The Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Board of Trustees convened a Special Called meeting on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at 4:00 p.m. in the Brumit Hospitality Center’s Tillman Dining Room. Mary Ann Rice, Chair, presided.
The following members of the Board were present: Gene Bell, Bruce Briggs, Joe Brumit, Ron Edgerton, Mike Fryar, Matt Kern, Keynon Lake, Roger Metcalf, John Parham, and Frances Ramsey, and Darinda Noah, Ex-Officio. Jacquelyn Hallum participated by phone.
Others present for the meeting included: Dirk Wilmoth, Vice President Business and Finance/CFO; Terry Brasier, Vice President Student Services; Beth Stewart, Vice President Instructional Services; Brian Willis, Vice President Information Technology/CIO; David White, Executive Director of Research and Planning; Kerri Glover; Executive Director of Community Relations and Marketing; Shanna Chambers, Executive Director of Human Resources; Walt Currie, College Attorney; Chris Campbell, College Attorney; Martin Lewis, Lewis Real Estate; Will Buie, WGLA Engineering; Mark Martin, Patla, Straus, Robinson & Moore, P.A.; and Carolyn Rice, Secretary to the Board. Dr. King participated by phone.
Call To Order
Chair Mary Ann Rice read the ethics statement. No conflicts of interest were reported. Ms. C. Rice called roll. A quorum was present.
Sale Of The A-B Tech Enka Property
Chair M. Rice read a statement to the Board explaining the reason for the Special Called meeting. The meeting is to discuss the sale of 10.9 acres of A-B Tech Enka’s campus, including the Haynes Tower.
Chair M. Rice asked Dr. Wilmoth to review the terms of the sale with the Board.
Dr. Wilmoth stated that A-B Tech and 31 College Place, LLC have agreed to the following terms:
- A sale price of $3,600,000 for the 10.9 acres which includes the Haynes Tower.
- A $10,000 deposit in earnest money for a twelve-month inspection period. If an additional six months is needed to complete the inspection, another $10,000 in earnest money will be required.
- A six percent broker commission fee to Lewis Real Estate.
- Closing within 60 days after the inspection is completed.
Dr. Wilmoth continued by stating that the reason for today’s meeting is to discuss the delineation and separation of the parcel at A-B Tech Enka campus, as well as to agree to adequate parking for A-B Tech and 31 College Place.
Chair M. Rice introduced Mr. Martin Lewis who presented and provided an overview of what he and his company have developed in Asheville over the past 35 years. Mr. Lewis showed the Board a map of A-B Tech Enka that included property adjacent to A-B Tech Enka that was developed by his company. Mr. Lewis’s vision is to partner with the College, turn the Haynes Tower into office space, and continue a two-mile greenway path from the adjacent property around the entire A-B Tech Enka.
Mr. Will Buie then presented a map of the available parking spaces on A-B Tech Enka to the Trustees. The map showed parking areas designated for both A-B Tech and 31 College Place, marked E-1 through E-10. 31 College Place needs 400 dedicated parking spaces in order to market the property, which is the equivalent of four spaces per 1,000 square feet of office space.
The Board discussed various options for parking, easements, entrance and exit ways, and future uses of the property at length.
Mr. Kern moved to accept the offer as presented, with the parking boundary between E-5 and E-6 as shown on the 31 College Place map, with the lower entrance and parking rights being relocatable as long as they are with similar facilities within the same general walking distance, and that all easements and rights are not exclusive. Mr. Brumit seconded the motion.
Chair M. Rice opened the floor for further comments and questions. Several Trustees stated their dissatisfaction with the offer as presented and asked to have more time to review the offer in-depth before making a decision.
Mr. Kern stated that he agreed that the offer needed to be more concrete and withdrew his motion to accept the offer as proposed.
Mr. Campbell asked Mr. Lewis to provide the Executive Committee with an updated parking map for the property in question and stated that the Committee would meet again to finalize the proposal before bringing it back to the full Board.
Nomination Of Two Trustees To The A-B Tech/Buncombe County Joint Advisory Committee
Chair M. Rice opened the floor for nominations to the A-B Tech/Buncombe County Joint Advisory Committee.
Mr. Edgerton nominated Mr. Kern to the Committee.
Mr. Fryar nominated Mr. Brumit and Mr. Bell to the Committee.
Mr. Kern nominated Dr. Metcalf to the Committee.
Mr. Bell declined the nomination stating he was too busy at this time to participate on the Committee.
The Board voted on Mr. Kern, Mr. Brumit, and Dr. Metcalf in the order in which they were nominated.
Mr. Kern received nine votes, and Dr. Metcalf received five votes. Mr. Kern and Dr. Metcalf were nominated by quorum votes to the A-B Tech/Buncombe County Joint Advisory Committee.
Ms. Ramsey thanked Mr. Currie and Mr. Briggs for making it possible for the College to recover the funds lost in the Medina LLC/Brauer Werks Lawsuit.
Adjourn
On a motion by Mr. Brumit, seconded by Mr. Bell, the meeting adjourned at 5:44 p.m. by unanimous consent.
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn H. Rice
Board Secretary