[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6607853,"mediaKeyId","2947294-2826f90256db5e11b70091a759d99364","parentId",2947294,"title","Votes at a glance: commission approves agenda addition, meeting minutes and adjournment","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",97000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2947294-2826f90256db5e11b70091a759d99364&start=97&end=97","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2947294-2826f90256db5e11b70091a759d99364/thumbnail_97000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6607853/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Votes-at-a-glance-commission-approves-agenda-addition-meeting-minutes-and-adjournment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607853-1c1c894cffa5a55b4fd94a2c0de7cfe4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197290&Signature=dlks~VF7FfZkwxUkk~hj1gdRtqyIbyB3yHeXfHgwfOZdVd8Fsfj8KJRNow6fhsWCNSy1rdYTZvGTL5WSljHRTbwSaCjVpvLRKKbH1zZ13uemckM3SrIxWPN1pAfuOVB8puBxrP2Pa5Ds-aGs5MAZpMRfpCOJ5FyGwqumQ7eU575K76epuGsiHuceckEukUGMAhwy6nBjYmdw8TQtdtO5RxQb8IXLWJXCxEMYPrP8FN8gU3T8GosII6eh0RpBGTvITPtCIxLy3P~rhxEegwxmkiBJbMBIhWWePlM9KynK1RfAtnpIBO2~F3GnyI12fEcwtT96iaL6jEgM~naDXLhTXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Buncombe County, NC","date","2025-04-09T22:05:00.13Z","article","Three formal actions recorded in the meeting minutes were completed by voice votes or motions with second:

1) Amendment to agenda — add discussion of Article 39 funds after school presentations.
- Motion: Add discussion of Article 39 funds to the agenda (to be added after the schools present their project requests).
- Mover: (member who requested amendment; identified in transcript as the person who asked to add Article 39 to the agenda).
- Second: \"K.\" (as recorded in the meeting transcript).
- Outcome: Approved by voice vote (\"The ayes have it\").

2) Approval of minutes — February 17 regular meeting minutes.
- Motion: Approve February 17 regular meeting minutes.
- Mover: (member who said \"So moved\" in the transcript).
- Second: (member who said \"Second\" and was recorded in the transcript).
- Outcome: Approved by voice vote (\"All in favor? Aye.\").

3) Adjournment.
- Motion: Adjourn the meeting.
- Mover: (recorded motion at meeting close).
- Second: Recorded in transcript as \"Second.\"
- Outcome: Approved; meeting adjourned.

Notes: All three actions were recorded as carried by voice vote; no roll-call tallies or recorded no/abstain votes were provided in the transcript. For agenda clarity, staff will include formal vote records and motion text in the minutes package.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Capital Fund Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The commission approved an amendment to add Article 39 discussion to the agenda, approved the Feb. 17 minutes and later adjourned by motion; votes were taken by voice and recorded as passed during the meeting.","taxTitle","Buncombe County, North Carolina","taxId",3914,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6607857,"Buncombe County Schools lays out multi-year backlog, asks for phased funding",1091,2631000,3722000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2947294-2826f90256db5e11b70091a759d99364&start=2631&end=3722","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2947294-2826f90256db5e11b70091a759d99364/thumbnail_2631000.jpg","/articles/6607857/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Buncombe-County-Schools-lays-out-multi-year-backlog-asks-for-phased-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607857-1c66327994b3c69c758435d3ca4ba289/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197290&Signature=ma-o51DaFgQ5-67GtbToYb7sEy2ejXE83qZufNkVmFaMck~rC7x-0~y2yXArp1H9w3GJ5yGK4M7iyEoCmfvqXt3mradQVA5vFWPnm2OFqwtyBIqdKnecwSGbbnLy11XwoRJdpv~BFZjR-LsxA0eOcgJJDPWkJ1rMGxnb90cNse3M1w-T8tD~eX-pcBRNmLX5gZXWeMoB88fZso0topMk0MKMIRX63Ap3jminW7xM3smWvrmU487Ru0Esk4vUOe9xE7~7X1PYXIQpgRc9V6tHwnk2Z941RoeTzLZot7GDqJ4sEB12lwybDlRVdS0gddin0EKiQeRCajgQFcgxFquRhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Buncombe County Schools presented the commission with a broad capital portfolio and asked the county to consider phased funding for several high-cost projects.

Clark, speaking for Buncombe County Schools, said the district is the fifteenth-largest in the state with 44 campuses and a large number of separate roof areas and mechanical systems that require ongoing replacement. \"We have a lot of facilities... a hundred and two acres worth of roofs in our buildings that we, we maintain,\" Clark said.

