With a new Council on the way, here’s a look at Asheville’s government, what it does and how you can change it Above: City Hall by night, photo by Max Cooper. Today three new Asheville City Council members — Keith Young, Brian Haynes and Julie Mayfield — will be sworn

Despite the regard given them by local government, the Downtown Association has some very controversial positions and only speaks for a sliver of this changing area. Who actually represents the city’s core is a much larger — and overdue — question. Above: Fireworks over downtown Asheville, photo by Bill Rhodes.