University of North Carolina at Asheville
D. Hiden Ramsey Library
Special Collections/University Archives

Oral History Register
for

Mary Lloyd Frank, 1926-

OH-VOA F73 Ma

Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection
D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNCA

Title

Creator

Dorothy Joynes for Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection

Subject

LCSH:
Frank, Mary Lloyd, 1926-
Asheville (N.C.) -- History
Politics and government -- North Carolina -- Asheville
Libraries and community  -- North Carolina -- Asheville
League of Women Voters -- North Carolina -- Asheville

Subject

Keyword: Strouse Greenberg & Co. ; Zoning ; AAUW ; League of Women Voters ; Buncombe County Library System ; Asheville City Council

Description

Abstract: Frank describes how she became interested in politics, and outlines her community involvement.  She discusses her experience serving as a member of the AAUW, the League of Women Voters, the board of the public library, and the Asheville City Council.  She discusses various aspects of local politics.  She outlines the problems inherent in planning, zoning, and road construction, and discusses how these problems have affected Asheville's development.

Publisher

D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC, 28804

Contributor

Date

Electronic Record Issued: 2002-04-29

Type

Sound ; Text ; Image

Format

Physical Description: 16-page abstract ; 1 90-minute audiocassette ; 5 color photographs ; newspaper articles

Identifier

Source

OH-VOA F73 Ma

Language

English

Relation

References: VOA Anthony Lord Oral History ; VOA Richard Wood Oral History ; VOA Marie and Henry Colton Oral History ; VOA John Best Oral History

Coverage

Acquisition

Donor number: 146 ;  Date of acquisition: 1998

Processed By

Dorothy Joynes, Ruth Beard and staff

Interview Date

Interview Location

Biography

List of names

Side 1:

[1]  She was born in 1926, attended public schools, graduated from Chapel Hill with a BS in chemistry, where she met her husband, also a chemist, worked for a year at Enka following marriage and quit to have a family. [Charles Frank, Jennifer Frank, Mary Kay Frank, Rachael "Shell" Frank]

[19]  She never returned to salaried work but missed the stimulation.  She joined the AAUW and has been a member for 30 years.  They were living in Malvern Hills, most of the women her age had never worked and she didn't have anything in common with them.

[29]  She joined the Library Board and became chairman at Tony Lord's suggestion when he had to resign the position because of failing eye sight.  She served for 10 years during the building of the new library. [Tony Lord]

[50]  Tony said a library needed pedestrian traffic and easy parking.  He worked with Dick on the bond issue for the civic center and the library.  A Community Development Fund was established (see Lord and Wood tapes). [Dick Wood].

[63]  She had been exposed to lobbying as branch president for the League and was State Vice Chairman in 1979.  It was suggested she run for City Council.  She ran but was defeated in 1979 but was elected chairman of the Library Board.  In 1981 she ran again and won.

[83]  Her girls were away at school and her husband traveled as a salesman for Enka so she had time to devote to politicking.  Marie Colton and Francella Poston helped with her campaign.  She felt it was necessary to go door-to-door and wore holes in her shoes (see Colton and Keleher tapes).  Today she believes the elections depend on money raised and TV coverage. [Barbara Keleher, Marie Colton, Francella Poston]

[109]  She became involved in party politics in 1975 or 1976 and decided to go to precinct meetings and meet all the people.

[122]  Her father told her to get someone working for her in every precinct and ask some to distribute literature.

[132]  Williams offered to help organize a committee of 15 people to hold monthly meetings and distribute literature.  Friends collected money.  She never raised big money (the largest was $700) which she used for flyers.  She did not use TV except for the free spots offered by WLOS.  She was with the Democratic party on Cable TV twice. [Bob Williams]

[160]  She stressed three issues: education, economic development, and the environment.

[170]  In 1939 her father went to Raleigh with the then city manager to get legislation approved for police retirement.  Her father was a member of the first Civil Service board.  When social security was established the police were better off with their own retirement fund.  Best (see his tape) discovered that the monthly payment the police put into this fund was not, under Weir, going into a separate fund but was going into the general fund.  While there had been no problem obtaining income for retired police, Best felt that, since the fund was not separate there could be problems in the future.  The Mayor went to Raleigh and the city had to pay 1/2 million a year to re-establish the fund. [Thomas Brown, Pat Burdett, Capt. John Best, Weldon Weir, Eugene Ochsenreiter]

[219]  In 1985 or 1987 the mayor appointed a board to work out the details of the retirement fund.  She had been on the police retirement board with Best and suggested he serve on this board as well.  It was finally worked out and the police finally voted to join the State Retirement Fund with cost of living increases.  It had grown into a political issue.  Now retirement systems are under the state - the city pays into this and all employees pensions are consolidated (see Laura Gordon).