Key district priorities and numbers:
- W.D. Williams: district described a multi-phase program. Clark said phase 2 is underway and requested an additional $3.5 million to complete phase 2b; phase 3 (a full renovation) would require roughly $28 million in total to finish the campus.
- Glen Arden Elementary: district reported the building is in poor condition; Clark said architects estimated the building would require more than $4 million in immediate repairs but that cost-effectiveness favored a new building. The district requested $2 million to start design and planning for replacement; Clark said the total replacement estimate could be about $45 million (subject to refinement during design).
- Technology backbone: the district described a 2013-era backbone that needs replacement; officials called cyber resilience and network reliability priorities.
- Roofing, mechanical systems and controls: Clark provided an inventory of roof areas, fire-alarm systems and chillers with life-cycle replacement estimates and asked the commission to consider multi-year funding to maintain these infrastructure items.

Why it matters: Clark emphasized the operational difficulty of phasing large-scale renovations and the student-impact costs of stop-start funding. \"Construction and school don't go well together,\" she said, noting that phased approaches can stretch disruption across multiple years but are sometimes unavoidable given limited funding.

Next steps: District staff asked the commission to consider phased allocations and to fund design work for Glen Arden now to speed any future replacement. Commissioners asked staff for financial scenarios and committed to more detailed discussion at the next meeting.

Ending: No funding decision was made; the district\u0000s full prioritized lists will be reviewed alongside county finance scenarios in follow-up meetings.","District officials presented a multi-year capital needs list that includes W.D. Williams phased renovation ($28 million total), Glen Arden replacement planning ($2 million to fund design; total rebuild estimate cited ~ $45 million), and systemwide needs for lobby security, technology backbone, roofing and mechanical replacements.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6607862,"Asheville City Schools seeks funding for HVAC, stadium repairs and security vestibules",1334,1413000,2747000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2947294-2826f90256db5e11b70091a759d99364&start=1413&end=2747","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2947294-2826f90256db5e11b70091a759d99364/thumbnail_1413000.jpg","/articles/6607862/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Asheville-City-Schools-seeks-funding-for-HVAC-stadium-repairs-and-security-vestibules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607862-22dde54dc31808e36e3366298d835ed7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197290&Signature=kVxMVszuVUkYRAd8rS1CUtQCRnAVbEvOlSSU8lNXCe5vQYT1XGvOxPcMsTVFBtzZq6iLX-XQLZIIMrT8Z70SICKZm0TT5OujoxmuPRGUUuGDND-V-cicrZSHWhdcVNiKgSt~Z1WCw7y~StJy1WF~~hGMc6e-8VlEXkymWawRZMRcqiReRz0yDaaLTjmBpJXoiJJ-oFEwpQb~YeSQGU1g4Ao-R~PFXYVvfT-TxwM01j5ozSfTwq4O5Wm4jqXqnjxuRI5Bqed~24AIHVxskdynGwNNWAWgHknKhxEoDVk3NpEttMXpbLMXNwnBVFWvKwNeFjLkAyFdIbN5vmJBYInP9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Asheville City Schools staff presented their prioritized capital requests and project updates to the county capital commission, outlining multiple building repairs and security upgrades.

Project manager Ronnie described recent completions and near-term starts, including water and sewer work at Asheville High's main building (student restrooms completed, staff restrooms next) and the Lucy Herring renovation, which the presenter said is on track to finish this summer.

Top requests and cost highlights presented by Ronnie included:
- Standalone lobby security vestibule prototype (first standalone project; construction cost roughly $1.5 million; total with soft costs about $1.65 million).
- Asheville High stadium concrete resealing and repointing to address water infiltration and safety hazards; staff used a 2021 estimate escalated to 2025 and presented a total project cost near $811,000.
- Repair of the main stone steps at Asheville High (initial 2021 estimate escalated to a 2025 total ~ $219,000).
- Claxton Elementary chiller and associated pumping/pump-motor replacements; Asheville City Schools has already purchased and is installing one chiller; total request after subtracting that purchase was presented near $... (staff cited $165,000 already spent and a total estimate leading to a remainder reflected in the slides).
- NOVAR controls replacement (moving to Tridium open-standard controls) with a project cost presented near $728,000.
- Asbestos remediation and lighting/controls work at R.B. Jones; staff noted the schools have already remediated about half the building; remaining request shown near $239,000.
- Restroom and concession building at the Asheville Middle athletic track, estimated at about $1.336 million.

