Asheville’s Action Items for Monday & Tuesday

February 24, 2008 on 10:05 pm | In W.N.C. - Road |

You can Ensure Asheville’s adoption of the Comprehensive Bike Plan by doing the following 3 things right now.

1) write an email, or call any or all of the still 3 un-committed members of City Council.

Vice-Mayor Jan Davis was elected to the Asheville City Council in 2003 was appointed to serve as vice-mayor in 2007. He is the chair of the City Council Planning and Economic Development Committee and a member of the Public Safety Committee and the Boards and Commissions Committee. Councilman Davis is also a member of the Downtown Commission, and he serves as City Council’s liaison to the WNC Air Quality Agency, Historic Resources Commission, Planning and Zoning Commission, Civic Center Commission and Tree Commission. Councilman Davis owns and operates Jan Davis Tire Store in downtown Asheville.

Phone: (828) 253-5634
Fax: (828) 253-8029
E-mail: jandavis@main.nc.us
Personal Web site: www.jandavistire.com

Councilmember Carl Mumpower was elected to the Asheville City Council in 2001. He is a member of the Boards and Commissions Committee and the ADA Compliance Committee. Councilman Mumpower also serves as a member of CrimeStoppers and City Council’s liaison to the ABC Board, the Board of Electrical Examiners, the Noise Ordinance Appeals Board and the Public Art Board.
Phone: (828) 252-8390
E-mail: drmumpower@aol.com
Personal Web site: www.drmumpower.com

Councilmember Bill Russell was elected to the Asheville City Council in 2007. Councilman Russell is a member of the City Council Planning and Economic Development Committee and the Revenue and Finance Committee. He also serves as a member of the Metropolitan Sewerage Board and as the alternate member of HUB’s Community & Economic Development Alliance. Councilman Russell is City Council’s liaison to the Board of Adjustment, the Community Relations Council, the Historic Resources Commission, the River District Design Review Committee and the URTV Board of Directors.
Phone: 828-274-7388
E-mail: billrussell@charter.net & bill.russell@lcfg@statefarm.com

Remind them this spending is not for the benefit of a small number of existing cyclists, but for the health of the community as a whole. Cyclists are, children, lawyers, surgeons, public servants, dishwashers, servers, and good neighbors. Moreover, the plan encourages safe routes for schools, and improved safety for wheel-chairs & foot travel throughout the region. Combined with greenway development, we will finally re-connect to our forests & neighbors without having to get in a car!

2) Attend the most important infrastructure meeting in recent history.

Tomorrow @ 5:30pm, (Tuesday the 26th) all citizen’s of greater Asheville need to show up, preferably on a bike, to the Asheville City Council’s meeting located in the Council Chamber located on the second floor of City Hall. Imagine swollen bike racks as testament to importance of the Bike Plan.

We cannot expect our City Council to pass the Comprehensive Bike Plan without investment from us. Send a unique message to our city government. Attend the City Council meeting with your helmet on your head. Packing the chamber with helmet bearing citizens sends a powerful message to our city leaders. Simply, we want to build a more sustainable city and bicycle infrastructure is an important component.

3) Familiarize yourself with the recommendations created by To see the Comprehensive Bike Plan go to: www.ashevillenc.gov/residents/transportation/default.aspx?id=450. 830 Ashevillians contributed to it via the online survey. 175 Ashevillians attended the public meeting & commented.

4) Print & bring in more signatures on the bike petition.
WNC Bike Petition Cover Letter ; Bike Petition for Western North Carolina

We have more than 1600 verifiable signatures at this time. Matt Johnson, the petition’s creator, will present the petition as allowed at the meeting.

We are sooo close!