MINUTES OF MEETING
REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF ASHEVILLE

The Board of Commissioners of the Redevelopment Commission of the City of Asheville met in regular meeting at the office of the Redevelopment Commission of the City of Asheville, 299 South French Broad Avenue in the City of Asheville, North Carolina, at 4:00 P.M., May 12, 1970, the place, hour, and date duly established for the holding of such meeting.

The Chairman called the meeting to order and on roll call the following answered present:

J. Alfred Miller
Luther Thigpen
Jesse Ray

and the following were absent:

D. Bieman McKenzie
Dr. David Hall, Jr.

The Chairman declared a quorum present.

Also present were:

W. Neal Hanks, Executive Director
W. Tully Johnson, Urban Renewal Director
Anthony Redmond, Attorney for the Commission
Mary Cowles, Asheville Citizen-Times Reporter

The Chairman instructed the Secretary-Executive Director to read the minutes of the previous regular meeting held on the 14th day of April, 1970. A motion was made by Mr. Ray, seconded by Mr. Thigpen, that the reading of the minutes of the meeting be dispensed with and that they be approved as amended and mailed by the Secretary-Executive Director on April 24th, 1970.

Motion carried.

The Executive Director presented the Financial Report for the month of April, 1970, for the Commissioners' review and approval, a motion being made by Mr. Thigpen, seconded by Mr. Ray, chat the Financial Report for the month of April, 1970, be approved as presented.

None

None

The Executive Director informed the Commissioners that Woodfin Street is now open to traffic and is completed with the exception of an inch and one-half final grade. He stated that this work was completed after the last regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Redevelopment Commission.

The Executive Director informed the Board of Commissioners that the Department of Housing and Urban Development changed its policy on reimbursement for travel expense in a Circular issued March 16, 1970. Mr. Hanks stated that the new policy provides for reimbursement of per diem allowance for actual expenses in accordance with comparability with local public practices. He further stated that where local public practice permits, reimbursement on an actual expense basis, this expense shall not exceed $40.00 per day. Mr. Hanks advised the Board that the City of Asheville permits reimbursement on an actual expense basis and he therefore requested that the Commissioners authorize him to increase the amount of reimbursement for travel expense for the Commissioners and staff members of the Redevelopment Commission from $25.00 to $40.00 per day.

The following resolution was introduced by Mr. Thigpen, read in full and considered?

WHEREAS, the Urban Renewal Handbood Circular dated 3-16-70, announced a change in Housing Urban Development Policy with respect to reimbursement and travel expense incurred by local agency members and employees in connection with official travel related to low-rent housing and Urban Renewal activities, and

WHEREAS, the new policy provides for reimbursement of per diem allowance for actual expenses in accordance with comparability with local public practices, and

WHEREAS, where local public practice permits reimbursement on an actual expense basis, this expense shall not exceed $40.00 per day, and

WHEREAS, the City of Asheville, N.C. permits its employees to claim reimbursement for actual expenses incurred on business related trips,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Commissioners of the Redevelopment Commission of the City of Asheville that the actual travel expense for Commission members and employees be increased from $25.00 to $40.00 per day, said increase to be effective immediately.

Mr. Thigpen then moved that the foregoing resolution be adopted as read, which motion was seconded by Mr. Ray, and upon a roll call vote the following voted "Aye":

J. Alfred Miller
Luther Thigpen
Jesse Ray

and the following voted "Nay":

None

The Chairman thereupon declared said motion carried and said resolution adopted.

Moving on in the order of business, the Executive Director requested authorization to pay Ivory Hunter, Rehabilitation Inspector for the Commission, a monthly travel allowance of $15.00 to cover travel in relation to the Rehabilitation Department.

A motion was made by Mr. Ray, seconded by Mr. Thigpen, that Mr. Ivory Hunter be paid $15.00 per month travel allowance, effective May 15, 1970.

Moving on in the order of business, the Executive Director recommended a salary increase for Mr. William Tennant, Rehabilitation Inspector for the Commission. After some discussion on the mattar, the following resolution was introduced by Mr. Thigpen, read in full and considered:

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the annual salary of William Tennant, Rehabilitation Inspector, be increased to $6,500 annually. Said increase to be effective May 1, 1970.

Mr. Thigpen then moved that the resolution be adopted as read, which was duly seconded by Mr. Ray, and upon a roll call vote the following voted "Aye":

J. Alfred Miller
Luther Thigpen
Jesse Ray

and the following voted "Nay":

None

The Executive Director stated that after a review of five parcels in the East Riverside Urban Renewal Area, it was his opinion that it was not feasible to rehabilitate said property and requested the Commission to change the status from that of rehabilitation to acquisition.

After some discussion on the matter the following resolution was introduced by Mr. Ray, read in full and considered;

WHEREAS, in accordance with the Redevelopment Plan of the East Riverside Urban Renewal Project N.C. R-48, Code P-213 D Ib, provides that the Commissioners of the Redevelopment Commission of the City of Asheville may reclassify property located in the East Riverside Urban Renewal Project N.C. R-48 from rehabilitation to acquisition under certain circumstances; and

WHEREAS, the Rehabilitation Staff of this LPA has recommended, and the owner-occupants have requested in writing, that said property be redesignated from that of rehabilitation to acquisition, because rehabilitation is infeasible due to excessive relative cost of repairs which would create a hardship on the property owners

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the following property be acquired and the land be reused as a residential lots

  Block          Parcel
15                8
19              13
28               15
43              32
56A             4

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Executive Director have said property appraised in order that a value can be arrived at.

Mr. Ray then moved the adoption of said resolution as read, which was duly seconded by Mr. Thigpen, and on a roll call vote the following voted "Aye":

J. Alfred Miller
Luther Thigpen
Jesse Ray

and the following voted "Nay":

 None

The Chairman thereupon declared the motion carried and the resolution duly adopted.

After some discussion on the matter, the following resolution was introduced by Mr. Thigpen, read in full and considered?

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CONDEMNATION
OF PROPERTY IN THE
EAST RIVERSIDE URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT AREA

WHEREAS, this Commission has caused all properties in the East Riverside Urban Renewal Project Area to be appraised by three competent real estate appraisers; and

WHEREAS, this Commission has established maximum acquisition values for this property in accordance with the appraisal reports received; and

WHEREAS, this Commission has been unable to reach agreements to purchase at the approved value of the subject parcel:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Redevelopment Commission of the City of Asheville; that

the following parcel be condemned in order that the Commission might carry out its approved plan of developments

Block 45, Parcel 25

After the reading of the resolution, Mr. Thigpen made a motion that the resolution be approved as read, which was seconded by Mr. Ray, and upon a roll call vote the following voted "Aye":

J. Alfred Miller
Luther Thigpen
Jesse Ray

And the following voted "Nay":

None

The Chairman thereupon declared the motion carried and the resolution duly adopted.

The Executive Director informed the Commissioners that the annual NARO Convention for the Southeastern Region will be held June 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th in Atlanta, Georgia. He requested authorization to make the necessary arrangements and reservations for four representatives from the Redevelopment

A motion was made by Mr. Thigpen, seconded by Mr. Ray, that the Executive Director be authorized to make the necessary arrangements for four representative s from the Redevelopment Commission to attend the NARO Convention in Atlanta, June 7th thru 10th.

Motion carried.

There being no further business to come before this meeting a motion was made by Mr. Ray, seconded by Mr. Thigpen, that the meeting be adjourned.