Mayoral Candidates,
Week 3
Terry Bellamy
William Boyd
Chuck Cloninger
H.K. Edgerton
Dave Goree
Mickey Mahaffey
Brian Peterson
Bill Porter
Charlie Worley
Terry Bellamy
 Affordable
Housing
The availability of affordable housing in our area is continuing
to be a pressing issue not only for the low-income residents of
our community but also for residents who are just starting in their
careers. The North Carolina Association of Realtors reported that
last year, the average home in Buncombe County sold for $173,000,
which caused us to have the highest housing cost in North Carolina.
A recent study completed by Coldwell Banker revealed that a house
purchased in Asheville that cost $150,000 could be purchased in
Charlotte for only $138,158 and for $116,447 in Greensboro.
As Mayor of Asheville, I will work to make some changes in our
housing trends. Some key components of those changes would be working
with our largest employers and the Affordable Housing Coalition
to further the program of Employer assisted housing, which will
allow employers to help the employees not only work in our community
but live in our community; Work to Increase revenue for the housing
trust fund by working with local foundations and corporations to
allow them the opportunity to invest in the revolving fund; Work
to get a Housing report card completed on our community. The last
true evaluation of our communities' assets and needs were examined
in 1993, and I believe we need to evaluate where we are to help
us determine where we need to go and how we can effectively get
there; and lastly I want to Listen your needs and suggestions for
how we as a community can address this issue.
I need your support to make a difference. Please vote for me, Terry
M. Bellamy, October 9th and November 6th.
William Boyd
Mr. William Boyd did not respond to a letter inviting him to
participate in The Candidates' Forum. No other means to contact
him were available through the information provided at the Board
of Elections.
Chuck Cloninger
 Because
I believe our goals should be even higher than our mountains, I
will be a candidate this year for Mayor of Asheville. I run for
Mayor because I believe Asheville can achieve great goals, such
as Smart Growth; the protection of our neighborhoods, our city's
natural beauty and our environmental resources; high-tech, high-paying,
low-polluting jobs; an even more vibrant downtown; parks and greenways
expansion; protection from litter, billboards and monstrous cell-phone
towers; and a modernized Civic Center.
My six years of experience on the City Council and my two-years
experience as Vice Mayor have given me a front-row view of the challenges
our city faces-and the incredible potential we have. My record shows
the kind of Mayor I would be--and how effective I can be. The goals
that I've worked towards include advocating for Smart Growth policies,
implementing controls on billboards and cell-phone towers, initiating
waste reduction and alternative-fuel programs, founding and serving
on the Asheville Parks and Greenways Foundation, and working to
bring passenger rail service back to Asheville.
We've made great progress, and we've shown what we can do when
we work together. But we're just getting started. With the right
leadership in the Mayor's chair and the right partnerships in our
community, we can make Asheville more beautiful, more prosperous
and an even better place to live.
If you share these goals, my vision and my willingness to reach
out and work with like-minded people, I ask for your support for
Mayor of Asheville.
H.K. Edgerton
 Excerpts
from an interview with H.K. Edgerton by Ron Holland of the Dixie
Daily News (printed with permission from both parties) -HKE
We were born on the same soil, breathe the same air, live in the
same land, and why should we not be brothers and sisters. - Nathan
Bedford Forrest
I have a dream that one day, on the red hills of Georgia, the sons
of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able
to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. --Martin Luther
King, Jr. 1963
The Chamber of Commerce types and most politicians are trying to
make Asheville into a "Southern style" New York or San
Francisco. I don't want us to lose the friendships, politeness,
Southern culture and generally slow pace of life in the process.
Yes, the revitalization of downtown Asheville is great with all
the nice restaurants, shops, bars and counter culture nightlife
etc. but the liberal politically correct types would have us believe
that there is no place for Southern symbols, Bible based religion,
Confederate history in their "New Asheville."
…The people of Asheville have treated a Black man with respect
in a Confederate Uniform spending hundreds of hours on Pack Square
holding the Third National Flag of the Confederacy in one had and
my "Heritage Not Hate" sign in the other. I think we can
all get along as long as they too respect our beliefs, our history
and our religion. That is what I bring to the campaign and will
bring to the Mayor's office of Asheville NC. An ability to bring
people together to solve the problems we face while respecting everyone's
right to be different and proud of their heritage.
Dave Goree
Jason Klein asked about "ideas and opinions regarding cannabis".
As Asheville Freedom Team member Bernard Carman is brilliantly addressing
the acts of war perpetrated against our great Nation. I will address
this question. Most of the issues regarding cannabis are not City
issues, however, there are ways the City should be involved. I propose
to use the Azalea Road land, to undertake an experimental industrial
hemp project. The hemp will be processed into paper(as in our campaign
brochure) for use of the City, as well as hemp oil fuel for City
diesel equipment. This will improve Asheville's air quality in two
ways. Hemp scrubs CO2 and produces oxygen faster than any plant,
and the use of hemp in paper and fuel are dramatically cleaner than
conventional alternatives. Once we move beyond this project, when
industrial hemp is a moneymaking crop for every landowner that wants
to take advantage of it, the environmental benefits increase dramatically.
