Ashvegas City Council elections: Cape and Freeborn

Yes, we will have an election this year. Here are Robin Cape and Bryan Freeborn, answering the Ashvegas Chamber of Commerce’s questions. Go here for the full Monty. (Their site is weird – you have to scroll down a bit before you see the info.)

Robin Cape plays in a local band, owns a business, attends Jubilee! and has lived in Ashvegas for 18 years. Here’s an insightful answer to a question:

Which organizational membership is most significant to you?
My time spent on the Woodfin Water Board has brought me the greatest sense of accomplishment.  During my tenure, we have: established a conservation easement with the state of NC to protect the watershed and support the financial health of the water department; hired a new director; implemented administrative and departmental infrastructure; and created a safety net fund for water customers who experience financial difficulty. From my work on the Water Board I have learned that I can pair the management skills I acquired as a small businesswoman with my concerns as a citizen and be of service and benefit to my community.

Freeborn is a self-employed carpenter who has been in Ashvegas four years. He serves on the Asheville Transit Commission, and it sounds like he’s put a lot of thought into transportation issues:

As gas prices continue to rise and our city’s population becomes more active we have a great opportunity to invest in multi-modal transportation options. By increasing the effectiveness of our transit system, greenways, and bicycle lanes we can improve our quality of life and decrease our cost of living. This investment will allow us to reduce the number of vehicles on the road through providing healthier transportation options, resulting in a positive impact on our air quality. If we are able to improve our transit system to a level that allows each household to eliminate the need for one personal vehicle we are, in essence, providing a $9,000 raise in annual disposable income. By eliminating the cost of owning and operating a vehicle we are providing a greater potential for individuals in our community to reinvest in our local economy through buying or improving their housing, starting a small business, or increase their ability for consumer economic exchange. Studies show that for every $1 invested in public transit there is a $6 return in economic activity.