ENKA — A presentation on “issues and restructuring” in connection to the embattled Asheville Police Department prompted several questions during a Jan. 9 meeting of the Council of Independent Business Owners at A-B Tech’s Haynes Auditorium. 

The APD presentation was made by City Manager Gary Jackson, who also discussed the hiring process for a new police chief and planning director. 

“In terms of getting the right people in the right places,” Jackson said, the city is in the process of hiring a new police chief and planning director.

“The planning director search is several months ahead of the police chief search. We will run them through the references in February and March.

Regarding the police chief search, Jackson noted that it is not just a matter of him making the decision. “The last time, it included the sheriff, the district attorney, the fire chief” and others, he said.

“We really try to do a ‘360’ to get the recommendation of the people who will have to work most closely with them... We hope to have the planning director on board by late May ... and the police chief on board by June.”

Jackson added, “We, of course, always cast the net as far and wide as we can. We use a search firm because it works... We know where we’re fishing.” He also noted the city is using the best guides.

An unidentified man then asked about the police chief, stating that “it seems like there was a lot of unrest” culminating in the retirement of Chief William Anderson.

“In your search for a new police chief, have you brought these concerns to your search committee?” the man asked.

“Good question,” Jackson replied. “We brought in a third party because there were a lot of folks expressing their views... We have 260 police employees — we wanted to hear from all of the employees and not just the command staff.

“We’re going to get to the bottom of those issues.... There is significant internal conflict,” in which “people aren’t working together....

“We’re working on understanding what those concerns are... mediating them. A lot of them are in disciplinary process and .. We have a civil service system, which is a big part of the problem. There are significant issues with that.”

Another man said he had “read in the newspaper about a lowering of the standards in our police department. To me, that’s dumbing down our police department.” 

“Yes, first of all, you’re not getting the whole story in what you’re reading,” Jackson said. “To get one of the top jobs (in the APD) .... you still have to have the degrees. To move up and be promoted, those standards are still in place. We’ve just opened up the starting jobs for people coming in from military” in an effort to attract a more diverse workforce.

A woman asked what the city is looking for in a police chief and a planning chief.

“First, we’re looking for someone who can walk on water,” Jackson quipped.

Then, taking a serious tack, the city manager said that for the planning chief, “We want people who can work with development communities” and also have strong communication skills.

Turning back to the APD discussion, CIBO member Mac Swicegood said, “What I’ve noticed downtown ... we have less of a police presence (now). They’re not there. You don’t see them.”

“I’m glad you noticed the significant police presence in the summer season,” Jackson responded. “That didn’t happen by accident. The police presence downtown (this summer) was the biggest we ever had. We want to be able to do that year-round,” adding that the finances to do that will be evaluated “in this budget cycle.”

The city manager also emphasized that “we’re not going to be without a police chief on Jan. 19,” when interim Police Chief Steve Belcher assumed the helm. Belcher most recently served as police chief in Santa Cruz, Calif. Since Anderson’s resignation at the end of the year, Wade Wood had been serving as interim police chief until Belcher took over the post.

Persisting in his concerns about adequate police protection in downtown Asheville, Swicegood said, “Downtown — thankfully or not — has become a shopping center. The traffic’s still there just like it was in the summer” — and the situation could get rough for the general public if the staffing is not increased as soon as possible.

“I agree,” Jackson said, as his presentation time ended.

On a separate matter, CIBO also was informed by Jackson of a water leak during a cold snap that caused City Hall to be evacuated on Jan. 8 and for the building to be closed for several days.

“Regarding City Hall, at 11:30 a.m. (Jan. 8), I was packing up my things... and the fire alarm went off. We (city employees) started walking outside. Since it was 10 degrees, we were joking that I’d have the fire chief’s job since it was so cold and many of us went outside with no coats. 

“It was not an alarm. Within about a 15-minute period, on the 6th floor of City Hall had about 10,000 gallons of water (from the alarm system). There was a flood line of several feet high (up the walls). It found its way through the elevator shafts and through the utility conduit” onto other floors, too. “At this point, we already have contractors.” There was “some damage on the fifth floor, too. We also don’t have elevator service.

“I’m going to leave here after this meeting to see where we are... We anticipate that most of us (the city’s 250 employees?) will be working remotely. I’ve got to find my cellphone. But city business will continue. Most of our essential employee remain in place 24/7. All of our telecommunications are up and running,” Jackson said.