DeFlockNC.org Questionnaire
DeFlockNC.org 2026 Candidate Questionnaire: Councilmember and Mayoral Candidate Kim Roney Word Limit: 100 Data Collection: Should police be allowed to collect and keep records of where vehicles travel when no one in them is suspected of a crime? No. Flock and other brands of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) are designed to document, cross-reference, and […]
Q&A with Parks PR about UNCA’s Millenial Campus
I was interviewed by the firm engaging community members about what the UNCA campus should look like. Here are some excerpts from that conversation: Question 1 of 4: Should development include housing beyond traditional student housing? If so, what types of housing would most effectively support enrollment, retention, and broader community connection, and why? KR: […]
Endorsements & Questionnaires
Thank you to our local media and organizations participating in voter education and engagement through questionnaires and forums! Linked here are my answers to: Early Voting: October 15th-31st Election Day: Nov 3rd
Transforming Grief Into Action: Two things local governments can do right now to stand up to authoritarianism and bolster true public safety
Transforming Grief into Action(En español abajo) Renee Nicole Good was a 37-year old mother and poet fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday. I mourn Renee with our community and the people of Minnesota as she joins Silverio Villegas González, Keith Porter, and a growing list of people killed through state-sanctioned violence […]
Health Resources in Asheville & WNC
Working people and their families are in the crosshairs of the government shutdown. Instead of insurance companies profiting from taxpayers, we need Medicare for All! (En español abajo…) Until then, some resources for those losing ACA subsidies: • WNC Community Health Services (WNCCHS): wncchs.org • Appalachian Mountain Health: appalachianmountainhealth.org • Blue Ridge Health Center: brchs.com […]
Have a H.E.A.R.T.: Real Solutions for Asheville’s Serious Safety Concerns
Everyone in Asheville deserves to be safe. A narrow lens of public safety means the City of Asheville often isn’t sending the right person with the right tools and training to address homelessness, opioid poisoning, behavioral health, intimate partner violence and gun violence. Our APD vacancy rate presents both an obligation and opportunity to add […]
On Public “Third Places” and Rebuilding Malvern Hills Pool
I support rebuilding the Malvern Hills Pool, a community-wide asset and historic landmark in West Asheville. Beyond home and commitments to work or school, public “third spaces” including parks, libraries, pools, community centers and gardens are affordable, accessible locations for residents to gather, connect, and build relationships that are key to neighborhood resiliency. Asheville’s Pool […]
Citizen Times Op-Ed: Asheville can provide better community safety with holistic response system
This was originally published in the Asheville Citizen Times in January 2024. Everyone in Asheville deserves to be safe. True safety identifies community needs and utilizes the correct tools. As unchecked tourism displaces our workers and vulnerable neighbors and extracts our taxes and natural resources, we’ve lost the plot: if we improve quality of life […]
Budgets, Pools, Schools, and Bathrooms
Council’s Strategic Priorities Friends and neighbors, it’s budget season at City Hall and our City Council retreat is this week. What are Strategic Priorities? Each year at the City Council retreat, Council sets our strategic priorities for the coming year which influence our City’s budget, plans, and policies. In addition to our Asheville Comprehensive Plan, […]
A Better Deal For Asheville: Baseball, Benefits, And Use Of Space at McCormick Field
Asheville has been pitched a narrative: it’s either Tourists or no baseball at our public McCormick Field. There’s more to the game, including how and when our public park facility is used and who benefits. It’s time to step up to the plate and keep our eye on the ball for a winning run for Asheville! […]