Ronnie said the district typically bundles similar work (such as stadium and steps repairs) to use a single contractor and often escalates older 2021 estimates by about 6% per year to reach current planning figures.

Why it matters: Several requests address safety (security vestibules, concrete failures at stadiums and steps) and mechanical systems that districts said are past useful life. Ronnie noted some installations already underway and requested funding to finish projects and begin design for the next cycle.

Ending: The commission accepted the presentation; staff said the district's top-priority lists will be considered alongside county finance scenarios at the next meeting. No vote was taken on funding at this meeting.","Asheville City Schools presented a prioritized list of capital requests including standalone lobby security upgrades, Asheville High stadium concrete repairs, front-steps stabilization, chiller replacements at Claxton Elementary, controls upgrades and asbestos remediation at R.B. Jones; several projects are already underway.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6607867,"County financial staff report sales-tax dip, outline debt and PAYGO tradeoffs",707,183000,890000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2947294-2826f90256db5e11b70091a759d99364&start=183&end=890","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2947294-2826f90256db5e11b70091a759d99364/thumbnail_183000.jpg","/articles/6607867/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/County-financial-staff-report-sales-tax-dip-outline-debt-and-PAYGO-tradeoffs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607867-fe1453934f30b1b779ae5d777fc84b60/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197290&Signature=n~67iWSwErNh-yDNa0hrKn4laGGdLCaeNwsK0CK7T614iAPfZWgR1y4D3t9OOZMHBkojlZnSTkUKJCknlym~sqN3p5cN7n49UdfOSWlldCZgB46dQv4rHNjVlY1xTEWxRnkiLFmUlsh9au8XiG1ROaC-X5gvzKlidIT2jiM~YD6AnO3G5UVsRGPPSzJAfI6ZPYWcK1pAIcL~fHn~-YRDWdZ51s~AF3rxw6CEbG5tMMnW6aJ33lvTQAM~DY1U5QRW~1ZWWzVjJCUT2npK6K7pn5OJz4-6yvLxmmRMRUVaFmyruunG3UWclOGPfLVyBGhJWK3RysEHV5d4An2jxmY8IQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Buncombe County finance staff laid out recent sales-tax performance and how that revenue, along with bond proceeds, affects the capital fund used for schools.

Finance presenter Matt told commissioners the county saw a sharp one-month hit in October and that year-to-date collections were about 6% below the prior year. \"We were down. We had a pretty sizable hit in October, which is where we collect a lot of our money... when something like 21% or 20% down in one month, it really has an impact on the rest of the year,\" Matt said. He said staff now project a 3.5% to 4% decline for the fiscal year after observing small month-to-month recovery.

Matt summarized the fund's primary outflows: annual debt service and project cash flows. He said annual debt service for fiscal 2026 is about $24 million and that the county currently has 93 active projects funded through the capital program. \"We have $58,000,000 in projects that still need to be reimbursed by debt where we need to cash we just need to pay for it with cash,\" Matt said.

Using staff scenarios, Matt told the commission that issuing the full $58 million in new bonds would increase annual debt service by about $5 million, and that the additional payments would not start until FY27. \"If we were to issue debt for the full $58,000,000, annual debt service would increase by about $5,000,000... and that wouldn't start until FY27,\" he said.

Why it matters: The county's capital fund shows large spikes when bond proceeds are added, Matt explained; those spikes are then drawn down to pay projects. Staff urged the commission to consider a balance between issuing debt and \"pay-go\" financing, arguing that issuing debt speeds delivery of projects but increases long-term interest costs and relies on future revenue.

