to
do
that.
But
if
you
know,
if
we
do
interview
everyone,
you
know
it's
gonna
be
a
day
or
you
know
a
large
part
of
one.
So
that's
my
suggestion.
I
think
if
everyone
brings
in
not
more
than
three
I
think
will
likely
arrive
somewhere
in
that
neighborhood
is
my.
Is
my
hunch
any
thought
serves
it
sound
like
a
good
process
to
advance
the
discussion.
It's.
M
A
The
one
o'clock
is
our
pre
meeting
right,
so
we're
gonna
do
a
one
o'clock
pre
meeting.
We
have
a
strategic,
let's
do
during
strategic
cleanings.
We
got
a
lot
of
stuff
to
cover
there,
but
I
was
thinking
the
1
o'clock
meeting
we'd
have
an
online
discussion
of
who
to
interview
this
great
great
and
if
you
know
FGS
and
I
think
as
when
we
get
there.
A
M
You
know
they
only
come
in
oh
I'll.
Make
is
I
just
want
to
make
sure
that
we
are
that
we
have
three
that
are
diverse
and
geographically
represented
in
the
county,
so
that
we
can-
and
one
may
not
be
as
experienced
as
another
one
to
be
able
to
achieve
that.
So
we
just
kind
of
need
to
try
to
keep
that
in
mind.
If
we
can
right.
A
G
A
You
know
nobody
is
obligated
to
only
suggest
people
from
your
district,
but
you
know
if
everybody
kind
of
in
particular
think
about
the
folks
from
your
district
and
think
about
the
geographic
distribution
in
your
district,
with
the
goal
that
you
just
talked
about
in
mind.
We
want
to.
We
want
to
have
a
good
cross-section
from
across
the
county,
this
board
all
right.
Well,
it
sounds
like
sounds
like
no
objections
to
that,
so
bring
bring
your
folks
and
we'll
talk
about
it
more
in
two
weeks.
So.
A
Don't
think
so
because
it's
boards
and
commissions,
so
it's
kind
of
at
our
discretion,
how
we
want
to
take
it
up
so
I
think
we
can
just
plan
on
taking
it
up
at
the
pre
meeting
next
and
great
all
right.
We
now
come
to
public
comment.
Are
there
any
members
of
the
thirty
members
of
the
public
who
wish
to
talk
to
the
board?
Now
now
is
your
chance,
so
you
have
three
minutes.
Just
let
us
know
your
name
and
where
you
live
and
coming
up.
A
S
Don't
take
any
of
my
time,
don't
turn
it
on
I'll
get
started.
Thank
you.
The
you
need
facts.
Folks
and
I
want
to
share
some
thoughts
with
you,
since
you
are
the
establishment
of
policy
and
the
leaders
of
the
county.
When
you
talk
about
births
and
deaths,
you
also
need
to
know
the
number
of
births
per
1000
people,
and
then
you
have
your
number
of
deaths
per
1000
births,
because
the
number
of
births
is
going
to
affect
the
percentage
of
the
number
of
deaths
and
those
of
you
that
know
numbers.
S
If
you
don't,
if
you
doubt
that,
let
me
know
and
I'll
show
you
and
all
that
concerns
been
shown.
There's
another
number.
You
need
the
abortions
per
1000
pregnancies
if
you're
so
concerned
about
the
babies.
Let's
talk
about
the
abortions
for
1000
babies.
Oh
I,
see
you
don't
want
to
talk
about
that.
Now.
Leave
that
topic.
S
Homeownership,
you
give
somebody
a
home
if
they
haven't
worked
for
what
are
they
gonna
do
to
it?
They're
gonna
run
it
in
the
ground.
You
bend
over
backwards
to
help
them,
and
what
are
you
gonna
do
to
it.
Homeownership
requires
taxes.
It
requires
maintenance
and
I'm
gonna.
Tell
you
what
the
way
you
folks
are
talking
about:
spending
money
and
solving
all
the
problems
in
the
world.
You're
gonna
drive
the
taxes
so
high
that
you're
going
to
destroy
home
ownership.
