From Staff Reports 

The Asheville-Buncombe County Reparations Commission has requested — separately — from both the city and the county an eight-month extension to its two-year deadline, which would prolong the process until December 2024. 

“The request garnered a cold reception from some members of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, who seemed to agree on a June extension, and a lack of consensus from Asheville City Council,” the Asheville Citizen Times reported on Dec. 18.

“A Dec. 12 council discussion ended without apparent resolution, although staff’s recommendation was in line with the county’s: Completion of the commission’s charge by summer 2024.

“City Manager Debra Campbell said Dec. 12 that there could be consideration of extending the time limit beyond that, if needed.”

The ACT added that “Mayor Esther Manheimer confirmed after the meeting that no decision was made on the reparations commission’s request at the Dec. 12 council meeting, but tod the ACT that they will ‘likely revisit the question at a later time.’”

The case for the extension request was presented to Asheville’s council by Reparations Commission Chair Dwight Mullen and Vice Chair Dewana Little. 

Meanwhile, the Daily Planet — twice on Dec. 28 — emailed Mullen, seeking comment on the reportedly “icy” reception he and Little received from the city and county to the extension request , but the newspaper did not receive a response by the newspaper’s mid-morning Dec. 29 deadline for this edition.

At the Dec, 12 meeting, the ACT quoted Mullen as telling council, “I would ask you to very seriously consider the value and depth of your experiences and the experiences of the commissioners as we ask for more time to do work that is vital for the life of this community, as well as the life of this city and county.

Continuing, the ACT quoted Mullen as telling council, “What we (the Reparations Commission) are asking is not race-specific. It is led by race, and it will benefit each community member... But we need more time.”

The extension is needed for numerous reasons, Mullen said, citing the need for data and time to consider the “Stop the Harm” audit, which was among the commission’s first recommendations. In February, the audit results will be presented to the commission, he added.

Further, as reported by the ACT, “The Impact Focus Areas -— work groups of the commission targeting health, criminal justice, housing, education and economic development — are beginning to present recommendations to the full commission. Within that work, Mullen said, they are discussion intersections, redundancies and gap. There are plans, too, for more extensive community engagement.

“What they’re doing doesn’t have a timetable to act as precedent, Mullen said. ‘We don’t know what we don’t know.”

The commission, comprised of 25 members, is tasked with making short-, medium- and long-term recommendations to repair damage caused by public and private systemic racism.