Last updated or reviewed on October 14, 2026
The City of Asheville operates under a council-manager form of government, which is prescribed by its charter. More than 3,400 cities and 371 counties operate under this system, which means more than 89 million American citizens live in communities with this form of government. Since its establishment, the Council-Manager form has become the most popular form of government in the United States in communities with populations of 5,000 citizens or more.
The Asheville City Council is composed of a mayor and six council members who are elected at-large for four-year, staggered terms. The mayor, who is chosen on a separate ballot, presides over City Council meetings and serves as the ceremonial head of government. The mayor does not have the power to veto council action.
In the absence or disability of the mayor, the vice-mayor performs the mayoral duties. The vice-mayor is appointed by the members of City Council. City Council determines the needs to be addressed and the degree of service to be provided by the administrative branch of city government.
Asheville City Council is the legislative body for the city; its members are the community’s decision makers. Power is centralized in the elected council, which approves the budget and determines the tax rate, for example. The council also focuses on the community’s goals, major projects, and long‑term considerations, such as community growth, land use development, capital improvement plans, capital financing and strategic planning. The council hires a professional city manager to carry out the administrative responsibilities and supervises the manager’s performance.
Asheville City Council has the authority to:
City Council makes decisions in Council Meetings, taking into account many sources of information such as Council Committees, City staff reports, and community presentations.
Asheville City Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber located on the second floor of City Hall. The meeting agenda is posted at 3 p.m. on the Friday before the meeting date. City Council agenda briefings are virtual and typically held at 11:00 a.m. on the Thursday before a formal City Council meeting.
City Council meetings are live-streamed on the City’s YouTube Channel and the City’s Virtual Engagement Hub, accessible through the front page of the City website.
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 attend a City Council meeting, please email the City’s ADA Coordinator, Vicky Michales, to discuss your accommodation request at least one week prior to the event. 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.
On-demand videos of current-year City Council meetings are available for viewing on the City Council Meeting Materials webpage. To watch meetings prior to January 2011, please email Community Relations. To view on-demand videos, use Windows Media Player (version 8 or higher). For best results, use the Internet Explorer browser. The City of Asheville also posts previously streamed City Council Meetings to our YouTube Channel for easier viewing.
City Council Committees operate as policy review and discussion arms of City Council. The committees provide an opportunity to explore implications of policy alternatives and the policy development process while serving in an advisory capacity to the City Council as a whole.
Learn more about City Council Committees.
Jaime Matthews (828) 232-4541
Maggie Burleson (828) 259-5601
