“Forty Years of Regional Cooperation”

In the mid-1960s, our nation was enmeshed in turmoil: Our president had been assassinated, our schools were struggling with integration, and we were sending our soldiers to fight in a foreign land. Instability and conflict became commonplace in the daily lives of Americans.

Locally, communities struggled with issues such as poverty, water quality, and the need for infrastructure and housing in our four counties. In the midst of this chaos, a group of regional leaders decided that the best approach to meeting the growing challenges of local governments was to work together and develop a shared vision for Western North Carolina. At that time, the Upper French Broad River Task Force was created and has grown into what is today known as Land-of-Sky Regional Council.

Throughout the past forty years, our agency has worked with local governments to help make our region a better place to live, to work, and to prosper. The successes we have accomplished come solely as a result of our civic leaders’ willingness to work together to seek common solutions.

Our mission today is the same as it was forty years ago: To foster desirable social, economic, cultural and ecological conditions in Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania counties.

We offer you the 2006 Land-of-Sky Regional Council Annual Report. It is an opportunity to look back at forty years of accomplishments and celebrate the successes with those we serve.

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Staff

Administration: Wanda Clark*- Director of Administration, Danna Harrell-Stansbury - Director of Administration, Maggie MacCormack - Administrative Services Assistant, Bonnie Smith - Administrative Support Assistant

Aging Services: Jennifer Atkinson - SCSEP Program Coordinator, Rebecca Casey* - SCSEP Program Coordinator,Terry Collins - Regional Ombudsman, Joe Connolly - Director of Aging Programs, Christina Francis - Aging Program Assistant, Linda Herrera* - Administrative Assistant, Barbara Hinshaw - Lead Regional Ombudsman, Carol McLimans - Family Caregiver Support Program Specialist, Margaret Stanley - Contracts Technician, Joan Tuttle* - Director of Aging Programs

Director: Joe McKinney - Executive Director

Finance Department : Peggy Barnes - Finance Officer, Sherry Christenson - Finance Office Program Assistant,Charlene Rumfelt* - Finance Office Program Assistant, Lenell Wyche - Accounting Technician, Brett Satz - Information Technology

Local Government Services: Billie Barlow - Project Assistant, Jon Beck - GIS Specialist, Holly Bullman - Brownfields & Waste Reduction Specialist, John Connell - Housing Technician, Bill Eaker - Director of Environmental Programs, Tom Elmore - Senior Planner, Joshua Flaccavento* - Housing Technician, Linda Giltz - Land Use & Transportation Planner, Richard (Mac) Houck* - Student Intern, Karen Kiehna - Housing Specialist, Kate O’Hara - Community & Economic Development Planner, Carrie Runser-Turner - Rural Transportation , Jim Stokoe - Director of Local Government Services & Assistant Director, Ron Townley - Senior Planner, Jake Gilmer* - Rural Transportation Planner

Volunteer Services: LeeAnne Tucker - Director of Volunteer Programs, Tracy Ash - Senior Companion Program Manager, Stacy Friesland - Foster Grandparent Program Manager, Joleen Huertas - Volunteer Services Project Assistant, Joleen Huertas - Volunteer Services Project Assistant, Bennie Norman - Retired & Senior Volunteer Program, Connie Pegg - Retired & Senior Volunteer Program Waste Reduction Partners: Terry Albrecht - Director, Don Hollister - Administrator, Wayne Rumble - WRP Volunteer, Russ Jordan - WRP VolunteerRetired & Senior Volunteer Program: Nancy Coward, Roberta Gorman, Al Murray, Mary Jane Roehl & Eunice Varner

* left the Council during the fiscal year

Executive Committee Rodney Locks, Chair, and Brevard City Councilman Eddie Fox, First Vice-Chair, and Madison County CommissionerLetta Jean Taylor, Second Vice-Chair, and Mayor, Town of Montreat Chuck McGrady, Secretary, and Henderson County CommissionerCarol Peterson, At-Large Member and Buncombe County Commissioner Terry Bellamy, Treasurer, and Mayor, City of AshevilleRay Miller, At-Large Member and Transylvania County Commissioner

Council Members David Gantt *, Carol Peterson and Denise Braine, Buncombe County Bob Davy Craig Honeycutt*, and Mark Biberdorf, FletcherChuck McGrady and Bill Moyer, Henderson County Fred Niehoff*, Greg Newman and Chris Carter, HendersonvilleEddie Fox and Vernon Ponder, Madison County Deborah Ponder*,Mark Snelson and Kenny Ramsey, Hot SpringsRay Miller and W. David Guice, Transylvania County Dona Mennella and James Ball, Laurel ParkCharles Worley*, Carl Mumpower*, Terry Bellamy and Robin Cape, Asheville Darhyl Boone and Bob Zink, Mars HillGeorge Goosmann and Charles Grimes, Biltmore Forest John Dodson*, Joe Penland*, Dean Eastman and Luther Nix, Marshall Michael Begley* Will Kennedy and Mary Leonard White, Black Mountain Letta Jean Taylor and Bill Hollins, Montreat Jimmy Harris, Rick Howell*,and Joe Albright, Brevard Johnny Rogers and J.C. Chapman, RosmanRay Shaw*, Nick Weedman*, Dave Bucher and Jim Wert, Flat Rock Bett Stroud*, Allen Root and Harold Payne, WeavervilleJerald Wright* and Jack Roberts, Aging Programs Representative Jerry VeHaun and Jason Young, WoodfinJohn Antrim* and Dave Couch, Volunteer Services Representative

At-Large Members Economic Development RepresentativesAlfredo M. Oviedo Bob Smith Mark Burrows George MorosaniRodney Locks Janet Bowman Larry Blair Jerry Plemmons

*Served as a Council Member part of the fiscal year

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Fiscal Year 2005-2006 Budgeted Expenditures $7,894,778

Fiscal Year 2005-2006 Budgeted Revenues $7,894,778

$5,232,461

$15,47

$1,920

$165,492$258,271

$209,835

$2,011,329

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Lending Our Support to the Region’s CommunitiesServing Buncombe, Henderson, Madison & Transylvania Counties

25 Heritage Drive, Asheville NC 2806Phone: (828) 251-6622 Fax: (828) 251-6353

www.landofsky.org Email: info@landofsky.org

Mission Statement

Work with local governments, the Region’s leadership and state and federal agencies to foster desirable social,

economic, cultural, and ecological conditions in Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania Counties.