Town ofWoodfin Town Council Meeting  Monday,January, 29,2024  4:00pm  of HCARC  Special Meeting Minutes  Council Members Present Vice Mayor Elisabeth Ervin Council Member Ken Kahn Council Member Johanna Young Council Members Absent Mayor. Jim McAllister Town Staff Present Shannon Tuch, Town Manager Gena Powers, Town Clerk/PIO  Council Member Eric Edgerton Council Member Hazel Thornton  Vice Mayor Ervin called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm.  A. Approval oft the Agenda passed unanimously, 5-0. B. New Business  Council Member Kahn made a motion to approve the agenda, with one change moving Laura Westbrook's interview to last, allowing her time to arrive after work. Council Member Edgerton seconded the motion which  1. Council interviews to fill the vacant seat resulting from the 2023 election.  a. Philip Cohen  Vice Mayor Ervin welcomed Mr. Cohen and thanked him for applying. candidates? What skills or experience do you bring to the table?  Council Member Edgerton Asked candidate Cohen interview question #1. What sets you apart from other Candidate Cohen: That is at tuff question because Idon't know the other candidates. Idon't know iflcan speak to what sets me apart from the other candidates as much asl I can what abilities and skillsIhave. Much of my professional life has revolved around building consensus around difficult initiatives having a wide range of stakeholders. Ihave worked in higher education for a long time. Some of the worklwasi involved in revolved around building reporting on higher education in the state of Texas. It wasa difficult task because you havea whole range ofi institutions that have different interests. Figuring out how to dot the reporting on low producing programs and what should be done afterwards. Ispent most of my time on college campuses and therei isa wide range of diversity. There isal lot of different programs that are very different. Trying to take an initiative that you have been task with by the state or by the president oft the university and work with different groups across the campus. Al lot of my work has been difficult issues with a wide range of stakeholders, and I have been able to navigate that. Since moving to Asheville, Ihave been involved ina a wide range of volunteer activities, most revolving around food insecurity and that seems to bei in the center of many oft the problems in the  Asheville, Woodfin, and Buncombe County area.  1/Page    Council Member Kahn. Asked candidate Cohen interview question #2. Have you ever worked on a problem where there was a wide diversity of people affected? How would youe ensure that the needs ofallo citizens are Candidate Cohen: Yes, I have worked on a range ofi issues where you had a wide range ofs stakeholders. The first thinglwill sayi ist that it's not really one person trying to find as solution. Itisa a group of people working toward a solution. One oft the keys is research infrastructure, it is trying toi find out what other people are doing. You don't want to reinvent the wheel. Whether it'si in higher education or government there are municipalitiesa and small towns that are faced with the same problems we are faced with. One of the first things we want to doi is find out what are: some of the solutions people have proposed, what are the pros and cons, what worked and what didn't. What revisions did they make and whether that would be relevant to the problem at hand. The other thing you doi is build a structure and there is aj planning process. lattended: some of the planning meetings fori the comprehensive plan at the community center. Yout try to bring people together to elicit as many opinions as possible. Then your move from that into narrowing down your choices. The comprehensive plani is a very big plan and may change over time. Iti is always going to be a compromise for where we need to be and where most people feel we need to be. Int the end you are trying tol build a consensus with most people Council Member Young Asked candidate Cohen interview question #3. What steps would you take to promote Candidate Cohen: Government is better when more people are involved, whether it is town, county, state level orona college campus. You want people to have skini in the game. Youv want people tol bei involved and be a part of the process. Because the results are going to depend on whether people feel they have been included, consulted. It doesn't mean everybody gets their way, but you want people to feel that they have been included. On Woodfin one idealmentioned in my materials is: How do we build a database ofr names and addresses for those that have been opted in to be communicated with. Iknow that on the webpage you can opt in or receive notification. Buti it may bei that there are other ways to build that data base, because you want to reach out to that group of people whether it is the master plan ora particular issue. Iwant to add one more point about that, lam a bid fan of the use of volunteers. There are a lot of people with expertise and certain experiences that you want to involve in certain kinds of discussions. For example, how are we going to communicate with residents? Idon't know, butl Ido know you get together a group of people who have expertise in that area and you look and what other communities about the size of Woodfin have