From Staff Reports 

 WOODFIN — Pat McCrory delivered on his promise to make the Asheville area the site of his first out-of-town visit on Jan. 7, following his inauguration as North Carolina’s 74th governor .

McCrory, a Republican, addressed a diverse crowd — Republicans and Democrats, business and academic leaders and protesters — at the Crest Center.

During his visit, he was approached by some opponents of a proposed takeover, spearheaded by the state, of Asheville’s regional water system. Under the plan, the system would be merged into the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County.

The governor told the news media before his address tthat he would act as a facilitator in the debate over the water system. While McCrory said he has yet to decide what should happen with the water system, he said a long-term solution needs to be developed, involving state and local leadership.

After his address, the governor was expected to talk about the issue in a private meeting with local leaders in attendance, including David Gantt, chairman of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners; and Terry Bellamy, Asheville’s mayor.

Bellamy introduced the governor, praising his accomplishments as mayor of Charlotte. While keeping the tax rate low, she said McCrory led the “Queen City” in economic development, infrastructure improvements and crime control.

“I know you will do a great job (as governor) because you did a great job as mayor” of Charlotte, Bellamy said, turning to glance at a smiling McCrory.

On the stage with McCrory and giving separate remarks were Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy, U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-Cherryville; and state Rep. Nathan Ramsey, R-Fairview.

Among the prominent officials in attendance were Woodfin Mayor Jerry VeHaun, Woodfin aldermen Debbie Giezentanner, Don Hensley and Jackie Bryson.

In his address, McCrory said, “In the past, the inauguration was usually just inside the beltway in Raleigh. What I wanted to do is something different, what we wanted to do, then, is visit the rest of the state, and listen and learn from the people throughout North Carolina.”

With a note of sadness, the governor said the state’s economy is not robust, as he felt it should be.

“There are college graduates from our great schools, and the kids can’t find jobs right now. To me, that’s not the North Carolina that my parents brought me to.”

Indeed, McCrory asserted, “There is unlimited opportunity in North Carolina, and all we’ve got to do is unleash that opportunity.”

To that end, the governor said he is focusing on recruiting talented problem-solvers to his administration. 

“I needed people who could change and fix a broken government and a broken economy in North Carolina. One of the first things you have to do, is recognize that you have a problem. Right now, we have the greatest state in the United States of American — and we have serious problems that we have to fix.”

McCrory added, “We have some real breakdowns, especially when it comes to information systems, communications, efficiencies — all of the aforementioned “structural breakdowns” became apparent during the 2008 recession.

For instance, the governor said the last long-term economic development strategy for the state was implemented in 1985. McRory said that, with his recent appointment of Sharon Decker as state commerce secretary, he is aiming to develop an integrated economic growth plan that applies to all of the businesses.

McCrory also said he has set up a committee to review policies that state. “We are doing it with a sense of urgency,” he noted.

The governor finished by noting that his father a former elected Ohio official, used to say: “‘We must walk the fine line between continuing our economic prosperity, while also protecting the quality of life and environmnt that brought many of us here.’”

Speaking earlier, McHenry said, “Growing up to the west of I-77, as a child, we all knew that, according to Raleigh ... North Carolina ended at I-77.

“It is a very significant thing that our new governor, after being sworn in to office, his first order of business was to travel directly to Asheville. That is a statement of past priorities for the State of North Carolina and Western North Carolina.”

McHenry said of McCrory, “He knows we exist. He understands that the beauty, the economic potential and economic power of Western North Carolina and he knows that Asheville is the hub.”