Buncombe can temporarily block cryptominers

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners may press pause on any potential cryptocurrency mining development, as outlined in a proposal to be discussed at the regular board meeting on Tuesday, April 4.

The board will consider approving a public hearing on Tuesday, May 2, on a one-year moratorium on cryptocurrency mining. The move will allow county staff to develop standards for potential crypto mining development to be included in an updated zoning ordinance.

The county has not received any such applications to date, but would likely have to permit a mine if one applied under current zoning regulations, according to a staff presentation at a Feb. 21 commission briefing.

Cryptocurrency mines – large collections of computer servers that process crypto transactions – often operate in large warehouses or storage facilities and require extensive use of electricity, said Nathan Pennington, Buncombe’s planning director, at the briefing. commissioner Terri Wells added that she had heard a lot of frustration from Cherokee County residents about excess noise from cooling fans at a mine being developed there. Mines also tend to be heavy water consumers and producers of e-waste, she continued.

It is unclear to what extent mining companies want to locate in Buncombe. Cryptominers typically seek flat, cheap land, which is in short supply in the county, Pennington said.

In other news

Commissioners will consider a contract with a new auditing firm, moving on from the company that reviewed county finances in the wake of fraud by former county executive Wanda Greene and other county figures.

County staff have recommended Atlanta-based Mauldin and Jenkins over three other firms that submitted bids, including the previous auditor, Minneapolis-based CliftonLarsonAllen. A presentation available prior to the meeting cites the firm’s dedicated government audit team and resources, significant compliance audit expertise and regional stable of current clients.

The original contract is for three years, with the audit for fiscal year 2022-23 costing $185,000. By comparison, Buncombe paid CliftonLarsonAllen $144,000 for the audit for fiscal year 2021-22.

Consent agenda

The consent agenda for the meeting contains seven items, which will be approved as a package unless they are singled out for separate discussion. Highlights include the following:

• A report from the county tax collector Jennifer Pike detailing the current year’s collection of movable property, public service, property and motor vehicle taxes. As of late February, the county had collected more than $234 million in taxes levied for the 2022-23 fiscal year. The collection rate of 98.15% exceeds the 97.83% of imposed taxes that were collected at the same time in the last financial year.
• A contract with Demokur Architects to design a restroom facility at the Buncombe County Sports Park in Enka. The design will cost about $70,000 and take about 15 weeks.
• A resolution to extend a lease with the Buncombe County Board of Education that allows the Reynolds Volunteer Fire Department to use property at AC Reynolds Middle School for $1 per year. The decision will extend the lease, which currently expires at the end of April, until April 2033.

The full agenda and supporting documents for the ordinary meeting can be found at this link. Before the meeting, the commissioners will hold a briefing at 3 p.m. to discuss the local effects of North Carolina’s potential Medicaid expansion and other matters.

In-person public comment will be taken at the start of the regular meeting, which begins at 5 p.m. in Room 326 at 200 College St., Asheville; no voice mail or email comments are allowed. Both the briefing and the ordinary meeting will be live streamed on the county’s Facebook page and will subsequently be available via YouTube.