tried to do. They can provide information that helps your narrow down your range of choices. This work takes al lot of time, and Iwould like to enlisti ina Council Member Thornton Asked candidate Cohen interview question #4. How do you stay informed about Candidate Cohen: That is a real tuff one because there is not as much ofal local resource. The Citizen Times is a certain type ofl local paper, iti isa andi iti isn't. There is social media, and it has a lot of drawbacks. There is networking, but that really is at tuff question. think you want to try and: set up structures that would be likea listening post. Meetings with groups of residents, and you may already have some oft those in place. Talking to people, our neighbors would work. Iti is such a small community there is not really a paper ofr record, or two papers of record would give you an objective insight into what is going oni iny yourt town. The hard partl Ithink is listening to al lot of different people with a lot of different positions and understanding where they are coming Council Member Thornton asked a follow-up question: Are you: satisfied that local media is doing an adequate  considered on town matters?  ona particular issue.  civic engagement in Woodfin and participation in town government in' Woodfin?  volunteer army to see what is possible on thisi issue or research infrastructure.  current events andi issues affecting the town?  from and how that shapes what they are telling you and sorting through that information.  job providing opportunities for Woodfin residents to be well informed?  2Page    Candidate Cohen: l'am thinking about that question. There can always be more. It can always be better. A Council Member Ervin Asked candidate Cohen interview question #5. What steps would you take to ensure Candidate Cohen: Transparency is the easier part. Accountability! is the tougher part. I'm assuming that elections involve accountability. In my materials and some ofr my comments Ihave stressed the need for communication with as many residents as possible. Not all the time, but on important issues and giving people the opportunity to opt out ift they wish. Istressed thei importance of getting people to participate. Ican telly you that one of the thingsl lam really excited about in Woodfin governance is that iti is more transparent now thani it was a few years back. Ifeel like there may be wayst to encourage people to attend the meetings and to be on some of the committees. Irealize that is an uphill battle, buty you! have to start somewhere. Itisas step ata at time, andithink there are ways to involve more people that would mean over time that you arel being more transparent, because bringing more people into thet tent. Iknow that is your last question, but there is one thing that! IV wanted to: say. Imoved to Asheville in 2017. Ilived in West Asheville for a couple ofy years, while we built al house on Reynolds Mountain. We move there in 2019 and love the area. lenjoy my neighbors. Andl like whati is happening the last couple ofy years ini this room. Ihave seen some new faces on the council and now a new Mayor. The steep slope ordinance and revisiting that ordinance. Ithink there is more transparency. I think these are all good things and IV would like to be ap part ofit. Ithink Ih have some things I( can contribute. I think' Woodfin has changedi in the last few years ina a direction that makes a lot ofs sense. Vice Mayor Ervina and Council Members' Thanked Mr. Cohen for coming and concluded the interview,  media strategy may include the town and council pitching stories to the Citizen Times.  transparencyand: accountability regarding council decisions?  b. Andrew Craig (22:59)  Council Member Edgerton Asked candidate Craigi interview question #1. What sets you apart from other Candidate Craig: I've beeni in education most of my life. Ihave a doctorate in German Diplomatic history which can be a little boring sometimes, but nevertheless, at that levelofeducation you learn a lot of different things and al lot of different wayst to do things.. Ifeel like Ihave good organizational skills from workingi in a doctoral process. I've lived here for 75 years. Igrew upi in the area and went to Owen High School. Ithink that gives me an up! because I'm a Warhorse. Whenl Igraduated, Idid what most of us did, lleft. Next, graduated from High Point University with a degree in English and History. After that, I found myself in the army in Germany for three years, and that was quite al learning experience. By the time I got there, Ispoke German well, and it was quite a benefit to be able toi talk to people and learn their culture, language, and social ethics. When Icame back, I worked on my master's degree at UNC Greensboro, and the German came in handy. Ihad to take it again in class, but that's OK. When Iwent to Bowling Green in Ohio, for my doctorate Ihad to take German again, and I spent a whole year doing research at the National Archives in Washington. Reading Hlegible German handwriting about the records in Nazi Germany. That was a hard thing to do. But, nevertheless, Ican do research with most anybody. Ihave also done research in Berlin; there are a couple of archives there. And when got back, It taught school for a short while, and wound upi in Asheville working some partt time jobs. taught part-time