S
You
got
to
remember
that
you
form
all
these
committees
and
everybody
to
do
everything,
but
it's
all
dependent
on
the
money,
and
let
me
tell
you,
I've,
got
a
minute
and
11
seconds
to
tell
you
about
my
people.
My
people
use
an
outhouse
and
years
used
in
outhouse
when
you
set
on
it
and
a
cold
of
winter.
You
get
up.
You
see
the
outline
if
you,
but
I
was
heated
with
the
wood
stove
in
little
kitchen,
I
took
the
bath
on
top
of
the
sink.
S
We
had
a
wood
stove
in
the
living
room
and
I
carried
the
wood
and
the
cold
end
to
keep
it
warm.
The
walls
were
lined
with
paper.
How
did
I
get
what
I
got?
I
busted
my
butt,
but
myself
through
nine
years
of
college
and
tried
to
help
this
county
do
waste
reduction
and
he
didn't
do
it.
But
there's
one
thing
there
about
all
of
that.
My
dad
at
13
years
old,
was
kicked
out
of
his
house.
S
That's
what
my
people
went
through
and
was
raised
in
a
sawmill
camp,
never
took
a
drink
in
his
life
and
never
smoked
a
cigarette.
You
can.
You
can
take
a
pig
then
and
put
him
in
a
new
house
and
that's
exactly
what
happened
with
some
very
public
houses
in
Cherokee.
The
Indians
didn't
want
to
live
in
the
house
and
they
put
the
cattle
inside
him.
Same
thing
happened
out
west.
T
Good
evening
my
name
is
Jody
Williams
I'm,
a
native
well,
and
one
of
the
founding
members
of
help.
Asheville
Bears
help.
Asheville
Bears
is
here
tonight
to
bring
your
attention
to
a
historic,
tragic
event,
affecting
at
least
a
dozen
black
bears
in
a
25
mile
radius
in
and
around
Asheville
four
months
ago.
A
bear
that
I
and
my
family
knew
by
the
name
of
pieces.
T
A
mother
with
three
cubs
disappeared
near
the
cliffs
community
in
Arden,
when
peaches
reappeared
four
weeks
later
on
August
18th,
her
cubs
were
with
her,
but
she
was
missing
her
right
front.
Forelimb
and
pall
from
the
elbow
down
her
cubs
looked
healthy,
but
peaches
had
lost
significant
weight
was
extremely
skittish
and
struggling
to
get
around.
All
that
knew
her
as
a
healthy
and
happy
bear
were
devastated
by
her
injury.
T
A
few
days
later,
a
local
media
outlet
ran
a
story
about
a
bear
with
a
missing
limb
and
when
we
learned
it
was
a
different
bear
than
our
peaches
we
knew
human
interference
was
maiming.
Our
bears
and
helped
Asheville
Bears
was
born
in
less
than
four
months.
The
help
Asheville
Bears
Facebook
page
has
grown
to
over
75,000
followers
and
coverage
of
these
tragic
events
have
reached
an
international
audience.
Colonel
Scotty
Morgan
and
his
wife
Carol
have
pledged
a
$50,000
reward
for
any
information
leading
to
the
arrest
and
conviction
of
whoever
is
harming
our
bears.
T
With
the
help
of
our
followers
we
now
have
12
confirmed
individual
bears,
five
of
which
are
mothers
with
Cubs,
with
unusual
amputation,
injuries
in
a
cluster
in
and
around
Asheville.
Nowhere
else
on
earth
has
there
been
this
many
bears
with
amputation
injuries
in
such
a
small
area,
with
the
help
of
several
veterinary
and
wildlife
experts,
including
forensic
veterinary
pathologists,
from
the
University
of
Florida.
We
know
that
these
excruciating
ly
painful
debilitating
amputation.
Injuries
were
caused
by
a
snare
trap
or
ligature.
