Asheville Appoints Dakisha Wesley as City Manager, Transition Begins

The Asheville City Council voted unanimously on December 5 to appoint Dakisha DK Wesley as the next City Manager, setting a January 12, 2026 start date. Wesley has served as an Assistant County Manager for Buncombe County since 2019 and has more than 25 years of experience in local government, a background officials cited as central to the selection.

City officials highlighted Wesley's experience in budget and finance, human resources, emergency management, development services, public safety communications, and organizational development. Her role in county level disaster response during the COVID pandemic and Tropical Storm Helene was presented as a key qualification for managing the city through ongoing recovery efforts and routine municipal responsibilities. The city release noted an initial contract term and managerial responsibilities as part of the appointment package.

During the transition Assistant City Manager Ben Woody will serve as interim city manager so operational continuity is maintained. City Council control of the manager position means elected officials will oversee the new manager's early agenda and any performance benchmarks embedded in the contract. That oversight will shape how quickly new policy directions are implemented, especially in areas where Wesley's resume intersects with pressing local needs.

For residents the appointment signals potential emphasis on strengthening emergency preparedness, stabilizing municipal budgets, and accelerating permitting and development services. Wesley's county experience suggests opportunities for closer coordination between Asheville and Buncombe County on joint recovery projects, shared public safety systems, and cross jurisdictional economic initiatives. Fiscal management experience will be particularly relevant as the city develops budgets and allocates funds for infrastructure and community resilience work.

The unanimous vote indicates broad council support, which can ease initial policy rollouts but also raises expectations for transparency and accountability. Residents who want to track the transition should monitor upcoming council meetings, budget hearings, and scheduled updates from the city manager's office to evaluate how priorities are translated into action.