Staff recommendation and next steps: Matt said he planned a deeper scenario analysis for the next meeting comparing multiple debt sizes, amortization terms and PAYGO amounts. He said the administration had used $10 million as a PAYGO placeholder for next year in initial planning and would present a range of alternatives at the follow-up meeting.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff for clearer, scenario-based options to weigh near-term needs against long-term fiscal sustainability. No formal vote on finance policy occurred; staff will return with modeled scenarios.","Finance staff reported year-to-date sales-tax receipts down about 6% after a large October decline, projected a 3.5–4% drop for the fiscal year, and warned the commission that issuing $58 million in debt would raise annual debt service roughly $5 million beginning FY27.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_46":116,"_48":117,"_50":118,"_52":119,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":120,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":121,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6607870,"County and school leaders debate proposed Article 39 changes as bill advances in Raleigh",5453,72000,5525000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2947294-2826f90256db5e11b70091a759d99364&start=72&end=5525","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2947294-2826f90256db5e11b70091a759d99364/thumbnail_72000.jpg","/articles/6607870/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/County-and-school-leaders-debate-proposed-Article-39-changes-as-bill-advances-in-Raleigh","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607870-bf4aad2c3e6c04339ad1eb9dd5b5fad1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197290&Signature=TR8KBP2xcupvn6TYyDE8mOTXWOeEj4F6EX4R01T0MLbwaZmOVi1By62NjwdMdKA-aYiEl~Ho9WHsFmqsG61TQ9ZdY-3pZYE0EphKSdFfsQUPRxWMscDEDTBHdW5pARbP5r01aHhu6tjXuf5tHwyGfw5hTmw7mlaQyy6uNb2BUOXJoBj9mzazBWsn~HE-MpKElj5VKlNk9DKR88z7zmZdrHb3n-9H5efr4kjt9dTnYkyE~IP8IIZJNEmurrZiaUcolacxCPPWDSI7ibgJeYw41erx77hTukdepqv-sugpvgTwWSy5Kp3R2OzOdxc4vX6lBg-0EhfKu3FV1dLX~f1SJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Buncombe County commissioners, district school leaders and staff spent much of their meeting reviewing a recently introduced state Senate bill that would change how Article 39 sales-tax revenue may be used locally.

The bill as amended would allow up to 50% of the county\u0000s Article 39 allocation to be used for school operating and capital purposes. Amanda, chair of the Buncombe County Commission, told the group the language was first raised by the county\u0000s state delegation and that the change was presented quickly as a potential option to address post-storm shortfalls.

\"We were tasked, though, and the reason that happened on February 21 was our local delegation wanted to get a placeholder quickly in order to help Buncombe County address the revenue challenges post Helene,\" Amanda said. \"This was not an Amanda Edwards, Adriel Pinder, Tim Love request. This was nothing that we specifically asked for. It came up as part of our meeting with our local delegation.\"

Why it matters: Article 39 has been a predictable local revenue source for school capital projects. Allowing part of the pot for operating expenses would change how the commission and the two school systems plan spending. Several school-board members said they were surprised by the timing and by how the idea was communicated to districts.

School-board member Kim said she had received constituent calls and expressed frustration with the process used to surface the proposed language. \"I am really disappointed in how this took place,\" Kim said. \"When we said this, when we met together, city school board, county school board, county commissioners, that we're going to work together to make... we are letting people down.\" The comment reflected several speakers who asked for clearer, earlier coordination among the county, city and school districts.

Officials repeatedly emphasized the bill had not yet passed and that language was still changing in committees in Raleigh. Staff said updated draft language circulated to board chairs makes the split explicit: 50% for school purposes, with the ability to use the county\u0000s share for either school capital or school operating expenses.

Local implications and next steps: Presenters warned that using Article 39 funds for operating expenses would trigger statutory allocations to charter schools, reducing the net amount available to the county\u0000s two public school systems. A staff demonstration in the meeting showed that if $10 million were the county\u0000s allocation for the coming year, and the school share were split according to the draft formula, the amount remaining for capital would be limited after the charter-school allocation.

Superintendent-level speakers urged a broader review of financing tools if the two-year change became real. \"If what we're looking at is two years without this particular funding dedicated to school capital, then we should broaden our view and look at other ways to move forward,\" said Dr. Johnson, suggesting the districts consider a voter-approved bond to fund large capital needs rather than relying solely on Article 39.

County staff said they would prepare scenario analyses for the commission and the school districts before the next meeting, including revenue and debt-service scenarios and options for PAYGO versus new debt issuance. The bill was reported to be moving through the Senate rules process; staff said they would continue to monitor developments in Raleigh and share updates with both school boards.

Ending: Commission and school officials agreed to reconvene the discussion at the next meeting once staff could present numerical scenarios and options. No formal vote on policy changes occurred; the bill remained subject to the General Assembly\u0000s process.","Local officials and school leaders discussed a state Senate proposal that would allow Article 39 sales-tax proceeds to be used for school operating expenses as well as capital projects, raising concerns about transparency, the distribution to charter schools and how any split would be decided by the county commissioners.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: commission approves agenda addition, meeting minutes and adjournment

Buncombe County Schools lays out multi-year backlog, asks for phased funding

Asheville City Schools seeks funding for HVAC, stadium repairs and security vestibules

County financial staff report sales-tax dip, outline debt and PAYGO tradeoffs

County and school leaders debate proposed Article 39 changes as bill advances in Raleigh