Financially Resilient City Archives - The City of Asheville

Financially Resilient City

A Council Vision Focus Area

Asheville has an AAA bond rating. We use our debt capacity and revenue wisely in order to maintain and improve the City’s infrastructure and invest in our public employees. We strive to control our costs and still provide the highest possible level of service. We have a diverse revenue base that enables us to plan far into the future and to benefit from our growth. Our individual and corporate citizens generously invest in our community through partnerships and public/private projects that enrich the quality of life in the city.

Note: Asheville operates on a fiscal year (FY) basis that runs from July 1 through June 30, with the fiscal year designated by the year in which it ends. For example, FY24 begins on July 1, 2023 and ends on June 30, 2024.

Work Supporting Financially Resilient City

FY24

(July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024)

Comprehensive Facilities Assessment (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Complete a comprehensive assessment of City facilities and develop a long-term facilities management strategy to ensure that facilities investments are efficient and effective.
Staff Professional Development (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Developed a robust set of leadership values and competencies with definitions, as well as built coursework aligned with those competencies. Conducted an organizational survey about the equity of departmental processes for providing outside professional development opportunities to employees. Implemented new leadership and development plan which led to the successful implementation of a new integrated learning management system (NEOGOV Learn). Impact: This project successfully developed a clear framework and pathways for employee growth and advancement to improve retention, reduce employee relations issues, and build leadership and management capacity within the City.
Human Resources Information System (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Purchase and implement a new HR information system to reduce manual data entry, improve reporting and data management, and reduce friction for applicants, new hires, supervisors, and employees.
Advanced Water Metering Replacement (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY25) Replace aging water meters with state of the art equipment to reduce water loss, allow customers to proactively monitor their usage, and reduce staff burden.
Enhanced Strategy for Constituent Services (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Review and assess current systems for responding to community member inquiries and develop strategies to improve them for better community service.
NC Benchmarking Project In Progress(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Join the UNC School of Government NC Benchmarking Project to track service performance data and compare with other NC cities.
2024 GO Bond Referenda Development (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY25) Identify capital project needs or changes to the long-term Capital Improvement Plan that are candidates for potential funding through a 2024 General Obligation bond.
Employee Performance Reviews (Postponed)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Develop a Citywide framework for performance management practices to provide clear expectations for employees and an equitable process for employee feedback and recognition with the goal of increased employee retention.
Asset Management (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Assess required financial and staff resources to add management of the Transportation and/or Parks and Recreation departments’ assets into the City’s current asset management system.
Implement Recommendations from Independent Review Committee on Water Outage In Progress(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Review and begin implementation of the recommendations of the FY23 Independent Review Committee on the December 2022 water outage. Recommendations are focused on three major areas: water system operations, communications, and emergency response and operations.

FY23

(July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023)

Comprehensive Facilities Assessment (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Complete a comprehensive assessment of City facilities and develop a long-term facilities management strategy to ensure that facilities investments are efficient and effective.
Organizational Work Plan (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Developed an organization-wide work plan that helps to prioritize, coordinate and communicate staff’s work throughout the fiscal year to ensure alignment with City Council priorities. Impact: Improved transparency and accountability provided to council and the community.
Organizational Risk Assessment (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Conducted a high-level risk assessment of key business areas to determine compliance with internal controls, City policies, and all laws and regulations. The assessment will provide a basis for an internal audit work plan. Impact: Reduced risks to the city around compliance and internal control.
Staff Professional Development (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Developed a robust set of leadership values and competencies with definitions, as well as built coursework aligned with those competencies. Conducted an organizational survey about the equity of departmental processes for providing outside professional development opportunities to employees. Implemented new leadership and development plan which led to the successful implementation of a new integrated learning management system (NEOGOV Learn). Impact: This project successfully developed a clear framework and pathways for employee growth and advancement to improve retention, reduce employee relations issues, and build leadership and management capacity within the City.
Human Resources Information System (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Purchase and implement a new HR information system to reduce manual data entry, improve reporting and data management, and reduce friction for applicants, new hires, supervisors, and employees.
Phone System Replacement (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Replace the City’s outdated phone system. Impact: Reduced cost and improved security for the City as a whole.
Asheville App Improvements (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Relaunched the Asheville App with clearer guidance for users’ expectations and revised internal procedures to deliver a consistent response. A new Constituent Services position in the City Manager’s Office in FY24 will lead ongoing system enhancements and process improvements. Impact: Improved guidance for Asheville App users and more consistent responsiveness across all request types. Improved internal procedures and communication aligned with expectations.
Advanced Water Metering Replacement (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY25) Replace aging water meters with state of the art equipment to reduce water loss, allow customers to proactively monitor their usage, and reduce staff burden.
Independent Review Committee on Water Outage Complete(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Convened an external multidisciplinary group to review the December 2022 prolonged water outage. The review included an assessment of the city’s emergency response, communications efforts, and an infrastructure analysis to make process and policy recommendations. The external group delivered recommendations to the City Council on June 13, 2023. Impact: Improved water production and service delivery and a more sustainable water system.

FY22

(July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022)

Compensation Study Recommendations (Complete)(Began in FY22, Completed in FY22) Funded the recommendations from the 2021 Total Compensation Study for employees on the public safety pay plans; increased non-public safety employee compensation to recommended minimum or 2.5% increase, whichever is greater; added 8 weeks of paid parental leave and 6 weeks to care for a qualified family member with a serious health condition; and added 2 annual paid holidays, Juneteenth and Veteran's Day.

Government