City
Council Candidates, Week 6
George Bancroft
Harold "Cicada" Brokaw
Bernard Carman
Joe Dunn
Jim Ellis
Fred English
Barbara Field
Ed Hay
Holly Jones
Sharon Martin
Carl Mumpower
Brownie Newman
Susan O'Neil
Kevin Rollins
Sam Webb
Rod Whiteside
George Bancroft
Mr. George Bancroft submitted the following information via
a telephone conversation.
After serving nine years on the Civil Service Board, George Bancroft
is running for Asheville City Council and noted being an advocate
for City employees as one of his priorities. He retired from the
US Postal Service in September 1989, ending a public service career
that begin August 5, 1942 with the Army Airways Communication Service.
That career lasted 34 years, 3 months and 18 days.
Harold "Cicada" Brokaw
I've lived in Asheville 5 years. Upon arriving, I spent a month
of being houseless. I then lived as a renter in Montford and later
the Beaver Lake area. I am now part owner of a co-op house in Shiloh.
I am a musician and a practitioner of permaculture. I am also an
environmental, peace and justice activist. I served on the board
and as the president of the French Broad Food Co-op.
Our Personal Actions Count
At home we work to produce more of the food we eat. We are evolving
our land toward the vision of an edible forest garden. We compost
aand recycle. We buy in bulk as much as possible. Bus and bicycles
are our primary transportation. I own a van which I occasionally
will use. It runs on Propane, a very clean burning fuel.
When buying a house, living near a bus line was one of our criteria.
We installed solar panels on our house to decrease consumption of
fossil and nuclear fuel based electricity. We use low heat settings
during the winter and are modifying our house to reduce the fuel
needed to heat it. Our wood stove is one of the cleanest burning
available on the market. Most of our light bulbs are compact flourescents
using a fraction of the electricity of incandescent. We use the
clothes line as much as possible. We insulated our water heater
and put it on a timer. We are increasing the insulation of the house
Bernard Carman
 Vote
for change on Tuesday!
Vote for the Asheville Freedom Team. We are Dave Goree for Mayor,
Bernard Carman for Council and Kevin Rollins for Council.
Cut Property Taxes!!!
City residents pay nearly twice the property taxes of county residents,
yet we receive little in the way of additional services. The Asheville
Freedom Team wants to cut the city portion of property taxes by
50%, reducing your total property tax bill by 20%. This will require
a $14 million budget cut in the current city budget of $88 million.
Focus on Real Crimes
The Asheville Freedom Team believes that until every murderer, rapist
and thief is caught and put behind bars, police officers should
not be forced to waste time chasing criminals that have no victims.
Crime that involve REAL harm to others should come first.
Cut Bureaucratic Red Tape
The Asheville Freedom Team wants to reduce the endless paperwork,
nitpicking inspections that complicate our lives, make our housing
expensive and drive off business.
Corporate Welfare
The Asheville Freedom Team wants to end corporate welfare in Asheville.
The people should NOT have to subsidize big business profits. Further,
we believe that it is an OUTRAGE that local businesses suffer while
city government spends tax dollars wooing outside corporations.
Traffic and Sprawl
The Asheville Freedom Team will implement better planning that encourages
walkability and small business development. We also wish to invest
in better signage and traffic signals to improve traffic flow to
save people time as well as reduce air pollution.
Joe Dunn
Now that the primary is upon us, I hope that I have at least made
you think about the truths about me and my reasons to run. Asheville
needs new leadership badly! City Council has tried to be everything
for everybody and has failed to do most of it right.
Our city government needs to focus on the basic needs of our citizens
and carry them to completion. Just today the paper tells us that
now that we are conserving water, as we should, that our water bills
must go higher. The mayor does not know what to do? I have a simple
solution---cut some fat out of the city budget and do not increase
water bills!!!
Please refer back to my other statements about the economic truths
about Asheville---it is the truth that we are in financial trouble.
Spending just keeps going on and on! Taxpayers are getting poor
services, while special interest projects keep on going.
When you decide to vote next Tuesday, ask yourself these questions--IS
ASHEVILLE BETTER OFF NOW THAN FOUR YEARS AGO? ARE MY TAXES LOWER?