at Blanton's College. After a semester, I became the executive Director of the college. Iwasi thrown into a position that was new. It was basically record keeping and doing al little recruiting. That position lasted three years and from there Iwent to Shaw University. For those ofy you who are not familiar with Shaw University, iti is al historically black school in Raleigh; that at one time had the Centers for Adult Education throughout the country. The unit in Asheville is one of seven of Shaw University's units. Istayed with them for three years prior to going to AB Tech as the Dean of Arts and Sciences. was there for three years. During all that timel I had anotherj job whichlh had morei fun at than the rest. Iwas a raft guide for 12 years. That is al learning process too. In December of 19991 left A/B Tech when my wife and Ihad an opportunity to open a business in the Renaissance Hotel. It was sort of  candidates? What skills or experience do you bring to the table?  3IPage    ac convenience store. worked there while my wife ran our main store, Appalachian Crafts. We did that until the end oft the pandemic when we closed. I've been out doing yard work ever since. I've been on the Bele Chere Board. Myj job on that board wasi important. Iwas the representative for the downtown merchants. That was a great time for me to learn how to talk with folks, talk them into doing things they didn't want to do, and listen to their numerous complaints.! I did that for 121 to 15 years. For a few years, Iwas on the Advisory Board at the YMCA. That was interesting. I've done things that require organizational talent. I've also had to do presentations toi the City Council in Asheville, and to the Board of Directors at Shaw University. Ifeel comfortable withi that. I feel comfortable doing research and thinking about what needs to be done and what we possibly can do. Council Member Kahn Asked candidate Craigi interview question #2. Have you ever worked on a problem where there was a wide diversity of people affected? How would you ensure that the needs of all citizens are Candidate Craig: I have worked in situations as a dean where youl have a variety of students. So, it was oftena challenge to make sure that we were: serving that entire community. We did that byl having meetings and discussing and understanding that we have this many people in this group, this many in this group, and this manyi int this group; and whati isi it we can do that will affect all of them at the same time and as equally as Council Member Young Asked candidate Craigi interview question #3. What steps would you take to promote Candidate Craig: Ithink you probably start that with several meet and greet activities with the City Council, the Police Department, and do that on different levels. The City Council one time, the Police Department the next, maybe the street maintenance crew. Then eventually bring all these people together. Have dinner, learn from some speakers. Ithink your must bring people together, to the same room. Eventually people will be in aroom, andi they will see something that strikes home fori them, something that they are interested in, and theywill apply for that position. Volunteers for the city are very important. have volunteered a lot. Volunteers make up the success of many organizations and Isee no reason why using volunteers should not help the city of Woodfin. Council Member Thornton Asked candidate Craig interview question #4. How doy you stayi informed about Candidate Craig: Read paper, such asi it is. Reading the paper on: the Internet. Iread the New York Times on1 the Internet a couple times a' week. Itry to work the crossword, but I'm not very good at that. We have local papers too, out int the racks, and we have a website.. Just read that andi it will keep you informed of what's going oni in Council Member Ervin Asked candidate Craig interview question #5. What: steps would you take to ensure Candidate Craig: Ithink except for personnel problems that must be handied behind closed doors; the Councit should always be open to the public. And make sure that the public knows what is going on. Ift that means publishing the results of the council meetings every week, giving the phone numbers for people to call to ask further questions, ori inviting them back to come talk with someone about what they are concerned with; generally having thei information the council has dealt with available isi important. It should be released either in print in the local newspaper, on the website for the city, or on the City's Facebook Page. Vice Mayor Ervin: Is there anything else before we let you go that you would like to tell us?  considered ont town matters?  possible.  civic engagement and participation in town government?  current events and issues affecting the town?  the town. Noti that! Ihave read it this week, butiknow where to find it. transparency and accountability regarding council decisions?  4IPage    Candidate Craig: We are generally here all the time because we have this yard to work in and that's myj jobr now. But we do like to travel. We had not traveled since the pandemic. Until Itook a group to Greece. Ihave been on the board of directors for Asheville sister cities. Iwas the president Twice. Last year, we took a group to Greece for the second time. It's always an instructional, fun, and hard-working trip. I'mi not sure ify youl know this, but we have the second largest Greek community in North Carolina. 