ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) —
Asheville voters might be asked to approve a General Obligation (GO) bond in the November election, but the exact size and shape still are up for debate.
The Asheville City Council on Tuesday is scheduled to hold a hearing on a proposed $249.6 million operating budget for fiscal year 2024-25, then consider starting the process of scheduling a bond referendum for the November election.
The council meets at 5 p.m. at City Hall in downtown Asheville.
They’ll consider a staff proposal to seek a $75 million GO bond, with $25 million set aside for affordable housing, $20 million for transportation, $15 million for Parks and Recreation and $15 million for public safety construction.
Based on a council discussion earlier this month, there’s expected to be a debate about the overall size and whether to adjust the proposed allocations.
At a meeting two weeks ago, a group of organized West Asheville residents advocated for adding $3 million to help rebuild the 90-year-old Malvern Hills Pool, which was closed this year because of problems found during its 2023 inspection.
EARLIER COVERAGE:
MALVERN HILLS POOL BACKERS TO RALLY BEFORE ASHEVILLE BUDGET HEARING
NEIGHBORS PRESS CITY TO REBUILD MALVERN HILLS POOL
During that preliminary discussion, some council members appeared to be receptive to the idea, either by increasing the total GO bond amount to $78 million or by including specific language dedicating $3 million of the bond to rebuild the pool.
The staff proposal of $15 million for parks and recreation does include “improvement of recreation acquatic facilities” as an included category, but members of the Rebuild Malvern Hills Pool are hoping for an explicit guarantee of funding.
They were planning to turn out in force at Tuesday’s meeting, including handing out popsicles at a rally outside City Hall prior to the session.
Meanwhile, some council members also suggested changing the GO bond amounts allocated to the different categories, such as by reducing the set-asides for affordable housing and transportation in order to increase the amounts for parks and recreation and public safety construction.
As originally proposed by staff, the General Obligation bond would include:
* $25 million for affordable housing, such as by acquiring land or assisting in the development of projects that benefit people of low- or moderate incomes.
* $20 million for transportation projects, including improvements to streets, highways, sidewalks, bike paths, bridges, landscaping and more.
* $15 million for parks and recreation facilities, including construction, reconstruction and improvement of recreation aquatic facilities, community centers, courts, fields, landscaping, trails, sidewalks, restrooms and open space.
* $15 million to pay capital costs of public safety facilities for firefighters or law enforcement, including station buildings, administrative buildings or training facilities.