In the bustling backdrop of Asheville’s political scene, the mayoral race is gaining momentum as candidates Esther Manheimer and Kim Roney participated in the pivotal campaign forum held at The Country Club of Asheville. The event provided a platform for the contenders to discuss pressing issues such as affordable housing, homelessness, and the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene.
With an audience of about 100 attendees, both candidates acknowledged these challenges but offered contrasting perspectives on policing and governance.
Kim Roney, aged 46, who joined the Asheville City Council in 2020, shared her journey from poverty in the rural South to graduating from James Madison University. Now a self-employed music teacher, Roney’s political career has included serving on various city advisory boards. Having previously run against Manheimer for mayor, she emphasized the significance of transparency and public involvement in government.
Roney advocated for reactivating the city’s advisory boards, many of which have been temporarily suspended following Hurricane Helene. She criticized the “three-by-three” meetings, where small groups of city officials engage in private discussions.
“For me, it’s important to do the people’s work in public. Right now we have a series of three-by-threes and sometimes one-on-one meetings where staff might spend anywhere from, like, eight to 10 hours with agendas and presentations, counting votes throughout the day,” Roney stated. “It’s a lot of staff time, but none of those meetings are public. And there’s no minutes.”
In contrast, Esther Manheimer, seeking her fourth term as mayor, defended the necessity of private discussions for effective governance. With a tenure on the Asheville City Council dating back to 2009 and serving as mayor since 2013, Manheimer, a land litigation attorney, emphasized, “I do agree that transparency is critically important,” while highlighting the city’s efforts to stream public meetings online.
“You’ve got to figure out how to have frenemies”
Manheimer highlighted her leadership post-Hurricane Helene, recounting her efforts in securing nearly a billion dollars in funding for Asheville’s future. This funding, described as a “silver lining,” is intended for repairs and enhancements, including a $150 million water filtration project.
She noted, “I left those meetings with nearly a billion dollars in funding that we are going to be able to invest in this community for our future,” underscoring the importance of bipartisan collaboration to navigate political challenges.
Roney, highlighting her grassroots efforts during Helene, spoke of her involvement with community initiatives like the flush brigade, and her work with Local Progress to enhance emergency response.
She reflected, “We were carrying five gallon buckets up flights of stairs to make sure that our homebound and elderly neighbors were able to flush their toilets and stay healthy and safe,” while also emphasizing her role in advancing climate resiliency initiatives.
“Real concerns” about police technology
The forum also touched on the city’s decision to accept $1.14 million in federal funding for a real-time intelligence center for the Asheville Police Department. Roney opposed this move, citing concerns over privacy and civil liberties.
She stated, “I have real concerns about the question of protecting our constitutional rights,” referencing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s use of Axon’s surveillance technology.
Meanwhile, Manheimer portrayed the decision as a practical measure to reduce costs, noting Asheville’s reliance on the Buncombe County Sheriff’s intelligence center and the efficiency brought by federal funding.
Asheville residents, like Jacqueline Hallam, remain undecided, keen to hear further plans regarding homelessness, which remains a growing concern in the community. The forum marks the beginning of a campaign season set to culminate in the November election, with early voting starting in October.