80% of those Greek families are from the little town of Karpenisi, five hours north of Athens. Half of Greece's population lives in Athens. Karpenisi is int the mountains and reminds you of Asheville. Their economy depends on a ski resort, which is just north of town. The people are friendly. They know who you tare.Iwas) jogging down the street one dayi in the middle of town, and some guy yelled from a coffee shop. "Hey Andrew, you from Asheville?" And we go to Mexico, we don'tg go with sister cities, but we have friends there that we visit, and they come and stay with us. We have a pretty good Vice Mayor Ervin: Thank you: sO much for coming today. And thank you for applying for this vacancy, we will be Candidate Craig: You're welcome and thank you for having me. lappreciate you. Have a wonderful afternoon.  cross-cultural livelihood at our house.  int touch shortly.  C. Laura Westbrook  Council Member Edgerton. Asked candidate Westbrook interview question #1. What sets you apart from other Candidate Westbrook: I'm a people person. l've worked int the community, with people all my life sincelwas probably 14. Myf first job was at the Rolling Pin Bakery. It was up on Merriman Avenue, where Ski Country Sports is. I'm a native. Iwas born right over here at New Bridge. I'm a good listener. I've taught school for 30 years. l've been on many, many committees at schools and I can help negotiate, compromise, and listen to issues. Right now, Iworki int the public at Blue Ridge Market and see people every day. Iguess it's justr me. Council Member Edgerton: There is one follow up. The committee work you have done. Have any oft those  candidates? What skills or experience do you bring to the table?  been in areas that would be particularly relevant to the Town of Woodfin? Candidate Westbrook: No, it has been with Woodfin School, education related.  Council Member Kahn Asked candidate Westbrook interview question #2. Have youe ever worked on a problem where there was a wide diversity of people affected? How would you ensure that the needs of all citizens are Candidate Westbrook: That's one of my heart beats. Itaught at Asheville High for 20 years. And it is one oft the most diverse schools. Iwas teaching allt the diversity int the school different languages, races, genders, and socio- economic backgrounds. Those are the people that Iwant to bringi in and to include in decision making here in Council Member Kahn: Do you have any thoughts about how you would ensure that those people are brought Candidate Westbrook: In my application Iwrote, and Iknow that you dot this on your website, you can put items ofi interest for the residents in their language. Make thingsa available to them where they can come. For example, ifyou work at full-time job and youy want to hear something, make it accessible for them. And going out to the community having community meetings, I know you do that as well. I've talked to al lot of other people thatl  considered on town matters?  Woodfin. in?  5IPage    grew up with int the 60s and the 70s and the 80s who still live in' Woodfin, andi they want to geti involved too.I Council Member Young Asked candidate Westbrook interview question #3. What steps would you take to Candidate Westbrook: Reaching out to individual neighborhoods ifs something is going toi impact them. l'm living ini the home thatlv was raised in. It was built in 1960 and Isaw my mom and daddy become involved in' Woodfin, before it was even incorporated. To meet in small groups with people, have comment sessions, bringing ideas from other people in. I know that we're growing, but I'm afraid that with growth we may be losing what people Council Member Young: Tot follow that. How do you see getting people involved, like with boards and to volunteer. What kind ofi ideas would you bring that you could use to encourage that kind of participation. Because you speak of the oldi timers, the people that have been here from the beginning. I've been in Woodfin foral long time. Int the past it was very hard to get people to bei involved, it was requested, and things were put out there, but it was very hard to get people to participate. What was missed? Doy you have anyi ideas about Candidate Westbrook: I've heard from friends and residents. That they want a more local voice. And that's why they were saying "Go Girl, doi it." And I haven't told al lot of people that ifinished the application. Idon't know how, but Iwould love to be able to grabt these people and say come on ify you want this to change, and that's why lam here. Isaid, Ican'tt talk about what's! happening in Woodfin ifl don't tryt to do something about it. And Council Member Thornton: Could you give us a specific about what this small-town feel is that you're talking Candidate Westbrook: For example, Iwork at the Blue Ridge market on the Weaverville Highway. All those are small, locally owned businesses. Like with the Business Association, there'sa lot of people that can't make those meetings because they have their business, and they must close to go. Times that are more readily available for people that work. Iknow that Andy, the owner of the market, contributes to the police when they come in