T
But
now,
after
months
of
day
and
night,
collaboration
with
governor
Cooper's
office,
lieutenant
governor's
forest
office,
Attorney
General
Stein's
office
and
the
Commission's
wildlife
enforcement
division,
we
are
confident
that
the
state
is
using
its
resources
to
pit
it
in
to
the
maiming
of
our
bears,
we're
here
to
respectfully
ask
that
the
Buncombe
commissioners
liaised
with
the
state
government
so
that
they
are
aware
that
you
two
won
a
quick
resolution
to
stop
these
horrific
injuries
inflicted
upon
our
beloved
black
bears.
There's
any
questions,
I'll
be
glad
to
answer.
A
U
Good
evening
my
name
is
Teresa
Newman
and
I'm
here
on
behalf
of
Health,
Asheville
bears
I'm
sure
that
you
would
all
agree
that,
no
matter
what
level
of
compassion
that
someone
has
for
wildlife,
that
the
majority
of
Buncombe
County
County
citizens
would
be
horrified
that
the
black
bears
in
our
community
are
being
tortured
and
mutilated
by
illegal
bear
traps.
You
may
wonder
why
anyone
would
commit
such
a
heinous
crime.
Well,
the
answer
is
for
money.
There
is
a
booming
black
market.
Trade
for
live,
bears,
dead,
bears
and
bear
parts
in
China
and
other
Asian
countries.
U
Even
though
it's
against
the
law
bear
poaching,
operations
are
occurring
right
now
in
Western,
North
Carolina.
The
12
bears
with
amputated
limbs
that
Jody
mentioned
are
just
the
ones
we
know
about
in
Buncombe
County
there
are,
god
knows
how
many
other
bears
that
have
amputated
limbs.
And/Or
have
been
killed
or
maimed
by
bear
poachers
in
this
area.
With
that
said,
the
bears
that
have
severed
legs
can
survive,
but
they
struggle
on
a
daily
basis.
They
have
must
hop
in
wooded
and
mountain
strain.
U
Commissioners
I
hope
that
you
agree
that
the
person's
committing
this
heinous
crime
should
be
held
responsible,
not
only
is
bear
poaching
and
illegal
traps,
inhumane
and
cruel,
but
it's
against
the
law
in
the
state
of
North
Carolina
and
it
must
stop
in
Buncombe
County.
The
members
of
health
help
Asheville
Bears
spent
months
trying
to
convince
the
North
Carolina
Wildlife
Resources
Commission,
that
the
amputated
limbs
on
these
bears
were
not
caused
by
car
strikes,
but
that
they
were
caused
by
illegal
traps.
U
It
was
obvious
to
us-
and
it
was
confirmed
by
wildlife
experts
and
by
forensic
pathology
veterinarians,
thankfully
Colonel
Scottie
Morgan
and
the
Williams
family,
who
found
it
help
ash
shovel
bears
persevered
contacting
the
state
of
North
Carolina
until
finally,
an
investigation
was
officially
started
now
that
the
wildlife
enforcement
is
on
board.
We
need
your
support
respectfully
help.
U
Asheville
bears
with
75,000
followers
and
growing
is
requesting
that
the
Buncombe
County
Commissioners
liaised
with
the
state
attorney
general's
office
and
with
the
North
Carolina
Wildlife
Commission,
to
not
only
stop
the
bear
poaching
operations
but
to
convict
the
person's
committing
these
atrocious
crimes
against
the
black
bears
in
our
community.
Thank
you,
Thank.
M
K
K
I
think,
first
of
all,
you
better
not
be
patting
people
on
the
back
too
quick,
because
that
happened
for
years,
and
you
see
what
happened
to
Buncombe
County,
one
of
the
worst
things
ever
happened
to
County
with
indictments
and
it
was
overlooked
by
the
Oversight
Committee.
Just
like
you,
people
set
another
fire
so
until
the
patent
on
the
back,
you
need
to
be
asking
more
serious
questions.
K
These
auditor
gets
paid
thousands
and
several
hundred
thousand
dollars
over
the
years
to
do
this
job,
but
they're
skimming
the
surface
they're,
not
even
touching
the
real
things,
and
someone
said
you
got
some
great
employees
and
I
absolutely
agree.
The
employees
are
the
ones
that
finds
the
problems
and
the
politicians
are
the
ones
that
sweeps
it
under
the
rug
because
they
don't
nobody
doesn't
know
about
it.
