Joel Burgess

jburgess@citizen-times.com

Former N.C. Rep. Tim Moffitt has been selected by local Republican officials to fill the District 3 seat on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners left vacant by Miranda DeBruhl, who resigned last month.

Moffitt was picked Thursday night by top Buncombe Republicans who live in the western District 3, according to county GOP Chairman Nathan West, who was at the special party meeting. The meeting was not open to the public or press.

Moffitt was one of seven candidates vying to fill the seat until Dec.1. An election will be held in November to let voters pick who will finish the final two years of DeBruhl's term.

The former state legislator was rated as one of the most effective lawmakers in Raleigh but was also controversial because of laws he introduced often targeting Asheville and other municipalities. One law mandated the seizure of Asheville's water system and the system's transfer to a regional water and sewer authority. A lawsuit brought by the city to stop the transfer was heard by the N.C. Supreme Court which is expected to give a ruling in a few months.

His other legislation included a change to the basic structure of the board of commissioners with the creation of district-based elections and the addition of members.

Republican officials picked from seven candidates at the special meeting, according to West: Chuck Archerd, Pat Cothran, Tim Hyatt, Chad Nesbitt, Robert Pressley, Jerry Rice and Moffitt. Along with the west, District 3 takes in much of the county's south.

The seat was left vacant after the first-term commissioner and candidate for board chair DeBruhl abruptly quit, saying she and her husband had an unspecified business opportunity that required more of her attention. The two run a Fairview convenience store and a Fletcher RV dealership.

Prior to her May 17 resignation, she had gained attention for her vocal opposition to a failed deal to lure the Portland, Oregon-based Deschutes Brewery to Asheville.

It's expected that Moffitt will be seated on the seven-member county governing body at the June 7 meeting when commissioners will hold a public hearing on the $407 million budget proposed for the fiscal year starting July 1. Commissioners are expected to vote on the budget June 21.

After Moffitt's appointment, Democrats will hold a 4-3 majority on the board.

It's unknown if Moffitt will also be picked by the District 3 Republican leaders to run in the November election for the second half of the term.

Democrats will also get to choose a candidate for that election.

Because DeBruhl was also running for the board chair, Republican officials from across the county get to pick a candidate for that race, which is also in November. That candidate will face Democratic Vice Chairman Brownie Newman, who is a District 1 commissioner from Asheville.

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