At the January 13 City Council meeting, Council members undertook consideration of one Helene Recovery agenda item as the City and community continue to move forward with recovery related projects and needs. During a worksession that preceded the meeting, Council heard a summary of the input from Phase 1 engagement for the Azalea Parks and Infrastructure and the French Broad Riverfront Parks recovery projects.
Consent Agenda Item L – Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure Grant Application: Approved
Resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for a Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure grant, and if awarded funding, enter into a contract with the NC Department of Environmental Quality to accept funding as a subrecipient of the federal Environmental Protection Agency grant; and to further authorize the City Manager to sign all necessary documents to this effect. Documents for the Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure Grant Application
“This grant would provide support to improve the City’s waste reduction programs and ensure that our community can continue recovering from Tropical Storm Helene by improving the resiliency of our waste reduction infrastructure,” said Sanitation Division Manager Jes Foster.
Prior to the regular City Council meeting on January 13, a City Council worksession was held to allow staff to present. (1) an engagement summary for the French Broad River Park and Azalea Park Recovery Projects; and (2) a budget and financial update. A recording of the live streamed meeting is available on the City of Asheville YouTube channel.
Work Session Presentation – Riverfront Recovery Projects
The Riverfront Recovery Projects presentation follows a meeting of the Infrastructure Recovery Board on January 12, during which the Board prioritized design themes for each of the two recovery projects. The prioritization of themes will guide consultants on the desired balance as they do their best to incorporate all themes into the design concepts while also understanding time and funding may be a limiting factor. Riverfront Recovery Projects Presentation
“The incredible community feedback from the comprehensive engagement around these projects underscores how deeply these parks, greenways, and public infrastructure are woven into the fabric of Asheville,” said Parks & Recreation Director D. Tyrell McGirt who also serves as the staff liaison to City Council’s Infrastructure Recovery Board. “What we’ve heard clearly is that community members prioritize a resilient and dynamic riverfront that is connected to multi-modal transportation options and preserves the unique gathering spaces that make our riverfronts the heart of recreation and community connection in the city.”
Work Session Presentation – FY27 Budget Update
The Fiscal Year 2027 budget process kicked off with a presentation from staff to update Council and the community on challenges the City faces for the next fiscal year. In early projections, a $30 million gap between revenue and expenses is expected. FY27 Budget Update Presentation
“We have a balanced budget for FY26 which ends on June 30. Sharing this early projection of a FY27 budget gap now maximizes the opportunity to address this imbalance.” said Director of Finance Tony McDowell. “There are several factors out of our influence, like national rising healthcare costs and slower state-wide sales tax growth, along with Asheville’s being significantly impacted by the effects of Hurricane Helene. Also, other factors like the results of the county’s reevaluation of property values will be part of our ongoing assessment. We started the budget process about 6 weeks early with City Council as an act of good faith and transparency with our community. Staff will continue to work with Council members to reassess and revise budget opportunities as the process continues through June.”