Summary of Asheville City Council’s final budget work session

    Asheville City Council held their fifth and final budget work session May 11. Staff provided draft budget recommendations for City Council to consider including in the manager’s recommended budget. To review the presentation and materials, visit this website.    The draft recommendations for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-2022 budget include a balanced and fiscally [...]

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Tony McDowell named City of Asheville Director of Finance

    City Assistant Finance Director Tony McDowell has been named Director of Finance for the City of Asheville. City Manager Debra Campbell selected McDowell for the job, citing “his rich institutional knowledge in this important role.”    McDowell has served as the Interim Finance Department Director since January following the departure of former City CFO Barbara Whitehorn, who [...]

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How to engage in the City of Asheville budget process: Survey now open, meetings happening as well

  The City of Asheville wants to hear from you!  City staff have approached the budget process differently this year by reviewing existing services with a focus on members of our community that experience inequity.   Through our internal department work, and from what heard through Reimagining Public Safety several opportunities for improvements emerged: Economic [...]

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City of Asheville takes equity-focused approach to budget

Work sessions scheduled   It’s budget season for the City of Asheville. From March through June, City Council will work with City staff to review budget options, aligning Council and community priorities with available funding.   The City’s operating budget must be passed by July 1.    The discussions leading up to the final budget happen during budget work sessions, meetings [...]

Barbara Whitehorn

Asheville Chief Finance Officer accepts new position on West Coast

  City Chief Finance Officer Barbara Whitehorn has accepted a position as Finance Director  with the City of San Bernardino, Calif., and will leave the City of Asheville Jan. 15.  Under her direction for the past seven years, the City of Asheville and the Finance Department have improved policies and procedures and have many noteworthy accomplishments including:   [...]

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City of Asheville plans budget for next year while analyzing financial effects from pandemic

  During every budget season City staff work to analyze trends and develop forecasts that provide the financial context for City Council decisions during the budget process. For the fiscal year that begins July 1, those decisions will have to be made with limited information about the length and severity of the economic downturn we are [...]

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City of Asheville is working with businesses and community regarding fees

  Over the past several weeks, staff at the City of Asheville have worked to ensure that City operations continue to function to serve the community during these uneasy times.    This includes the Finance Department’s accounts payable and receivable functions. Finance staff continues to process invoices in order to pay vendors and contractors in a timely manner, [...]

Business Inclusion (ABI)

The Business Inclusion Office for the City of Asheville actively seeks to identify minority and women-owned businesses for an opportunity to participate as providers of goods and services to the city.

Asheville City Council to hold budget retreat

  Asheville City Council will hold a budget retreat March 13 in the Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville banquet hall. This daylong budget retreat will be streamed live on the City’s YouTube channel at this link. Council members will attend a legislative breakfast starting at  8 a.m. and then the actual retreat will [...]

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Asheville City Council takes step to spread bond costs over longer term at lower rate

  On Nov. 8, 2016, Asheville voters approved three bond referendums: $32 million for transportation projects, $25 million for affordable housing projects and $17 million for Parks projects.   Since the inception of the bond program, City of Asheville projects have including enhancements such as resurfaced streets and sidewalks; investments in affordable housing; and improvements to parks, including [...]

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City of Asheville launches easy-to-use Utility Express Pay portal for your Combined Utility Statement

  Paying your City of Asheville Combined Utility Statement just got a whole lot easier. The City has launched a new online payment portal, Utility Express Pay. The enhanced portal now features: Fast and easy registration; A way to schedule recurring payments; Acceptance of debit, credit and eChecks; Paperless billing;  A place to review past bills and payments; and Ability to view and [...]