Asheville – Asheville City Council has approved a slate of candidates for the board of the Asheville Downtown Improvement District (ADID). The ADID’s mission is to “enhance the cleanliness, hospitality, and beautification of Downtown Asheville, driving economic growth and enriching the community experience for residents, workers, and visitors alike.”
The ADID is “supported” by the Asheville Downtown Association, the chamber of commerce, and Nexstreet, the company the city hired to manage the ADID. It has a $1,250,000 budget funded through a special $0.0877 tax assessment on downtown properties.
One form of supporting the BID was to generate a slate of 20 board members, which was essentially rubberstamped by council, Councilwoman Kim Roney dissenting. Three ex-officio seats were filled by government representatives. Assistant County Manager Tim Love previously served the county as director of economic development and government affairs. He also brings management and budget skills to the table. Assistant City Manager Ben Woody has been with the city for seven years and brings experience in urban planning. City Councilmember Antanette Mosley was appointed and then elected to council. She is best known for her advocacy for equity and inclusion…