AM I RECEIVING BETTER SERVICES? DO MY CHILDREN HAVE A GOOD CHANCE
FOR HIGH PAYING JOBS?
If you think all of these questions can be answered as yes, then
vote for the present council. If you want a change, then you need
to vote for me-Joe Dunn! Thank you for your interest in our city.
Be sure to vote October 9th.
Jim Ellis
 Reason
to Vote for Jim Ellis
1. MATURITY
I am 66 years old. I served in the US Navy, have 10 years private
business experience, 20 years in economic development work and 15
years hospital administration. I recently retired as the business
administrator at Black Mountain Center. Approximately 150 employees
reported to my office and while in Morganton, NC, as the business
administrator of Western Carolina Center, 250 employees were under
my supervision.
2. EXPERIENCE
I have traveled to Japan, China, Thailand, Formosa, Okinawa, Philippines,
Midway, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Canada, Mexico, Spain, France, Germany,
Switzerland and other European countries. A majority of my working
career has been in Asheville, however, I lived 3 years on the West
Coast and 5 years in New England and have visited all but 4 of the
states in our great nation.
3. LEADERSHIP
It has been my honor to serve on numerous boards and commissions
and I currently serve as a member of the Asheville Airport Authority,
as Treasurer of the Asheville Buncombe Community Relations Council;
Director, Blue Ridge Mental Health; Director of the Center for Wholistic
Health; Advisory Member of the UNCA Management Program and several
other activities. In previous years, I was Chairman of the UNCA
Board of Trustees, President of the NC Chamber Executives, board
member of the NC Tourist Association, Blue Ridge Parkway Association,
American Red Cross, Better Business and others.
4. DEDICATION
With your vote on October 9 and November 6, I'll be honored to work
full time for all Asheville citizens.
Fred English
Mr. Fred English asked that his name be included in The Candidates'
Forum, but chose not to submit any material.
Barbara Field
 Asheville
needs experienced and skilled leadership as it faces the challenges
ahead as an emerging urban center in difficult economic times. My
experience as a member of City Council the past ten years and as
an architect gives me a unique ability to provide the kind of leadership
needed as we build a city that blends high wage employment, environmental
protection, neighborhood integrity and quality of life for Asheville's
citizens.
Effective leadership is so much more than taking positions on issues.
City Council must provide the leadership that brings results. Often,
that requires the technical know-how to envision an issue through
to its completion within budgetary constraints. I have spent my
entire professional career researching, designing, pulling together
the necessary resources, resolving conflicting interested parties
and bringing projects to completion, all within budgets.
My ten years of service on Council has taught me that policy that
is not well researched and carefully implemented can cause more
problems than solutions. I want to continue bringing that experience
to the challenge of growing Asheville in an intelligent and balanced
way.
I want to thank all the people of our community who have gone out
of their way to voice and show their support for me in these last
weeks before the primary.
I care about the people and the City of Asheville very much. I
hope the people of Asheville can see the value in having my continued
presence on Council, not because of my skill at rhetoric, but because
of my skill at getting things done.
Thanks,
Barbara
Ed Hay
Incumbents usually "stand on the record," and that is
how it should be. The voters honored them with the opportunity to
serve, and should hold them accountable for what they have done
with that privilege. During my term on City Council we have made
very real improvements in important areas, such as parks, affordable
housing, downtown development, and bus service. We adopted the Affordable
Housing Trust Fund and developed critical plans for the Civic Center,
economic development, and Pack Square. Our City operates better,
has more vitality, and, I believe, is a better place to live.
Elected officials should also be expected to use their experience
to look ahead, to articulate a vision, and I think economic development
should be our next priority. Asheville has a unique opportunity
to attract Information and Internet technology industries, which
offer quality jobs, are environmentally friendly, and represent
long-term commitments. Quality of life, our premier asset, is what
is most attractive to these new employers, but we must also provide
the trained work force and high-tech infrastructure they require
to locate here.
Finally, voters should ask themselves if the person they elected
has earned their trust by being accessible, accountable, and willing
to involve the community in decision-making.
I stand on my record.
