By JIM GENARO

WOODFIN ó Questions from a resident about opportunities for community service and concerns about a shortfall of funding for Meals on Wheels prompted a lively discussion of the role of town government in charity at the Nov. 20 meeting of the Woodfin Board of Aldermen.

The discussion began when Susie Sloan asked the aldermen how Woodfin residents can find out about ways to serve the community.

Town Administrator Jason Young replied that the townís newsletter and local news media provide such information.

However, this comment prompted an elderly woman to ask whether the board could help Meals on Wheels, which she said is running out of money.

ìWeíre closed completely this week,î the woman told the board. ìAlso, our custodians ó theyíre not going to get paid. No one sponsors us.î

Alderman Don Hensley asked the woman if she could find out more about the operational costs of Meals on Wheels, conceding that ìthereís been a lot of cutbacks everywhere.î

Sloan interjected that nursing homes are one area where citizens can do much to help.

ìIt doesnít take a lot to buy socks for a nursing home,î she noted.

Hensley then asked Young what the legal procedures are for the town contributing funds to charitable organizations.
Young answered that there are several legal steps that have to be taken.

First of all, he said, organizations that receive donations from the town are required to make their financial records available to the public.

ìThey do need to be subjected to public review,î Young told the board. ìItís one of those things where itís hard for me to say, off the cuff, what are the exact steps you need to take.î

Young added that the town is halfway into its fiscal year and that any additional funding allocations would require a clear direction from the board as to where to draw money out of other aspects of the budget.

Mayor Jerry VeHaun said he would look into the situation with Meals on Wheels and get back to the board about it.
In other action, the board:

ï Heard a report from† Sgt. Michael Dykes about the Woodfin Police Departmentís recent efforts to combat drug dealing in the town.

He noted that the anti-drug campaign netted 54 drug-related charges, including 10 felonies. In total, he said, 156 charges were filed for various crimes as a result of the push.

Many officers put in extra hours during the campaign, he said. ìThese were officers coming in on their days off, working overtime,î Dykes told the board.

ìI think you hit a home run on this drug thing,î VeHaun told Dykes.

Dykes responded that the effort had helped police to catch bigger drug dealers, saying, ìWhen you bust one person, youíre just getting the little fish and everything rolls uphill.î

ï Unanimously approved a voluntary annexation of about 100 acres owned by former Asheville City Councilman Chris Peterson.

The property, which comprises two contiguous lots east of Richmond Hill, was contiguous with Woodfinís border along the French Broad River.

Peterson said he was contacted by both Asheville and Woodfin officials seeking to annex the property.

The land had been subject to Ashevilleís zoning statutes, under a state law that allows municipalities to zone land along their borders.

Under Woodfinís zoning laws, the property can be developed much more densely.

ï Voted unanimously to rezone a property known as Crest Center and Crest Mountain to the townís Mountain Village zoning designation.

The change was made ìto allow for higher green-space and permeable-surface requirements,î Young said.