- Title
- City Council member · Public Safety Committee member
- In this role since
- Dec 2017 (elected Nov 2017; re-elected 2022; served as Vice Mayor 2020)
- Current term ends
- Dec 2026
- Next voter decision
- Nov 3, 2026: seeking re-election, having advanced from the March 3 primary with ~6% (BPR) · Election 2026
Record on cameras and surveillance
- March 25, 2025. Suggested a community forum on the surveillance hub before proceeding, then voted for the first RTIC grant; passed 6 to 1 (CAMS chronology · the meeting record). No forum was held.
- May 12, 2026. Voted for the RTIC grant and the Axon contract; each passed 6 to 1. The meeting record. No public statement on the items before Aug 25, 2026 was found beyond the forum suggestion (checked through Aug 17, 2026).
- August 25, 2026. Cast one of the two no votes on the Flock termination resolution, which passed 5 to 2: “the language is only to cancel, remove, evaluate, review. But what else? What do we do for people who feel vulnerable?… tonight I hear privacy over conviction, privacy over safety, privacy over justice.” And: “the time of pause is life-threatening in a lot of situations… I haven’t heard any resolutions. I haven’t heard about replacements. What do we do?” The meeting record.
In her words
- “What do we do for people who feel vulnerable?” (council, Aug 25, 2026)
- “I haven’t heard any resolutions. I haven’t heard about replacements. What do we do?” (council, Aug 25, 2026)
What is pending with her
- The community forum she proposed on March 25, 2025. None has been held as of Sept 8, 2026.
- Whether she supports posting the itemized Axon quote and the Fleet contract, and publishing the quarterly audits (Promise Tracker). As of Sept 23, 2026, no public position.
- Her seat is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot (Election 2026). Contact: sheneikasmith@avlcouncil.com.
Region: Asheville · Last verified: September 8, 2026