Presented by the Asheville Citizen Times

1. What motivated you to seek the office of county commissioner and what are your qualifications?

If you study my efforts since 1988 in fighting the process for the landfill siting process, you will see that I have pushed for, fought for, and even gone to court to ensure open, transparent government. We need open and transparent government and as a commissioner I intend to push for it.

2. It has been suggested that some form of consolidation of Buncombe County and Asheville City governments would improve efficiency and help resolve contentious issues. What, if any, city/county services should be consolidated?

This question is simple to answer. Combine the services where saving can be documented and performance criteria established before being considered for consolidation. The worst thing that could happen is more efficiency found in this process. Water is a primary example and cannot be fully discussed in 50 words or less.

3. Do you feel the county erred in selling the park property to Stewart Coleman? How would you recommend the impass between the county and Stewart Coleman be resolved?

WE as a Government should never sell something if there is a suspicion of questionable ownership. How can we really locate the true line with all of the time lapse and ground changes? First we would attempt to determine the proper boundary using 3 surveyors. At that point if it is part of the original deed, the sale is not valid. I would work openly to satisfy all parties due to the nature of the transaction.

4. Do you support district elections for our county commission, and if so, will you work to implement the change for the next election in four years?

Yes, and would encourage it in the City. Each community has characteristics that make them want different things. What better opportunity to explain limited resources and let the community decide what they want. This also provides the information that they aren’t the only ones wanting libraries, swimming pools and community centers. Then they can consider the total cost to give it to all communities.

5. What do you think should be the solution to the city/county water impasse?

The water charge could be related to the true cost. This cost has four factors: 1) fixed cost, 2) pumping distance, 3) head pressure (altitude) and 4) line condition and repair. Your cost should be based upon the cost to get the water to you, and not political boundaries. Raleigh has no business running our water system.

6. What do you think of the concept of regionalism in terms of managing infrastructure growth – roads, airports, etc. – and natural resources such as water? How important is cooperation among different local governments?

If I value communities first, then regionalism is a larger government entity. I personally prefer that larger entity be the river basin. What happens in a very small basin impacts a larger basin. The basin can be as small as Haw Creek, or as large as the Mississippi River basin. We must evaluate all the “Haw Creeks” in the Mississippi River basin to avoid another New Orleans type disaster. The regionalism that we know today is generally political boundaries, not basin based.

7. Would you favor allowing the public comment period of commission meetings to be recorded and televised?

Yes, and I personally think that all Board Meetings should be televised. Please refer to question number 1.

8. In the current economic situation, growth here has slowed, but many predict that it will accelerate when things turn around. What more should the county be doing to prepare for that growth? What should the county do to combat sprawl? Would you support a referendum on an increase in the sales tax to support infrastructure and capital projects? Please explain your reasons.

Sprawl is something that our tax-structure encourages. We need such things as delayed taxation to permit expansion of utilities without encouraging growth. We only talk about working with the environment, but our policies actually encourage unwise use of resources and growth outside of the larger cities. True cost accounting for water service and proper taxation will provide the infrastructure for growth as it occurs. River basin based taxation is one such model that has many advantages over our current, out-dated, bureaucratic tax and spend policies.

9. Would you lobby state lawmakers to give commissioners more revenue options to pay for infrastructure and services demanded by growth? If so, what options would you most like to see counties given – prepared meals tax, impact fees, higher hotel room tax, etc.?

These proposed taxes are part of the above described problems. Our taxes should encourage wise use of our resources instead of just providing funding for other projects.

10. What do you see as the top two or three most pressing issues facing the county commission?

I-26 connector, water dispute and destruction of the goose that laid the golden egg (our beautiful scenery). It appears that the citizens had done a better job of living in harmony with nature than our current governmental structure.

Presented by Mountain Council for Accountable Development

1) Since you are running for public office---when was the last time you read the United States Constitution in it’s entirety, and will you utilize it as a guide by which to evaluate your voting decisions?

I carry a copy in my day timer, (still old time and not palm pilot yet). YES, I value the basic Constitution first and foremost in my thoughts and philosophy.

2) Do condone or reject the taking of private property by eminent domain for economic re-development, and who should determine how owners will be compensated?

No, I do not condone taking of private property for economic development by eminent domain and the power of the bully pulpit should be used and if it had been used I think we could have passed the amendment in the last legislature.

I have concerns about the taking of private business for common good without some kind of reward for destroying a business. Here is a very sticky problem based upon the constitution.

3) Do you support or oppose involuntary municipal annexations?

No, I do not think that water should be used as a punishment or reward for higher taxes. I think that those annexed should have a vote on the issue and be the only ones to have the votes. Self rule is the key.

4) Have you read and do you support Buncombe County’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan?

Yes, read it and it sounds pretty but the mechanisms of encouraging the idea of satellite developments were never developed. Frankly we do not have a population problem but distribution problem. I favor comprehensive direction instead of control.

5) Do you support or oppose analyzing existing development regulations and ordinances in terms of their positive or negative environmental impacts, and the actual cost versus benefits they deliver to the public? Explain specifically what you personally will promise to do to see that this gets accomplished. (Example: County Steep Slope Ordinance, Multi-Family Ordinance, Storm Water Ordinance, Erosion Control Ordinance).

Totally support constant analysis as the current ordinances are doing exactly the reverse of what they are supposed to do. Our current approach is one size fits all and that is not true when you get on the ground.

The steep slope ordinance has assured that a house will be built on every three acres. Nothing was said about square footage and road construction necessary to cover every three acres. The same is true for the storm water runoff. The tax in the city is based upon residential and does not address square footage nor that a rock drive does not create the run off of a concrete drive. That does not even address the damage done by curbs and large drain pipes spewing out large volumes of water at an intense velocity.

