The Executive Committee of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Board of Trustees convened a meeting on Wednesday, October 12, 2016, at 8:00 A.M. in the Simpson Building. Joe Brumit, Chair, presided.
The following members of the Executive Committee were present: Chair Joe Brumit, Mary Ann Rice, Pamela Baldwin, and Mandy Stone.
Others present for the meeting included: Dennis King, President; Dirk Wilmoth, Vice President Business and Finance/CFO; Wanda Greene, Buncombe County Manager; Walter Currie, College Attorney; Chris Campbell, College Attorney; Rusty Pulliam, Pulliam Properties Inc.; James Wilson Pulliam Properties Inc.; and Carolyn Rice, Secretary to the Board.
Meeting Purpose
Discussion of the College’s property at A-B Tech Enka.
Discussion
The College has received several inquiries about purchasing the property at A-B Tech Enka. BASF gave the College 30 acres of land in 2000 and is leasing an additional 13 ½ acres on the same plot to the College. The leased property has environmental concerns that would cost BASF approximately $120,000 in fees to have an updated environmental report completed prior to being able to donate that final tract to the College. The potential environmental concern on the property requires it to be zoned for industrial use only.
Dr. King informed the group that PSNC is now seeking a “right-of-way” at the A-B Tech Enka property. PSNC is seeking to either lease a piece of property along the railroad track that runs parallel to US Highway 23, or purchase that same property.
The Executive Committee discussed various options regarding PSNC and the A-B Tech Enka property and offered the following options:
- Ask PSNC to put the “right-of-way” easement request on hold (further discussion with PSNC indicates that this issue can’t be delayed).
- Use monies from the quarter-cent sales tax to fund an environmental assessment on the property.
- Relocate the BDF program and the Small Business Incubator from the A-B Tech Enka to the A-B Tech Asheville Campus. (The Board of Trustees has already approved relocating the programs.)
- Construct a new building on the A-B Tech Asheville Campus to house relocated programs from A-B Tech Enka as well as all programs presently located on the first floor of the Birch Building.
- Donate 36,000 square feet of the Birch Building to a new industrial high.
- Retain an environmental attorney.
- Present a total package to the Asheville City Zoning Board as part of the request to rezone the property from industrial to commercial.
The Executive Committee agreed to discuss this with the full Board at the October 31 meeting.
Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn H. Rice
Board Secretary