Leslee Kulba

United States

Senior Contributor at The Tribune Papers

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Articles

Asheville Suspends OPEB Contributions: Should We Care?

1 week ago | tribpapers.com | Leslee Kulba

Asheville – On July 18, 2013, the City of Detroit filed for bankruptcy. The idea that infinite growth, sufficient to cover any carefree spending, exploded after the auto industry offshored and the population followed the jobs. Suddenly, leaders found themselves painted into a corner by years of racked-up debt and disregard for supply-side economics. Among top reasons for the bankruptcy was failure to fund the city’s generous pension plan.
A Citizens' View of Asheville's Budget

1 week ago | tribpapers.com | Leslee Kulba

Asheville – Former Asheville Vice Mayor Chris Peterson was a regular attendee at the city council’s annual public hearings on the budget. He would caution leaders that the budget was not structurally sound, relying instead on unsustainable, unreliable, one-time infusions. He often faced backlash, getting “snarled at,” becoming angry, and risking being gaveled or thrown out for naming individuals who he felt were not fulfilling their responsibilities. This year, however, he chose to sit out.
Hyperlocal Agricultural Models Hurt Harder by Helene, Report Says

2 weeks ago | tribpapers.com | Leslee Kulba

Asheville – “Accounting for $40,000 in cleanup and recovery costs and $30,000 in lost sales for 2024, Helene-related damages and losses constituted 88 percent of the average WNC farm’s gross annual sales,” concluded a report from the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) Local Food Research Center. Part 1 of the report, which estimates damages, was published in May.
Asheville Closes Budget Gap, Will Pay Later

2 weeks ago | tribpapers.com | Leslee Kulba

Asheville – Budget and Performance Manager Lindsay Spangler informed the Asheville City Council that the proposed $256.1 million budget “minimizes cost increases as much as possible.” The budget is being balanced, in part, by $5 million in cuts, one-time revenue infusions, and a 3.26-cent property tax increase. The city will also be able to maintain its fund balance at its self-imposed minimum of 15% of general fund expenditures.
Cicadas Buzzing: Harmless or Hazardous?

3 weeks ago | tribpapers.com | Leslee Kulba

Asheville – Brood XIV is back. The Farmers’ Almanac predicts that trillions of cicadas will emerge this year, with millions per acre likely in some areas. Should we be afraid? A first encounter with these sticky, pervasive creatures can be unsettling. A hiker in Pisgah Forest may come face to face with them clinging to every available leaf or even have one attach itself to their leg. Do these creatures inject poison or lay eggs under the skin?
Asheville Safeguarding Mills River WTP from Repeating Errors

1 month ago | tribpapers.com | Leslee Kulba

Asheville – On May 23, the City of Asheville held a groundbreaking ceremony for Phase 2 of the Rehabilitation and Upgrade Project at the Mills River Water Treatment Plant (WTP). To be completed in three years, this phase, combined with a third, will double the facility’s output capacity. Phase 2 is expected to cost $23.3 million, which is coming from the Water Resources Capital Improvement fund. On December 24, 2022, Asheville endured 81 hours of subzero temperatures.
Shelton Compounding Pharmacy Under New Ownership

1 month ago | tribpapers.com | Leslee Kulba

Asheville – Shelton Compounding Pharmacy in Hendersonville is now under new ownership. Philip Nelson stated that he took the helm because “unexpected divine guidance told me to buy the store, and it’s something I didn’t want to do.”Nelson earned his PharmD degree from Idaho State University in 2009 and completed residencies in Wisconsin and Texas.
Asheville Residents Challenge I-26 Construction Decisions

1 month ago | tribpapers.com | Leslee Kulba

Asheville – Major new highway construction necessitates the acquisition of property. Since no one wants to be told when to relocate, those opposed to highways—especially those unable to identify endangered species in their paths—often amplify the plight of the displaced. Conversely, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has faced criticism for gross overbuilding since the planning of the I-26 expansion began. The John Locke Foundation has been one of the most vocal critics.
Research Links Groundwater Extraction to Urban Sinking

1 month ago | tribpapers.com | Leslee Kulba

Asheville – It began with the news that well permitting in Buncombe County had increased by 300% this year. These permits were not limited to single-family wells; larger applicants included Mission Hospital and Buncombe County Schools. In the 1980s, researchers from the University of Southern California gathered data that led them to believe offshore oil drilling was causing earthquakes.
Buncombe County Faces Revenue Challenges Amid Recovery Efforts

1 month ago | tribpapers.com | Leslee Kulba

Asheville – The Buncombe County Commissioners have approved a new program called Reduce to Rebuild, which offers a 50% discount on fees for permits related to residential damage or destruction caused by Tropical Storm Helene. This offer applies only to permit applications submitted between June 1 and December 31, 2025. North Carolina’s Disaster Recovery Act of 2024 prohibited local governments in the path of Helene from charging fees for government “services” related to reconstructing residences.