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2nd project manager in 2 years steps down, citing ‘not having intended impact’
From Staff Reports
Christine Edwards, who has served as the project manager overseeing Asheville’s and Buncombe County’s joint reparations effort since November 2022, announced on Oct. 16 that she would “step back†and pivot into serving as an “administrative support manager†— and leave her post as project manager.
Edwards’ announcement signifies the departure of the second project manager of Asheville’s reparations process in two years.
“The city did not immediately appoint a new manager after the Oct. 16 announcement, but staff facilitators indicated they were staying on board despite the shift,†the Asheville Citizen Times reported on Oct. 22.
“This comes nearly a year after consulting firm TEQuity, the project’s first manager, resigned in November 2022. TEQuity was awarded a $365,583 contract in September 2021.
“That contract and management of the reparations project was reassigned to Christine Edwards and her firm, Charlotte-based Civility Localized, last November,†the ACT noted.
At the Oct. 16 meeting of the Asheville-Buncombe County Community Reparations Commission, Edwards announced she was stepping down from her role in the following statement:
“While it has been an incredible honor to be a member of this effort, it’s become evident that through these several months that my involvement is not having the intended impact on the forward movement of this very important work. Therefore, I am going to be taking a step back from this position of project manager.
â€What’s more, the ACT noted, “She stood before the commission at a podium, having vacated her seat beside the commission’s chair and vice chair. After her statement, she did not return to the table.
“It’s not the only shakeup among reparations leadership. The city’s equity and inclusion director, Brenda Mills, charged with overseeing the process, announced her retirement in September, effective Jan. 31. Since the commission was first seated in April 2022, after experiencing months of delays, it also saw the departure of Rachel Edens, Buncombe County’s first chief equity and human rights officer, who left the job after little less than a year.
“Edwards said she would stay on as the administrative support manager, whose duties include handling the payment of stipends of commission members and facilitators, but would no longer lead the strategic direction, agenda setting or act as the liaison between the commission and the local municipalities.
“Chair Dwight Mullen called the news ‘sudden,’ and said he had only gotten word of it that morning,†the ACT stated.
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