Asheville City Manager: Role, Hiring, and Contact

Asheville’s city manager is DK Wesley, who started on January 12, 2026. She is the city’s top appointed administrator, hired by the seven-member City Council to run daily operations, prepare the annual budget (which exceeded $256 million for fiscal year 2026), and supervise every city department.¹² The manager is not elected and has no fixed term, so the Council alone decides who holds the position and for how long.

Who DK Wesley Is

Wesley came to the role with more than 25 years in local government, including work in budget and finance, human resources, public safety, emergency management, and organizational development. For the six and a half years before her appointment, she served as an assistant county manager in Buncombe County, the county that contains Asheville.¹

She holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Central Arkansas and a master of public administration from the University of North Texas. She is a credentialed manager through the International City/County Management Association, and in 2024 her undergraduate alma mater named her a Distinguished Alumni.¹

Her timing matters. Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage to Asheville’s water system and critical infrastructure in late 2024, and the long recovery was still underway when she took office. Her emergency management background was part of the reason the Council chose her. She succeeded Debra Campbell, who served as city manager from December 2018 through December 5, 2025; Assistant City Manager Ben Woody filled in as interim manager between the two.¹

What the City Manager Does

The manager is Asheville’s chief administrator and answers to the Council for everything under her charge. North Carolina law spells out the duties in N.C.G.S. § 160A-148, and they break into a few concrete areas.³

Budget

The manager prepares and submits the annual budget and capital program to the Council. For fiscal year 2026, that budget totals $256.36 million.² Once the Council approves it, the manager makes sure funds reach the right departments and that spending stays within approved limits. At the end of each fiscal year, she must submit a complete public report on the city’s finances and administrative activities.³

Personnel and Departments

The manager hires, suspends, and removes all city employees whose positions aren’t filled by election or governed by separate law. The city attorney is the notable exception; the Council appoints that position directly.³ She also directs every city department, office, and agency, from public safety to development services to public works, through the City Manager’s Office.⁴

Attending Council and Enforcing Its Decisions

The manager attends every Council meeting and may recommend measures she believes would benefit the city. Beyond advising, she is responsible for enforcing state laws, City Charter provisions, and every ordinance or resolution the Council passes. The Council can also assign additional duties as needed.³

How the Manager Is Hired and Removed

The City Council appoints the city manager and can remove the manager at any time. There is no fixed term; the Charter puts it as holding office “at the will of the council.” The appointment must be based on executive and administrative qualifications alone, and the manager does not have to live in Asheville or even in North Carolina at the time of hiring.⁵

In practice, a written employment contract covers compensation, benefits, severance, and notice. Severance for North Carolina city managers typically runs six to twelve months of salary if the Council terminates without cause, and resignation clauses commonly require 30 to 60 days’ notice so the city can line up an interim replacement. Because voters never weigh in on this position, performance review and any decision to replace the manager rest entirely with the Council.

Contacting the City Manager’s Office

You can reach the City Manager’s Office by phone at 828-259-5604 or by email at dkwesley@ashevillenc.gov. The office is located at 70 Court Plaza, Asheville, NC 28802, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A staff directory for specific contacts within the office is available through the city’s website.⁴

1
The City of Asheville. Asheville City Council Names DK Wesley as New City Manager
2
The City of Asheville. Asheville City Council Adopts FY2026 Budget
3
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes 160A-148 – Powers and Duties of Manager
4
The City of Asheville. City Manager’s Office
5
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 160A-147 – Appointment of City Manager; Dual Office Holding