Holly Jones
 In
the last edition of Candidate's Forum before the October 9th primary,
I want to revisit the two issues that have been the focus of my
campaign for City Council: affordable housing and responsive government.
- Asheville currently ranks as the most expensive housing market
in the state. Our local vacancy rate for rental housing is far
below the national and state average. I want our teachers, health
care workers, service employees, police, and all the people doing
hard work in our community to realize the dream of home ownership
or affordable rental living in the city where they work and live.
I will serve as a strong advocate for increasing housing stock
and preserving long-term affordability.
- The second issue I will address as a member of City Council
is that of responsive government. I believe that the public sector's
ability to work cooperatively with its citizens and build regional
relationships is essential to our economic future. We are looked
to as the focal point of Western North Carolina, and we need to
take leadership on spearheading cooperation and avoiding litigation.
I will use my seat on Council to insist on a new and better way
for city government to relate and respond to its citizens, businesses,
and neighbors.
The challenges are many, but so are the opportunities. I strongly
believe that my background in management, public health, and collaborative
leadership will benefit City Council, and I look forward to the
opportunity to represent you. Please vote for Holly Jones on October
9th.
Sharon Martin
On Tuesday, October 9th the citizens of Asheville will be making
choices about who will guide the direction of our city for the next
4 years. Many important issues have been laid on the table for consideration.
We'll be choosing our priorities by choosing our candidates. Please
choose carefully.
Many of us have been taking steps in our personal lives to reflect
how much we care about our health and the health of our community.
We conserve water and energy. We ride our bikes and walk more. We
choose where to spend our money based on the environmental and social
ethics of companies. We recycle and reuse whenever possible. We've
been learning about oppression and taking steps to end it. And many
of us do this because we know that the health of future generations
depend on our responsible choices today.
We understand that all things are connected. Our political choices
are as much a reflection of our priorities as the choices we make
in our personal lives. I trust the people of Asheville to state
our priorities clearly and vote for candidates that will, in every
decision, consider the impact on future generations. We've been
too short-sighted for too long.
And most importantly, don't let your involvement end with your
vote. Your participation in our community, in our political system,
is essential to its functioning. Our government doesn't know what
is important to you unless you take the time to tell them.
Carl Mumpower
Having lived in Asheville for most of my life, I know and value
what we have here. I want to help insure a positive future for Asheville
by serving as a moderating member of City Council. My goals are
simple. I reserve my strongest interest for fairly distributed and
responsive basic city services. I value common sense decisions that
give consideration to all citizens. I view good jobs and a balanced
economy as our best social service. I believe that governmental
restraint and efficiency should come before tax increases. I believe
that Asheville, as the population center of our region, should serve
as a model of cooperation, leadership and vision. I have 5 guiding
principles that I will use in upholding a positive role on Council.
1) Aim for the common good.
2) Focus on solutions over conflict
3) Provide leadership instead of control.
4) Be guided by principles over pressures.
5) Focus on balance, practicality, and restraint.
This final week I will share my interest in balance, practicality,
and restraint. I believe an emphasis on balance helps Council focus
on the common good over the more self-directed agendas of some special
interests. Practicality requires that city leadership stay grounded
in the real world impact of our decisions. Restraint is important
in that City Government should concentrate on our primary business
~ infrastructure and basic city services, and limit the temptations
to drift toward more exotic agendas. City Government can sometimes
serve best by stepping out of the way…
Brownie Newman
 Brownie
Newman
Bringing People Together for Asheville's Future
Dear Friends,
On Tuesday October 9 the people of Asheville will go to the polls
and
vote for their choice for Mayor and City Council. The Election isn't
about our personalities, it's about the future of our community.
Our candidates have many different ideas for the future of Asheville.
Some feel that we should be drastically cutting City services. Others
believe that we must make removing graffiti and billboards the top
priority of City government.
HERE ARE MY TOP PRIORITIES:
- Attract Sustainable Businesses that Pay a Living Wage
- Support Our Downtown & Locally Owned Businesses
- Create Affordable Housing & Home Ownership
- Encourage Clean Air through Expanded Public Transportation
- Raise High School Graduation Rates in City Schools
- Promote Safe, Walkable Neighborhoods with Sidewalks & Parks
- Come Together as a Community to Face Our Challenges in a Fair
& Open Way
If you agree with these priorities, I ask FOR YOUR VOTE on Tuesday.