The waste products from the papermaking and seed oil production
will make charcoal to replace coal burned by CP&L.
As to other cannabis issues: As Mayor, I could not end the War
on Drugs, unfortunately. It has been the most destructive force
in America since Prohibition.(see what happens when we don't learn
from history) Worst among its failures, are the losses of Freedom
this war has brung, for no measurable result. We can, however, change
the priorities of our Police to focus on real crime with real harm.
City priority should make sense, going after medical marijuana users
does not. Vote for Reason, vote The Asheville Freedom Team, vote
Dave Goree for Mayor.
Mickey Mahaffey
Grieving the loss of life and immense human suffering caused by
the recent
attacks in New York and Washington, the Mahaffey campaign is suspending
campaign activities this week. We pray for peace, justice, and compassion,
and we grieve all of those who have died in senseless violent acts
around
the world, including the men, women, and children killed in these
most
recent tragedies. We implore our leaders to choose not to continue
the cycle of violence, retribution, and suffering, and to begin
the process of healing from this great loss.
Brian Peterson
 Commitment
to Our Community
I have been actively involved in civic matters in Asheville since
I first moved here in 1987. My first involvement was as a volunteer
for City Council Candidate Logan Delany. I had gotten to know him
through his wife, Francine Delany, the principal at a local elementary
school. While assisting him, I learned a good deal about city government.
A couple of years later, I substitute taught a fourth grade class
for Mrs. Delany at the Asheville Alternative School.
In 1989, I was actively involved in the campaign against the plan
to build a treatment plant that would use water from the French
Broad River. City voters overwhelmingly voted against this Bond
Referendum. In this effort, I worked with Hazel Fobes, Jeff Fobes,
Rick Maas, and Bill DeBruhl, and helped to form Citizens for Safe
Drinking Water which is still active today.
In 1983, I helped my good friend Leni Sitnick become the top vote
getter in her first run for elected office. Two years later, I managed
Jim Skalski's successful campaign for Council. I met Jim through
the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods (CAN). Jim served as President
in 1994-95, and I served as President in 1997-99. In 1997, I helped
Leni Sitnick campaign for Mayor.
Over the past 14 years, I have been involved with the following
organizations: Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods, West Asheville
Estates Neighborhood Association, VFW Post 891, Asheville Humane
Society, Parks & Recreation Master Plan Steering Committee,
Asheville Greenways Citizen Advisory Committee, Homes for Asheville-Buncombe
Task Force, Haywood Road Master Plan Advisory Committee, Asheville-Buncombe
Historic Resource Commission, Citizens for Safe Drinking Water and
Air, West Asheville Business Association, Quality Forward.
Bill Porter
 An
Elected Citizens Police Review Board?
Mr Bob Brown asked "How do we stand on this issue?" My
first reaction was "We already have an elected citizens Police
review board. It is called the City Council." Although Mr Brown
gives no reason for asking his question, it implies that there is
police misconduct that is not being adequately disciplined, an internal
leadership failure.
The quick solution: elect a Board of outsiders to correct
the failures of management. This unfortunately sets up an adversarial
relationship between the Board, management and the officers, and
it insures that there will be little cooperation between the parties.
The effective solution: train and encourage police supervisors
to instill proper respect and discipline in the ranks. Seek the
cooperation of the ranks in maintaining discipline and in rooting
out corruption. Avoid confrontation; it only results in resistance.
Police supervisors have the primary responsible for implementing
policies and enforcing discipline. Do not undermine them by electing
a Board to second guess their decisions.
Efficient Performance of Duties is maximized in any department,
ie. Police, Fire, Social Services, etc., when all supervisors are
trained and held accountable for maintaining departmental standards.
The supervisor is in a position to provide guidance during the process
and thus prevent many incidents, while the Board is limited to reviewing
incidences after the fact and recommending corrective action to
undo what should never have occurred.
As Mayor I would encourage supervisors in all departments to set
and enforce high standards of conduct.
Charlie Worley
Our nation has just endured a great tragedy and it is clear that
the aftermath of that tragedy will have a profound national impact
on us. We know that a reexamination of our priorities, our hopes,
our goals and our desires will occur on a national basis and on
a local basis. It is likely that some changes will result. Whatever
changes result from this
reexamination will require clear and decisive leadership for the
future. I grew up in Asheville and I know the pride we have in our
community, the strong resolve we have to overcome adversity, and
indomitable spirit of our citizens. I will work to keep Asheville
unified, to preserve the sense of community and to maintain the
values we hold dear. I will lead Asheville as we continue on the
road to a healthy economy, as we continue to improve our environment,
and as we provide a safe haven for our families.
As for the present, our hearts and prayers go out to the families
of those who lost their lives in this attack on America and our
hopes and concerns are with those who were injured. From our small
community we will reach out to help those around us who are in need,
whether they be from the next neighborhood, the next city, or from
distant areas of our country. We can do no less.
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