Amid controversy Asheville City Council overhauls Pack Place leases, lauds police plan
Above: Asheville Council member Jan Davis, countering critics of the new Pack Place leases and asserting that it’s the best way to go forward. Photo by Max Cooper.
Pack Place, located in the middle of downtown, is home to a variety of museums and educational facilities. It’s a common event space, and one often lauded as a linchpin in downtown’s revival since its opening in 1992. It’s bankrolled by a combination of city, county and private cash.
But when the center’s made headlines over the past year, it’s mostly been at the center of a controversial fight involving the city of Asheville, the Pack Place nonprofit and the organizations occupying it.
Early this year, city staff asserted Pack Place was in violation of its lease for failing to keep up adequate repairs, and the Pack Place board disagreed. Meanwhile, the Asheville Art Museum wanted a separate lease, while the other two tenants — the Diana Wortham Theatre and the Colburn Earth Science Museum — had their doubts, with the Colburn eventually declaring it will move out.
Last night, July 22, Asheville City Council passed new separate leases for the Art Museum, the Diana Wortham and the Colburn.
The new leases effectively sideline the Pack Place nonprofit and give the Art Museum and Diana Wortham 30-50 year leases while requiring them to provide an increased share of maintenance. The Art Museum will owe $147,000 over five years, though it gets a three-year exemption if it follows through with promised renovations. Diana Wortham will pay $105,000 while the Colburn will pay $1450 in rent until it departs.
The controversy didn’t infiltrate the Council dais; the votes for the new leases were unanimous.
Vice Mayor Marc Hunt, Council’s point person throughout the fight, said he doubted whether any of the entities involved believed the “significant change” in the center’s management was ideal, but that would work.
“This is a brokered outcome,” he said. “The city, ultimately, is in the position of ensuring that the Pack Place center and its occupants are successful. We’ve taken that duty very seriously for many months.”
If representatives of the three institutions had any gripes about the final settlement, they didn’t voice them at the meeting.
“We’ve been through a long process on this, but I think we’re satisfied with the outcome,” Mark Rudow, an attorney representing Diana Wortham, said.
Colburn director Vicky Ballard said she was sad about moving, but “we do feel this is the best way for us and out continued service to the community.”
From behind the public’s podium, however, there was less consensus, and some were sharply critical of the move.
“The city of Asheville is opening itself up to a lawsuit,” Ken Michalove said. “The Asheville Art Museum is a poor excuse for a non-profit.”
Former mayor Ken Michalove, a critic of the new Pack Place leases. Photo by Max Cooper.
As for the city, their actions “are plain and simple extortion” that have already pushed out the Colburn.
Michalove, a former mayor and city manager who once consulted for Pack Place, has remained a persistent critic of the Art Museum and the city’s role in the changes at Pack Place.
Resident Judy Strong asserted that Pack Place had been well run and kept in good repair, that the Art Museum won’t be able to raise the funds for its promised renovations and the taxpayers will be left holding the bag.
“You’re doing something and not really considering the tax implications,” she said.
But Lou Bissette, attorney for the Art Museum during the lease negotiations and also a former mayor, claimed that the funds raised were not illusory and that the institution was acting in good faith.
“Pack Place was a wonderful thing 25 years ago, but things change and institutions change,” Bissette said. “This will be an efficient structure.”
Council member Jan Davis, a downtown business owner, credited Pack Place for its role in downtown’s revival, but defended the city’s actions, noting that the departure of the Health Adventure several years ago had “a domino effect” that left the city with little choice but to step in and resolve a tricky situation.
“We’re here today to get to a better place,” Davis said. “Not everyone’s comfortable with this, not everyone’s happy with it, but we’re doing what we have to do.”
Council agreed, and while the controversy may continue, didn’t hesitate to move forward; the new leases passed without disagreement.
‘Top to bottom’
APD Chief William Anderson presenting the plan to overhaul the department to Council. Photo by Max Cooper.
Council also considered the new strategic plan to overhaul the Asheville Police Department, following years that have seen a chief resign, public controversies, lawsuits and major rifts. Emerging out of that is a new plan to overhaul the department.
“There’s always been some concerns, internally and externally, about the Asheville Police Department,” Chief William Anderson admitted. But the new plan, he said, was formed with “direct and candid” feedback from the public and APD rank-and-file and would analyze how the department operates “top to bottom and bottom to top.”
The new plan calls for overhauling the department’s organization, policing beats, employee compensation and increasing its community outreach. On one front, Anderson said, he feels the department does many good things, “but we need to do a better job of marketing ourselves.”
Council generally praised the plan. Council member Gwen Wisler said she wanted to see more use of volunteers, and Council member Gordon Smith more emphasis on training its officers to deal with the mentally ill. Anderson replied that the APD does both, but will look to expand its programs and training.
Davis said he was pleased with the downtown unit, and has seen them respond to complaints about panhandling and transients more quickly.
“They’re creating a little more nuisance than usual, but the department’s more aware of it and the downtown unit’s more responsive,” he said. “If people see panhandling or other behaviors we don’t want, tell people to call the non-emergency number. They’re being much more responsive to that now.”
The APD and city staff will roll out the plan over the next three years.
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