[322]  As council woman she spent at least 40 hours a week and served on many committees.  She went to the Institute of Government - (the school for newly elected officials in Chapel Hill) and saw again two women she had worked with in the League of Women Voters. [Martha Wood, Virginia Newell]

[355]  The State League of Municipalities in Raleigh works closely with the Institute of Government.

[360]  A group called Women in Municipal Governments was established.  She was urged to become a member.  She was defeated the first try but then won and served several years.

[365]  There is a state convention, the State League of Municipalities, which meets in Raleigh; a League of Cities with a yearly convention all over the U.S., and a congress of cities, where members meet with congressmen in Washington, D.C. Important speakers addressed the group. [Mark Shields, Ross Perot, Cokie Roberts, Senator Chris Dodd (from Connecticut)]

[447]  In 1981 when she went on City Council the stipend was $3,000 plus $50 a month for gasoline.  She and the other 3 new council members insisted on reviewing all municipal salaries item by item before approving the budget.  She discovered that there were 2 ways in which salaries were raised: 1. Agreement of the council. 2. Incentive plan.  When it was explained that 90% of employees were raised automatically, it was agreed that this was not "incentive."  They were also given a December bonus which related to the number of years they had worked.

[482]  They were advised by someone from the Institute of Government to have the pay plan reviewed as it had not been revised for years.  The council was advised to eliminate the fringe benefits.  One of the councilmen said that he heard the employees were going to strike, but municipal employees can't strike.  They decided to cut their own salaries from $3,00 to $2,00 a year to show "good faith."  If one is Vice Mayor there is a little more and the Mayor receives a little more - but not much.

[513]  She understands that the present council receives $6,000 which is more in line with most cities in N.C.  It did not cost her a lot more to serve on the council as she drove a BMW and this took little gas.  Trips were paid for by the city.

[552]  The Library was consolidated in 1980 and funds no longer needed be solicited from both the city and county. [Curtis Ratcliff]

Side 2:

[2/1]  Every year the Department of Transportation (DOT) receives a report from experts in Raleigh.  The Land-of-Sky Regional Council has transportation experts and DOT works with them.  The transportation advisory committee, with liaison people from the city council, works with this group. [Norma Price]

[2/22]  Every four years, when a new governor is elected, priorities for projects can be changed.  Often the previous plans for DOT go to the bottom of the list.

[2/29]  One of the #1 priorities was to widen Hendersonville Road (see Bingham tape).  Problems kept coming up.  The mayor worked out a rezoning agreement with the mayor of Biltmore Forest regarding those properties not in the Forest itself (Biltmore Forest, being incorporated could not be annexed) but when a new mayor of Biltmore Forest came to office, this was revised.  The Baptist church did not want to lose its parking lot, and this caused further delay.  After 20 years the project has been completed. [Jane Bingham, Louis Bissette]

[2/63]  Broadway widening was supported by everyone and, when 19-23 to Tennessee was constructed a North-South connector to I-26 would be needed.  It was believed that Tony was going to give property on Flint Street to the city.  She and Bobbie went to Tony who said he would sell part of his property and then give land for a greenway.  In the meantime a lot of people opposed the widening and all work has been delayed (see enclosure). [Tony Lord, Bobbie York]

[2/93]  There are people who do not want the city to grow and it is hard to tell who is in which camp.

[2/106]  Neighborhood associations form after plans have been made.  People do not see the big picture [or don't become interested until work commences, despite ample opportunity for early discussions] (see Anderson).

