Hello, Buncombe County greenway lovers! In 2016 — more than nine years ago — you may recall, 71% of Woodfin voters voted yes to passing the bond to fund the construction of our French Broad River and Beaverdam Creek greenways. Woodfin entered a trusting partnership with Buncombe County to begin what I am told is the largest project and partnership in Woodfin’s history.
Woodfin and Buncombe County have had an odd relationship over these nine-plus years. As I understand, Buncombe County has never once presented an update to Woodfin’s Town Council or to Woodfin’s voters and taxpayers since the agreement was signed. Odd as this is, I am told that Woodfin Town Council had never issued a request for a presentation to Buncombe Parks & Recreation Director Allison Dains until this past month, following citizen nudging and encouragement.
We are thrilled that on Tuesday, March 17, at 5 p.m., at Woodfin Town Hall, Dains and her team are making their first presentation to Woodfin Town Council and to those Woodfin citizens who attend. The real issue, as I see it, is the actual agreement that was signed about nine years ago. This poorly crafted document could have been amended at any time, and because it has not, this has led to Buncombe County being defensive about basic project topics: greenway progress, project communications, Parks & Recreation accountability and lack of town and citizen involvement…