The two major factors of the intensity of a flood are the duration and intensity of the rain. Impervious surfaces increase the magnitude of the flood down stream by decreasing the retention time. All of these built in problems can be eliminated with proper procedures. The way to encourage those procedures is by tax incentives (mainly property taxes by River Basin Based Taxation).

Zoning can have the same negative environmental impacts if not considered in the original plans.

6) Do you support or oppose the creation of county incentives to encourage low impact, conservation based development?

Completely support 110% and would favor the carrot approach instead of the stick. River Basin Based Taxation is just such an approach.

7) Would you support, lobby for, and help MCAD with the creation of a separate Conservation Development Ordinance that rewards common sense solutions to known development problems here in the mountains, rather than clinging to the current “one size fits all” approach?

How about fight for, foster, encourage, and just flat out demand it be done. Again, the bully pulpit can be used here and frankly we need to lead instead of follow Raleigh and say well they want it. Home rule again. MCAD must never fall into the pit of political trade offs and settle for less than the best solution.

8) Do you support or oppose forming a task force to study the benefits and efficiencies combining some city and county services in Buncombe County, so we can resolve ongoing disputes such as the current fight over the water system?

I want a working task force and not a political football. The task force may have to actually go out and seek people doing the work to participate. Most people may not have time to serve on useless meetings but have wonderful information. Those people can be brought into the group by use of current technological aids and kept abreast of the task force movement. We do not need another meeting to say we have a task force.

9) Do you see MCAD as an organization that you would turn to as a valuable resource for analysis and discussion on current and future development ordinances and regulations, and if so, WHY?

Yes but MCAD must be aware of the trap of becoming a political body and not really addressing the technical solutions. Stay on the technical and work on how to get the best results and sometimes that requires great public relations and meeting your enemy for battle. Just keep all people informed and an open door policy.

Additional Comments: I was excited to see the group meeting at the Chamber. I feel that you have the beginnings of a solution to the problem of one size fits all and corrections in the current rules. The stigma of big developers will have to be overcome and will be done by meeting the foe and addressing the fact that passing a law that is bad is worse than no law at all. The inconsequential effects of laws must be considered. Many example of this are available and should be covered in a documentary and shown on URTV over and over. That is the audience that you need to reach as well as the ones pushing for laws to be added on the books.

The very fact that banks will not loan money on common wells requires many wells to be drilled, driving up the cost of housing. The location of the first well in a subdivision affects the placement of every other well and septic tank. If someone places his well 15 feet from the property boundary and the soil is marginal for septic tanks he just impacted 85 feet of his neighbors land.

If we truly want to be fair we should place the wells 50 feet from the property boundary and that way both land owners would share in the responsibility. The way it is done now the first in has the benefit. This has been pointed out to the planning board but they chose to ignore it.

We must think beyond the here and now. MCAD is trying to do that I believe. It can be a think tank for responsible building in Western North Carolina. We can lead the state instead of reacting to the state.

I thank you for the opportunity to discuss with your group my thoughts and personal goals when elected to the County Commission. I am committed to open dialogue on these matters.

Swannanoa Valley Museum Questionnaire

Yes, I would work to help but that does not mean money. I need to explain that answer. I checked a list of parks and museums, etc. with our Parks and Recreation Department and found 124 entries. All were not in the same level as the Swannanoa Valley Museum. There are 6 museums listed in the Western North Carolina Museum Guide for 2007.

Sometimes the greatest support can come from creative ideas. First, have a video of the Museum playing on the County Channel or work with URTV. This would give you a DVD that could be sold and used to promote the museum when some of the 700 members go to schools to present the history of Swannanoa Valley. A lot of that history I did not know and I know that Wendell has a wealth of information and pictures that would really excite young people. There is a book by Timothy Silver entitled “Mount Mitchell and the Black Mountains” that could be a catalyst for some of Wendell’s knowledge.

Just giving out money is not an option right now. The County may face some lean times and I would not want to promise money now without knowing the levels of money available and the priorities of the area. $2 million to one entity could then multiply into $2 million for all 6. What if of the 124 need and wanted money?

I prefer getting some projects off the ground that would generate income streams for a long period of time.

Now for the most exciting part. I used to travel the old dirt road to Old Fort several times just to study the methods used for getting up and down the mountain. I looked over the bank and there was the famous railroad up the steep grade with the switchbacks and the long tunnel that actually chocked down the fired locomotives. This is history that is waiting to be tapped. Imagine a ride down the mountain in a wagon, pointing out the old concrete highway up the mountain and discussing the construction of the rail road up the mountain with switchbacks and tunnel. You could even tie in the history of logging in Black Mountain and show the valley full of logs during the timber cutting of the mountains.

Imagine how many people would be impressed to learn of the clear-cutting and use of railroads to get the timber out. Then have a train ride up the mountain. Then they could drive up and down the four lane highway after riding the wagon and train. This would help broaden the understanding of the local people. This area has always paid more for merchandise due to the climb up the mountains to get to Asheville. You might even be able to help the entire town of Black Mountain and show some of the colorful antics at the boarding houses in Black Mountain for the folks working on the railroad.

These types of activities will help establish our history and also provide learning experiences for the current population. I can remember when the parkway was a very scenic drive as you drove along. Now you only view the scenery at the lookouts. The forest is reclaiming the land completely.

We need to truly expose our history to keep from repeating it. The County could help greatly in growth by linking to tourism and education and accessory businesses. That would be more helpful than just handing out money. I remember the first picture of Camp Alice and the conversation that I had with Tom Sobol about his relatives. Our history is priceless and can be really promoted with vision.