and ask, or he contributes to the 5K when he's asked. But Ithink we could get everybody on that strip. Idon't want us to overgrow without seeing where thei futurei is going to! be. Idid read: some oft the comprehensive plan, whichit thought was awesome. But Idon't see al lot of that happening right now. Itisa a long-range plan; Ithink it was 2040. I love the fact that we have al little Community School and Iwant to keepi it a little Community feel. I Council Member Thornton: lappreciate your comments. I'm still not clear what you're talking about. As small- Candidate Westbrook: Building Community and getting people involved. Amore connected community. Council Member Young: The people that you have an ear, or they have your ear. When we talk about this small town, hometown, Woodfin, yes, we are OK with progress, but we don'twant to be Asheville. Is that a consensus oft the people that you communicate with? And can you give an example about what that really means?1 Iknow it's hard to put Into words and lunderstand what you mean. The people that you know, what would that mean for them. So, are we talking growth? Are we talking about community engagement? What kind oft thing would you bring hearing from others that you would tell the group: sO that we could have al better picture of how the  want to try and bring some oft those people in as well.  promote civic engagement and participation in town government?  want to have here.  what was missing?  that's whatl I want to try tol hopefullyi influence other people to do.  about? What are people concerned about?  don't want to compete with Asheville. town feel, what is that?  base of Woodfin would like to move forward.  6Page    Candidate Westbrook: And Idon't know if the people that Ihave their ears and vice versa are the base, but there are those of us who grew up here. I'm hearing that they don't want the things that we love about our area to not be here anymore. AndIknow, like the growth on the river, Iknowi it's being done right which is awesome. Maybe get somebody involved and spruce up the Community Center or something, I don't know. I'm sure the skies are the limit, but we've got to get thel base Involved. And Ithink once we, get the base involved, and l'm using the base as the people that I know are still here that were raised here, get them involved. That's why! la applied because Isaid you know here, la am sitting, get involved. I'm hoping maybe if theys see that Ididi it and applied, that they will say, "T can do this too." I'I most definitely, whether I'm on it or not, I'lIs say you can't complain if you don't go try.So go do it. Show up. Be present. Come to the meetings. Don'tcomplain ifyou're Council Member Thornton. Asked candidate Westbrook interview question #4. How do you stay informed about Candidate Westbrook: The Mountain Express. lonlys get the Citizens Times on Sunday, the website. Iwas coming tot the community meeting a couple weeks ago, and then it wasn't there. So, make sure your marki it offifit's postponed or canceled, because Ishowed up. Word of mouth through the market. Ir mean, it's a great place for people to chat. The Facebook page. Neighbors, we have a wonderful neighborhood, and we! have one of these old neighborhoods' where you can call and say, hey, do youl have chili powder?lneed: some. And that's, Ithink, Council Member Ervin Asked candidate Westbrook interview question #5. What steps would you take to ensure Candidate Westbrook: Ithink all that goes together. Ithinki it all meshes together to get the people int the chairs. Put your agendas online, and you do, but al lot of people may not have access to that. So how can we get the people to see what the agenda is and come and sit in the chairs? To read the minutes after it's over. Ithink the time schedule could be an issue. I'm going to be honest, Shannon, that's one reason applied because the meetings are on Tuesday and I'm off on Tuesday. But then when the council application had the wrong days and dates on it. Iwork on Mondays. It makes it hard. Making it easier for people to bei involved.  not sitting in a chair.  current events andi issues affecting the town?  what al lot of the people still yearn for.  transparency and accountability regarding council decisions?  2. Discussion of Candidate Qualifications and Vote.  Council Members discussed interview answers and qualifications of the candidates, then a vote was held by Council Member Kahn made a motion to vote for a candidate to fill the Town Council Seat left vacant during the November elections when. Jim McAllister was elected as Mayor. Council Member Thornton seconded the  paper ballot.  motion, which passed unanimously, 5-0. Vice Mayor Elisbeth Ervin-Philip Cohen Council Member Eric Edgerton-Philip Cohen Council Member Ken Kahn-Philip Cohen Council Member Hazel Thornton-Philip Cohen Council Member. Johanna Young-Laura Westbrook  Philip Cohen was elected toi fill the vacant' Town Council Seat, 4-1, with the votel being:  A Adjournment  Council Member Edgerton made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Council Member Kahn seconded the motion,  which passed unanimously, 5-0.  7Page    Vice Mayor Ervin adjourned the meeting at 5:28 pm.  GANC OF WOON INCORPORATED JUNE 1971 CAROM  Attestz  Quss James C. McAlister/Mayor  lan Pbwos Gena Powers/Town Clerk  8/Page