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Tuesday, 31 October 2006 16:42 |
By DAVID FORBES
Since voting in favor of substantially increasing the rent charged to an Army Reserve Center, Mayor Terry Bellamy said on Oct. 24 that she has received death threats.
"Iëve received death threats about this," Bellamy said. "Iëve had negative e-mails numerous times. Iëve been called names a person should never have to be called, whether theyëre Democrat, Republican, liberal or whatever."
The Asheville Police Department is currently investigating the threats against the mayor.
Furthermore,
Bellamy asserted that an article printed Oct. 19 in The Asheville
Tribune, a weekly newspaper, under the headline "City Council Screws
the Troops," was "one of the most negative and heinous pieces Iëve ever
seen."
In a
reference to The Tribune, which also ran an opinion column, excoriating
the mayor and council, Bellamy said, "Except for yours, I havenët had
one complaint from someone local whoës actually watched City Council
and knows what weëre doing.
"That article
misrepresented the whole situation and made me look like I was crazy.
That paper not only made me and the City Council look bad, it was
outright malicious in intent. That was just erroneous reporting."
On Sept. 26,
council voted 6-1 for a 46 percent increase on a new lease for the
U.S. Army Reserve Center on Louisiana Aveue ÇƒÓ from $60,000 to $112,000
per year. The dissenting vote was cast by Councilman Carl Mumpower.
First leased
from the city in 1950, the original armory lease was $1 for 50 years. A
previous council then negotiated a six-year lease at the $60,000 rate.
Bellamy later
said that the vote "is not one Iëm particularly proud of," but that
based on the costs of the land, she could see the rationale behind the
increase.
Her remarks
emerged during the public comment portion of councilës meeting, after
Haw Creek resident Fred English, brandishing a copy of The Tribune,
called councilës actions "shameful.
"These people
(the reservists) would be the first people to come in here and defend
this building if there were anything going on out there," English said.
"Youëve embarassed the veterans, youëve embarassed the Reserves ǃÓ
$112,000 is a lot of training money they could use. Iëve been in
countries where, if the people there came in and took this country
over, theyëd take the politicians out, shoot them, cut their heads off,
tie ropes around them and hang them in the trees to let them bleed to
death. Go to Cambodia or Vietnam, see what they do. This is an
embarassment for the city. The Reserves should be allowed to have that
place free of charge."
Later, after
Bellamyës remarks, English noted that "if anyone were to try to do
anything to you, Iëd be the first one to try and stop them."
In response, the
mayor said, "I appreciate that, but just realize that it was a horrible
report and it was meant to incite anger."
English then
replied, "You donët realize, mayor ÇƒÓ weëre at war. That means we need
to help these people and do what we can. That money could buy a lot of
gas to get them to training. They shouldnët be charged for the use of
that center."
Later, Mumpower asked if council would be "willing to reconsider that vote."
In reply,
Bellamy said, "Iëd personally be willing to reconsider, maybe some sort
of compromise. We should have increased it, but maybe we can look at
the amount again."
In other action, council:
ï Discussed options for relieving Ashevilleës parking shortage, especially downtown.
Much of the
dicussion revolved around the city removing from consideration the
possibility of building a parking deck near the St. Lawrence Basilica.
The city was moving forward with plans for such a deck until last winter, when negotiations with the Basilica fell through.
The proposal had
also drawn considerable opposition from area residents, especially
those living in the neighboring Battery Park Apartments, who organized
protests and petition drives.
Now, several members of council say they also favor taking that option off the table.
"I donët think
thatës a good location for a parking deck," Councilwoman Robin Cape
said. "It just doesnët work there for so many reasons ÇƒÓ I think that
space would be better served as something that the public could enjoy."
Councilmen
Brownie Newman and Bryan Freeborn also said they favored removing that
location from the cityës plans for a parking deck.
However,
Mumpower said he felt there was some merit to locating a parking deck
in that area ÇƒÓ and that council should not yet scraps plans for such a
project.
"We had a reason
for wanting a parking deck in that area," Mumpower said. "Thatës where
the need is and I donët think we should rule that out so quickly."
ï Voted 6-1 to
spend about $500,000, including $160,000 of federal grant money, to
convert vacant public housing at Pisgah View Apartments into a
community services center. The units, four-bedroom apartments, have
been vacant for eight years.
The federal
grant money comes as part of the "Weed ǃÚnë Seed" program, a federal
program that aims to reduce crime through increased law enforcement and
establishing community resources.
Proponents of
the plan, including Bellamy, said that "this is not from the top down,
this is what people in that community are telling us they need ÇƒÓ and
this is us responding to that need."
But Mumpower,
who cast the lone dissenting vote, said that he was concerned about the
expenditure ÇƒÓ and the removal of housing units from the market.
"Weëre always
talking about affordable housing," Mumpower said. "Here we are removing
units from use. If we canët find someone to take four-bedroom units,
then something is wrong."
ï Voted 6-1 to
approve a budget amendment of $132,996 to add more staff and fund
reorganizations in the Planning and Building Safety departments.
Bellamy noted that she feels the increase is needed because of Ashevilleës growing pace of development.
"Our staff is doing a very good job, but theyëre stretched thin," Bellamy said.
Mumpower, however, objected to the increase on cost grounds.
"I just question the need for this, I think overall our staff is doing a very good job," Mumpower said.
ï Unanimously
approved a $2.5 million budget amendment for capital projects,
including the construction of a new fire station and new sidewalks in
the Haw Creek neighborhood.
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