AC-T{heavily excerpted}: "The first African-American elected mayor in Asheville, Bellamy handily defeated challenger and fellow Council member Joe Dunn, taking 10,534 votes to Dunn’s 8,004. In the council election, incumbents Holly Jones and Carl Mumpower were re-elected, and newcomer Robin Cape took the third open seat. Council members will need to choose someone from the community to serve the remaining two years of Bellamy’s term."
[...]
Question: We know you may have a bent toward having Bryan Freeborn on Council as your replacement, but would you consider retaining the wisdom and reason of Dr. Joe Dunn? Asheville needs him to remain. It would be your first ‘historic’ act as mayor!
Terry Bellamy: I think I am leaning toward Bryan (Freeborn). He was the fourth-highest vote-getter, and there’s a thousand votes difference between him and the fifth person, so I just think that he’s worked really hard and the public has had an opportunity to look him through and see his opinions. And I believe Asheville (residents), through their votes, said they wanted to see council go in a new direction with new leadership, and that’s why I’m going to support Bryan Freeborn for that seat."
[...]
Q: Water bills in Asheville are $60 to $70 a month for each — water and sewer. That’s obscene. How did that happen and what are you going to do about it?
TB: I think looking at our water department and the fact that right now we’re about to refinance almost $40 million worth of bonds, that will help us create some cost savings we can put back into infrastructure and improvements.
[...]
And to be perfectly clear and honest, our water system is in such disrepair I don’t see how we can reduce rates in the next couple of years. I want to be honest and put that out to people. Right now, we’re holding the line on the rate. However, getting a good capital improvement plan is job one."
[...]
"Q: How much in campaign contributions did you receive from the Biltmore Estate, and has the Biltmore Estate bought Pisgah View Apartments to make them into condos?
TB: I received zero."
Go Read the Whole Article
No comments:
Post a Comment