Asheville – The Leadership Asheville Forum gathered to discuss recovery in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. Panelists Scott Elliott, Tim Anderson, and Clark Duncan shared insights on challenges and rebuilding strategies.
Panel Discussion on Recovery Strategies
Scott Elliott opened the forum by honoring those impacted by the storm. He highlighted the unprecedented damage, saying 50 million cubic yards of debris would fill a football stadium 2,300 times at ten feet deep. The estimated cost, $60 billion, exceeds twice North Carolina’s annual state budget.
“When we’re talking about a storm that is three times larger than any other natural disaster by a magnitude of three-larger than any other natural disaster in North Carolina history-we can’t just do things the way that it’s always been done in the other hurricane responses.”
Elliott emphasized the critical role of local leadership in managing the aftermath of the storm, stating, “I just want to say thank you to our elected officials and community leaders. It’s been our town managers, our elected board members, our emergency management directors, our facilities directors who have really carried this response on their shoulders.” This acknowledgment highlighted the collaborative efforts required to navigate the complexities of recovery.
Elliott also outlined a vision for rebuilding, emphasizing resilience while acknowleding the immense chanlleges of the tasks ahead. “The goal of the vision is to rebuild North Carolina safer and healthier than ever before. It’s going to be really hard to make everyone whole; I don’t know that that’s going to be possible after the storm—not to set low expectations—but the idea here is to be able to be more resilient, stronger, and be able to literally weather the future storms that we know are yet to come.” His remarks reflected a commitment to long-term recovery strategies that prioritize community preparedness.
NCDOT’s Tim Anderson emphasized collaboration between public and private sectors to address road and bridge damage, stating, “It’s really only through tested public and private partnerships that we will make progress.” This highlighted the role of cooperative governance in economic recovery. Crews from Kentucky and Florida also provided interstate aid.
Anderson described innovative recovery methods, including emergency design-build contracts speeding contractor hiring and work start. “If there was a legal way to get a contract done, we’ve done it.” He showed storm aftermath images that drew gasps and progress images that earned applause.
Economic Development and Future Initiatives
The discussion highlighted economic recovery plans, with Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Deputy Director Scott Elliot emphasizing the link between community health and economic stability. He said, “We are ambitious about our educational community, infrastructure, services, public safety — all requiring a healthy community and economy.”
Elliot stressed strategic investments to improve employment stability: “These investments in staff and programming aim to grow wages and better outcomes for households with stable employment.” This workforce development focus is vital for long-term economic growth.
The forum touched on initiatives like the Futures Factory Innovation Hub, aimed at enhancing advanced manufacturing capabilities in Buncombe County. Pinder expressed enthusiasm, stating, “This Futures Factory Innovation Hub is underway … and will serve industries and counties across Western North Carolina,” fostering collaboration among educational institutions and local businesses.
Additionally, Elliot discussed the Optimist Ventures Accelerator program, which supports local startups through capital investment and mentorship. He noted partnerships with Dogwood Health Trust, Truist, and various philanthropists to invest $50,000 in over 20 local startups, with half as a forgivable grant and half as a low-cost debt note. This initiative aims to stimulate entrepreneurship in Buncombe County.
Advocacy for Federal Support
The forum discussed challenges in obtaining federal recovery funds amid political hurdles, with ongoing advocacy by officials like Governor Josh Stein.
Elliott urged community involvement, saying, “I would love to visit you and learn how to connect state resources locally.” He shared wncrecovery.nc.gov for updates and resource access.
The next Leadership Asheville Forum will be held on Wednesday, April 16 at the Asheville Country Club and feature a panel discussion on “Water is Life-The History and Future of the Asheville Water System.”