From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — During a tense campaign forum on Sept. 11, Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer called her opponent, City Councilwoman Kim Roney, a liar.

The exchange marked a significant negative turn in the mayoral race during a candidate forum hosted by the Asheville-based Council of Independent Business Owners.

Details of the the dispute include the following:

• The accusation: Mayor Manheimer accused Roney of lying regarding how the city conducts private meetings.

• The response: Roney immediately countered by pointing out that because the minutes and notes of the city’s “three-by-three” meetings are not part of the public record, voters have no way of verifying the mayor’s transparency claims. She referenced specific private budget, public safety and land use check-ins from earlier in the year. Roney argued for a shift toward “more inclusive meetings” to reduce chaos.

The confrontation stood out as the first time during the 2026 campaign cycle that Manheimer used such sharp language against Roney, breaking from the much more reserved tone of their earlier debates. 

Beyond transparency, the two candidates also traded barbs over community engagement, public safety and approaches to addressing homelessness in Asheville.

In the reportedly tight rematch between Manheimer and Roney, following is some context on the exact issue that sparked the Sept. 11 exchange over the issues of council transparency and “3-on-3” private meetings: 

• The “3-on-3” backlash: Some Asheville residents have expressed deep frustration with the city administration’s use of 3-on-3 meetings. Neighbors told local news outlets that these meetings essentially happen “behind closed doors” to hash out policy, leaving the public unaware of how decisions and votes are being formed. 

• The debate flashpoint: During the Sept. 11 forum, Roney leaned into this community frustration regarding transparency, prompting Manheimer to directly call her a “liar” over how she characterized the purpose and execution of those private city sessions. 

According to reports by Asheville television station WLOS (News 13), Asheville’s mayoral race is one of the most closely watched contests in Western North Carolina, ranking as a high-stakes rematch of their 2022 mayoral battle, which Manheimer won by a relatively narrow margin. 

Beyond transparency, News 13 has reported that voters are pressing both candidates on critical city deficits, public safety, and approaches to homelessness.

Following reports of the tense exchange, local public response has reportedly been highly active on community platforms. 

Supporters of Roney defended her stance on transparency and criticized Manheimer’s defensive approach, while others argued over the necessity of private “informational” staff check-ins for the government to function effectively.