Together we can make Asheville a better place for us all. Thank
you for your support.
For more information about my campaign, see: www.votebrownie.com.
For a ride to the polls on Election Day, call my campaign at 251-0467
or e-mail vernalicious@hotmail.com.
Sincerely,
Brownie Newman
243-0107
brownie41@hotmail.com
Brownie Newman
Bringing People Together for Asheville's Future
Susan O'Neil
I don't own a television which I consider to be primarily an
advantage. Largely because I am not tempted to turn to it at taciturn
moments. Also, it enhances my enjoyment of an occasional well chosen
movie or time spent visiting friends watching it.
My information gathering style is intuitive and mental. I do admire
reasonable, well articulated thinking.
News media used to be a documentary and educational tool but lately
I am sensing that they have become an instrument of war. Instinctively,
I am frightened by the glory of war rhetoric that I hear there.
I am horrified at the arrogance of the use of threat, to bully nations
into compliance with war and the shallow opportunism of the benefactors
of war. The language of the TV media seems especially complicit
with fanning the flames of violence in vulnerable people.
The NC Green party recently released a statement in which it did
not condone the present trend of military buildup, rather, we encouraged
a "deliberate, measurable, lawful response" to the terrorist
attack and this I support.
In response to the reader's question about whether the terrorist
attack was "cowardly" or "brave". To me it was
neither. It was an unthinkably violent act which they were willing
to pay for with their lives.
Kevin Rollins
 The
Asheville Freedom Team wants to fix city government. We are Dave
Goree for Mayor, Bernard Carman for Council and Kevin Rollins for
Council.
City Government Total Review The Asheville Freedom Team
wants to conduct a total review of city government. Every department,
every employee and every ordinance would be judged on two criteria:
1) that they DO NOT violate freedom; 2) that they work as efficiently
and effectively as possible.
Bring Good Jobs to Asheville The Asheville Freedom Team
wants to help small businesses create good, well paying jobs by
reducing nonsense regulations and by cutting taxes that make Asheville
an unattractive place to do business.
Civic Center The Asheville Freedom Team does not think it
is wise to put city taxpayers on the hook for another $52 million
when the city has proven that it cannot run the existing facility
at a profit. We will look for private funding for a new facility
at a better location.
Fix the Water Pipes! The Asheville Freedom Team will make
fixing the water system a top priority. The city of Asheville loses
30% of OUR water to leaks, and WE have to pay for it! We will look
towards a total system overhaul rather than chasing leaks as they
pop up.
Annexation The Asheville Freedom Team will NEVER forcibly
annex any community outside the city. Only communities asking to
be annexed will be considered. We believe firmly that forced annexation
by any government is a violation of democratic principle.
Sam Webb
Mr. Sam Webb stated that due to current commitments he is unable
to participate in The Candidates' Forum at this time.
Rod Whiteside
 Energy,
Dedication and Fresh Leadership
This election is about "the people." It isn't about a
fancy title. It isn't about selfish interests. I would like to be
your City Councilman because I am concerned about the issues that
concern you. When asked about my reason for running for office I
honestly and sincerely reply, "Because I was born that way."
It has always been my desire to serve as a voice for those who might
not otherwise have a voice. I have always aspired to be a part of
the process so I could play a part in shaping our future. I am in
this race for the right reasons and I ask for the chance to help
Asheville make the right decisions. I ask for your vote on October
9th and November 6th.
-Rod A. Whiteside
Campaign Focus
Long-Range Planning/Civic Center
City Services/Asheville Transit
Decreased Reliance on Property Taxes
About Rod
Age: 28
Completing Master's Degree, Public Affairs
Bachelor's Degree, Political Science
Broadcasting Diploma, Carolina School of Broadcasting
Former Cable-TV and Radio News Anchor
Board Member, Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Mentor, Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Member, Jaycees
Member, Kiwanis Club
Volunteer, Affordable Housing Coalition
WHITESIDE for CITY COUNCIL
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