Boards and Commissions Last updated or reviewed on March 3, 2026 Announcements: Advisory Board and Commission Meeting Suspension Update NOTICE: All regular meetings of the following 13 advisory boards will remain meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Affordable Housing Advisory Committee African American Heritage Committee Asheville-Buncombe Riverfront Commission Asheville Downtown Commission Audit Committee Community Entertainment Facilities Commission Human Relations Commission Multimodal Transportation Commission Neighborhood Advisory Committee Noise Advisory Board Public Art & Culture Commission Sustainability Advisory Committee Urban Forestry Commission These boards shall meet when tasks are assigned by the Asheville City Council, a Council Committee, or a department director. Members of boards that are meeting on an as-needed basis have the following pathways to propose new tasks that have not been directed by City Council: Ask their board’s representative on the Helene Recovery Boards to present the idea to their respective Recovery Board. Communicate the idea to a Council Committee. Communicate the idea to City Council. Ask their board chair to present the idea to the department director who provides support to their board (e.g., Urban Forestry Master Plan, Arts & Culture Plan, Home Repair, Resilience Hubs, etc.). What are Boards and Commissions? Alex Smith, Assistant City Clerk, and Michelle Smith, Deputy City Clerk, speak about what Boards and Commissions are and how you can get involved, anywhere from becoming a member of a board to submitting questions and recommendations as a member of the public. Your Voice Matters Have you ever wanted to make a difference? Have you wondered, “Can the City benefit from my experience and knowledge?” Do you want to have a voice in the City’s growth and future? Do you want to be a part of the body that is responsible for making decisions regarding policy, service and education? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, then it’s time to take that initial step forward and put your perspective, leadership and knowledge to task by serving on one of the many committees we have to offer. Through a variety of boards and commissions established by the Asheville City Council, members of the public may provide input on the policies that shape their government and their city. Board members and commissioners generally serve as unpaid volunteers, but the rewards can be gratifying: members meet other residents with similar interests, they learn about the city, and they help shape the future of Asheville. Being on a board or commission requires a significant personal commitment, so applicants should consider their ability to commit their time and personal energy before applying. Board and Commission Resources Board and Commission Resource Folder – folder containing Board and Commission policies, handbooks, resources, and annual reports, etc. Board and Commission Member Resource Hub – centralized webpage for board member resources and announcements Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)– for anyone considering serving on a City board or commission City Engagement Hub– Online hub for Board and Commission meetings and public participation information Want to be notified when new vacancies are announced? Email boards@ashevillenc.gov to be added to the distribution email list. Have an issue accessing or participating in a board or commission meeting, in person or virtually? Use this form to let us know! Application Process Prospective Applicants First, determine which board or commission interests you. Board and commission meetings are open to the public, so potential applicants are encouraged to attend monthly meetings or watch recordings of previous meetings. Meeting dates, times, and locations vary and are available on individual board and commission web pages. You may apply for up to three boards at a time. Please review our FAQ’s for more information. Note: Complete application forms are subject to NC public records laws and are posted online for the City Council and public review. Application Note: You may apply for up to three boards at a time. After your application is received, you will receive a confirmation e-mail from the City Clerk’s Office. If you do not receive an email within a day after submittal, please contact boards@ashevillenc.gov to make sure that your application has reached the City Clerk’s Office. Once an application is received, the city will place your name on the resource list for that particular board. Applications are kept on file for consideration for one year. If you are not appointed within a year, you will need to submit a new application for further consideration. Qualifications City residents are given preference. However, Council may appoint a non-City resident to some hard-to-fill seats, seats requiring special skills or expertise, or unless otherwise specified or provided for by