Last week, Councilman Pelly proposed a "neighborhood meeting" to discuss the possibility of setting up a community organization. He only wanted 9 neighborhood attendees: 3 dog park advocates, 3 "neutrals" selected by "the city" and 3 dog park opponents. He would be the moderator and set the agenda. He never adequately explained why residents active in the dog park controversy should be the ones to set up this organization, sidestepping homeowner associations and the interested public.
I and most correspondents found this format to be unacceptable, and let Mr. Pelly know our objections late last week. Many of the letters have been posted in this blog.
Today, I called Mr. Pelly to confirm that the meeting had not been scheduled. He told me he did set up a meeting for Wednesday, continuing his habit of ignoring objections and keeping citizens in the dark.
I repeated our objections, and he said City Manager Gary Jackson would be the Moderator. He said any people who showed up could participate. These objections are overcome, but there is still no public notice and Mr. Pelly still feels he is in control of the agenda. I called again and left a message to discuss the agenda issue. He has not yet responded.
I encourage all interested residents of the Beaverdam Valley, including the Beaver Lake area, to attend. I also encourage residents to email Council AshevilleNCCouncil@ashevillenc.gov to make them aware of your view of the way this meeting has been set up.
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