[2/111]  Citizens Hardware property was jagged - looking like a jack o' lantern - and had to be rezoned.  One of the biggest needs in the city is to completely revamp the zoning (see Cort tape).  Time spent on the 2010 plan took away from efforts to revamp the zoning. [Thomas A. Groce, Norma Price]

[2/135]  They had the concept of "commercial hubs" - this is a way of protecting neighborhoods.  If there had been commercial hubs on Merrimon Ave. there would still be residences.  Barbara and Janie came to city council regarding the rezoning to get an even set-back for Citizens.  Zoning is very complicated. [Barbara Kelleher, Janie Wilson]

[2/171]  Beverly wanted to develop a small shopping center on the edge of Beaver Lake and Tisdale was in favor of it.  The neighbors fought and defeated this - and defeated Tisdale because of his position.  She saw Beverly at a benefit for the Asheville Symphony and he indicated that he wished she would support the project. [George Beverly, George Tisdale, Dina Shore]

[2/194]  She did not support the Strouse Greenberg & Co. proposal at first but ended up in favor of it.  No one can ever prove or disprove the merits of the final decision.  Parking is the problem with all cities - it's not just the malls.  She doesn't know how it would have fit aesthetically.  Pack Place fits beautifully.  She was on a committee to review the plans (see Walt Boland). [Douglas Ellington]

[2/233]  The General Assembly passed a "ridge law."  A structure can not be built more than 40 feet above a level that is 500 ft above the valley floor.  The state law did not cover this and, without it, Sunset Mountain could have tall buildings on the ridge (see John Cort tape).

[2/246]  There is supposed to be an Asheville connector off Sweeten Creek Road and on to 240.  Some sort of North-South thoroughfare is needed.

[2/266]  Needs keep changing and the big problem right now is what will happen when Broadway is widened and traffic increased, coming to the center of the city.

[2/287]  When the expressway came through the city was cut in two.  Tony told her that the location of the banks divided the city from the stores. [Tony Lord]

[2/299]  Kosta is going into John Carols and Stone Soup closed because of competition - so there is more activity in the city (see Kosta tape).

[2/309]  Because of orderly development the tax base has increased.  In 1981, when she started on council, one penny on the tax rate brought in $70,000 and when she left, one penny was getting close to $200,000.  The past two city councils have not had to raise taxes.

[2/333]  She shows her shovel and hard hat which were given to her as Vice Mayor for the ground breaking after the $20 million bond issue was passed - $17 million for streets and sidewalks, $3 million for Pack Place (see McGuire tape).  Pack has gotten more money from the state legislature.  She and Bissette, then mayor, had gone to a League of Municipalities meeting in Raleigh and learned a lot about the need for promoting a bond issue.  The city was still wary of debt after having paid back the debt from the Depression in 1976 (see Shepherd). [Roger McGuire, Louis Bissette]

[2/385]  A capital improvement plan was devised which provided for future planning without tax increases.  In the state of N.C. there can be no deficit budget.  She is afraid this money may, in the future, be used in the general fund.  The new Public Works building was constructed from this fund (named for Billy Wolcott - see his address when resigning - and Wood, Michalove and Price tapes).

[2/422]  Although it was not approved during her tenure she did a lot of work on a storm water ordinance.  Fortunately the people in the south part of the city - around Crowfields - know the necessity of controlling storm water.  There is a group (the same ones that oppose control of signs) that say any kind of fee on storm water control would hurt developers.

[2/444]  She was told that 70% of the damage done to city streets is done by storm water.  Her friend on 8 Glenview had her property undermined by drainage from mountain above (water from Cambridge and Harrington Hill) which, since it was on her property and not city land, cost her $3,000 to repair. (see Harshaw tape). [Nancy Stancil]

[2/490]  She would have liked to see more zoning revision as the present zoning is out of date.  More anger is expressed on zoning than any other issue.

[2/492]  She was involved in the creation of the Montford Historic District (see Buck tape) and the Liberty Historic District, which was later reversed but improved (see Lawrence tape). An ordinance was passed that new buildings could not be constructed  on over a 15% incline (the state says 18% but that is too steep).  The council members agreed that "individual freedom ends when it begins to harm other people."

[2/518]  She was on the Environmental Affairs Board for the county, involved in getting the county to buy property for another land fill.

[2/531]  While she served, the bond rating was raised from A to AA.  This saves the city money as not as much interest has to be paid.  She hopes that it will be reevaluated to AAA.

[2/556]  She is proud of being responsible for the passage of the ruling that terms for board members and members of commissions be limited.  She had to go to Raleigh to get the school board term limited from 6 to 4 years.  This turnover gives more space for new people.

Thanks.

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