law or Council action. Some board seats have specific eligibility requirements. All requirements will be listed above in the “board and commission vacancies” section. Please carefully review the requirements prior to submitting your application. Interview When vacancies occur, the City Council will review the resource list and may schedule interviews. You will be contacted directly if it is necessary for you to interview for an appointment. ADA Accommodations The City prohibits discrimination on the basis of a disability with respect to all terms and conditions of access to its activities, programs, and services. If you need any reasonable accommodation to make your board service more effective, please email the City’s ADA Coordinator, Brad Stein, to discuss your accommodation request. The City will consider whether your request can be reasonably accommodated. This will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. For more information about the City of Asheville’s ADA policy and contact information for the ADA coordinator, please visit the Americans with Disabilities Act webpage. Board & Commission Application City of Asheville Event Calendar The table below, updated and published in December 2025, lists the 2026 regular meeting and staff contact information for City Managed Boards. For meeting information on Boards/Commissions not managed by the City, but to which City Council appoints members, please visit the Non City-managed Boards webpage. City Managed Boards and Commissions 2026 Meeting Information Board and Commission Meeting Information Staff Contact Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. Sasha Vrtunski (828) 259-5560 svrtunski@ashevillenc.gov African American Heritage Commission Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. Sala Menaya-Merritt (828) 232-4517 smenaya-merritt@ashevillenc.gov Asheville Buncombe Riverfront Commission Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. David Hazzard (828) 417-4306 dhazzard@ashevillenc.gov Asheville City Council Formal Meetings Asheville City Council Agenda Briefing Work Sessions This meeting takes place at 5:00 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, in the Council Chamber located on the second floor of City Hall. These meetings are held in-person. Agenda Briefing Work Sessions are held the Thursday before the formal City Council meeting Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. These meetings are virtual. Maggie Burleson (828) 259-5601 mburleson@ashevillenc.gov Asheville Regional Housing Consortium This board will meet as follows: Wednesday, May 13, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., in-person, in the Banquet Hall, located on the second floor of Harrah’s Cherokee Center Wednesday, August 12, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., virtually Wednesday, November 18, 2026, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., in-person, in the Banquet Hall, located on the second floor of Harrah’s Cherokee Center Wednesday, February 10, 2027, from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., virtually Wednesday, May 12, 2027, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., in-person, in the Banquet Hall, located on the second floor of Harrah’s Cherokee Center Kaylee Pulliam (828) 251-4017 kpulliam@ashevillenc.gov Audit Committee Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. Frank McGowan (828) 259-5811 fmcgowan@ashevillenc.gov Board of Adjustment This meeting takes place at 2:00 p.m., on the fourth Monday of each month at City Hall, in the first floor North Conference Room. Meetings are held in-person. Sam Starr-Baum (828) 259-5609 sstarr-baum@ashevillenc.gov Board of Electrical Examiners This meeting takes place at 9:00 a.m., on the first Tuesday of the month in January, April, July, and October. Meetings are virtual. Misty Lipe (828) 259-5658 mlipe@ashevillenc.gov Citizen-Police Advisory Committee Not currently meeting. Samantha Booth (828) 259-5813 sbooth@ashevillenc.gov Civil Service Board This meeting takes place at 2:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at City Hall, in the first floor North Conference Room. Meetings are held in-person. Emily Provance (828) 774-8564 eprovance@ashevillenc.gov Community Entertainment Facilities Commission (Formerly the Civic Center Commission) Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. Chris Corl (828) 259-5452 ccorl@ashevillenc.gov Design Review Committee This meeting takes place at 12:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at City Hall, in the first floor North Conference Room. Meetings are held in-person. Will Palmquist (828) 259-5525 wpalmquist@ashevillenc.gov Downtown Commission Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. Dana Frankel (828) 273-5248 dfrankel@ashevillenc.gov Firefighter’s Relief Fund – Board of Trustees This meeting takes place on an as-needed basis. Dale Wyrick (828) 450-8224 mwyrick@ashevillenc.gov Helene