K
Did
you
hear
me
the
politician
sweep
it
under
the
rug,
just
like
investigation
swept
under
the
rug,
there's
a
lot
of
criminal
activity
that
takes
place
in
tourist
towns
that
gets
swept
under
the
rug
by
the
sheriff
by
the
police
by
the
judges
by
the
lawyers
and
there
everybody
else,
because
they
don't
want
a
black
spot
in
the
county.
I
used
to
work
around
the
Sheriff's
Department
I
know
how
privileged
politicians
and
their
children
are
they
get
driven
home
drunk
when
they
get
stopped.
K
J
What
brings
me
here
tonight
is
an
article
I
read
in
a
newspaper
a
couple
weeks
ago,
Commissioners
Neiman
or
chairman
Newman
I
believe
that
it
was
mainly
your
support
for
a
free
transit
throughout
the
city
of
Asheville
in
Buncombe.
County
I
want
to
talk
to
you
about
a
another
item
that
chairman
you
were
behind
about
1213
years
ago.
It
was
90
days
of
free
transit.
I
was
a
part
of
that.
Like
I,
said
I'm,
a
native
of
Buncombe
County
I
spent
almost
45
years
working
for
the
City
Transit
System
27
of
those
years.
J
I
was
Bank
nurse
director
that
was
three
of
the
hardest
months
that
I
was
ever
employed
there.
It
was
so
hard
to
keep
equipment
on
the
road.
Those
buses
were
packed
from
front
to
back
all
day
long.
We
we
went
through
three
transmissions
during
that
90-day
period
and
I.
Remember,
leaving
here
2:30
one
afternoon
to
drive
to
Greensboro
to
get
a
transmission
to
bring
back
only
to
call
some
guys
back
to
work
to
have
him
put
it
back
him
because
we
needed
that
bus
again
for
the
next
day.
J
We
had
so
many
failures
during
that
90
day
period.
No
I
said
it
was
overcrowding
if
the
buses
were
fooled,
suppose
we're
heavy-duty
buses
more
heavy-duty
than
what
they've
got
today.
But
when
you
can't,
when
you
have
that
many
people
on
the
bus
you
have
so
many
more
stops,
stop
and
go,
stop
and
go.
It
effected
air
bags
it
affected
brakes.
It
affected
things
that
we
normally
didn't
have
a
problem
with
during
the
normal
course
of
business.
But
this
was
the
part
that
was
part
of
my
job,
so
I
had
to
adapt
to
that.
J
But
the
part
that
bothered
me
the
most
was
when
I'd
hear
drivers
talking
about
we're
losing
customers.
These
elderly
people
don't
have
anywhere
to
sit
because
the
homeless
people
are
getting
on
the
bus
and
they're
staying
on
it
all
day.
Long
they've
got
a
captive
audience
to
try
to
get
money
from
now.
Would
you
want
your
mother
or
your
grandmother
to
have
to
ride
the
city,
bus
and
hang
on,
because
there's
no
seat
form
the
low-floor
buses
they
have
today?
J
Well
and
again
they
don't
hold
as
many
people
as
the
buses
you
have
when
I
was
there
before
you
guys
start
thinking
about
this
deal
again,
it
all
sounds
good,
but
it's
like
it's
just
like
when
you
go
to
build
a
house,
you
build
a
finest
house
in
the
world,
but
if
you
don't
have
the
foundation
for
that
house,
that
house
is
going
to
come
apart.
Thank
you
all.
A
Right,
thank
you.
Mr.
Payne.
All
right
all
right,
we've
got
a
couple
of
announcements
on
December
17th
at
8:30
a.m.
the
Buncombe
County
Commission
will
hold
a
strategic
planning
workshop
at
200
College
Street
first
floor
conference,
room
in
downtown
Asheville
that
same
day,
at
1:00
p.m.
the
commissioners
will
hold
their
pre
meeting
at
in
room
three
to
six
two
hundred
College
Street
and
then
that
evening,
at
five
pm,
the
county
commissioners
will
hold
their
regular
meeting
here
in
room
326
in
downtown
Asheville.