Economy Recovery Board This meeting takes place from 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. on the third Thursday of every other month, in odd-numbered months, in the first-floor North Conference Room of City Hall. Meetings will be held in a hybrid format. Chris Corl (828) 259-5452 ccorl@ashevillenc.gov Helene Housing Recovery Board This meeting takes place from 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every other month, in even-numbered months, in the first-floor North Conference Room of City Hall. Meetings will be held in a hybrid format. Nikki Reid (828) 259-5729 nreid@ashevillenc.gov Helene Infrastructure Recovery Board This meeting takes place from 10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every other month, in odd-numbered months, in the first-floor North Conference Room of City Hall. Meetings will be held in a hybrid format. D. Tyrell McGirt (828) 259-5808 dtmcgirt@ashevillenc.gov Helene People and Environment Recovery Board This meeting takes place on the first Monday of December, April and August, from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; and the first Monday of February, June, and October from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Meetings will be held in the first-floor North Conference Room of City Hall in a hybrid format. Kiera Bulan (828) 620-0664 kbulan@ashevillenc.gov Historic Resources Commission This meeting takes place at 4:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at City Hall, in the first-floor North Conference Room. Meetings are held in-person. Alex Cole (828) 259-5638 acole@ashevillenc.gov Historic Resources Commission – Executive Committee (subcommittee) This meeting takes place at 9:00 a.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are virtual. Alex Cole (828) 259-5638 acole@ashevillenc.gov Housing and Community Development (City Council Committee) This meeting takes place at 10:00 a.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are virtual. Stephanie Gilliam (828) 782-0087 sgilliam@ashevillenc.gov Human Relations Commission of Asheville Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. Sala Menaya-Merritt (828) 232-4517 smenaya-merritt@ashevillenc.gov Mountain Community Capital Fund Operating Committee This meeting takes place at 9:00 a.m.on the first Friday of each month at City Hall, in the sixth-floor training room. Meetings are held in-person. Megan Owens (828) 251-4098 mowens@ashevillenc.gov Multimodal Transportation Commission Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. Lucy Crown (828) 259-5805 lcrown@ashevillenc.gov Neighborhood Advisory Committee Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. Dawa Hitch (828) 259-5981 dhitch@ashevillenc.gov Noise Advisory Board Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. Chris O’Brien (828) 450-2535 cobrien@ashevillenc.gov Planning, Economic Development and Environment Committee (City Council Committee) This meeting takes place at 1:00 p.m., on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are virtual. Stephanie Gilliam (828) 782-0087 sgilliam@ashevillenc.gov Planning and Zoning Commission This meeting takes place at 5:00 p.m., on the first Wednesday of each month at City Hall, in the first floor North Conference Room. Meetings are held in-person. Will Palmquist (828) 259-5525 wpalmquist@ashevillenc.gov Policy, Finance & Infrastructure (City Council Worksession) This meeting takes place at 3:00 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every other month, beginning in June. No meeting December 23, 2025. Meetings are held in-person in the City Council Chamber, located on the second floor of City Hall. Talia Stepp (828) 641-1579 tstepp@ashevillenc.gov Public Art and Cultural Commission Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. Karli Stephenson (828) 259-5627 kstephenson@ashevillenc.gov Public Safety (City Council Committee) This meeting takes place at 11:00 a.m., on the last Thursday of every other month, beginning in May. Meetings are virtual. Talia Stepp (828) 641-1579 tstepp@ashevillenc.gov Recreation Board Not currently meeting. Recreation Department parks@ashevillenc.gov Soil Erosion/Stormwater Review Committee This meeting takes place on an as-needed basis. Derek Wainscott (828) 259-5548 dwainscott@ashevillenc.gov Sustainability Advisory Committee Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. Kiera Bulan (828) 620-0664 kbulan@ashevillenc.gov Urban Forestry Commission Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpage for more information on upcoming meetings. Keith Aitkin (828) 259-5674 KAitken@ashevillenc.gov Contact Information General questions: Email boards@ashevillenc.gov If you would like to receive email updates about the activities of a particular board, please contact the assigned staff contact for that board. Have an issue accessing or participating in a board or commission meeting, in person or virtually? Use this form to let us know!
