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Mayor Barbara Volk 
Barbara Volk has served on the City Council since 1989. She is originally from Chicago and moved to Hendersonville in 1975. She attended Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana and earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics. She also received a degree as a medical record administrator from the allied health school at Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem. She is self-employed and provides computer-related services to small businesses and works as a registered parliamentarian. She and her husband, Pediatrician Doctor James Volk, decided to relocate to Hendersonville after Dr. Volk received a job opportunity. They wanted to live in a town that is small and family friendly. Mrs. Volk has served on the City Council since November 1989. She was elected Mayor in November 2009 for a four-year term. She is the first female mayor serving the City. |
 Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Collis
Jeff Collis was born on January 31, 1969 at Pardee Hospital, to J.D. and Geraldine Collis. He is married to Shelby and they have two sons and a daughter born April 14, 2008. He is a veteran of the US Air Force serving as a Security Police Sergeant during Desert Storm. He is actively involved as a member of Hendersonville First United Methodist Church. Jeff works for the State of NC with the Department of Corrections, 29th Judicial District Division of Community Corrections as an Adult Probation Officer. He is a graduate of Montreat College with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. He is serving his second term on the City Council and is serving as Mayor Pro Tem for the City.
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 Council Member Steve Caraker
Originally from Los Angeles, California, Steve has been a resident of Henderson County since 1983 and a resident of the City for the past twelve years. He and his wife, Donna, a Henderson County native, live in the West Side Historic District. He worked for Henderson County Building Inspections from 1992 until 2008 as the lead Plumbing/Mechanical Inspector. He was an adjunct instructor for Blue Ridge Community College from 1997 until 2007. Steve was an appointed member of the City's Historic Preservation Commission for six years and served as chairman for the last five years of his appointment. He currently works as a project manager for T.P. Howard Plumbing in Fairview N.C. Steve enjoys his various capacities in public service and feels very fortunate to live in the City of Hendersonville. In his free time, he enjoys the ongoing challenges of restoring he and his wife Donna’s 1920’s home in the Westside neighborhood. He was elected in November 2007 for a four-year term on the Council. |
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Council Member Jerry A. Smith, Jr.
Originally from Wilson, NC, Jerry, and his wife, Dr. Anne Smith of Concord, NC, moved to Henderson County in 2000 to start a family. All three of Jerry and Anne’s children were born in Hendersonville. Jerry is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA), North Carolina Central University School of Law (JD) and George Mason University (M.Ed.) Jerry has been a teacher, baseball coach and mock trial coach at Hendersonville High School since 2000 and is a National Board Certified Teacher. Prior to his election to City Council in 2009, Jerry served on the Apple Country Greenway Commission for four years, three years as chairman. Both of Jerry’s parents worked in local and state government, and Jerry feels fortunate to continue that tradition serving the residents of Hendersonville and Henderson County. |
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 Council Member Wm. Ralph Freeman, Jr.
Wm. Ralph Freeman, Jr., "Ralph" was born October 10, 1941 in Asheville, NC. His wife of 46 years is Gwen. They have two grown children, a son and a daughter, each with one son. All live locally. Ralph was raised in Weaverville, NC and graduated from N. Buncombe High School in 1960, attended ASU, UNCA, AB Tech and Blue Ridge Community College. He spent more than 20 years in the home manufacturing business as plant manager, regional sales manager and other real estate activities in Virginia. He has been a resident of the City since 1983. He founded Homestead Improvements in 1983, Homestead Lawn Care in 1992, Homestead Investment Properties LLC in 1999. He has served on various church and community boards over the years. He is a present member of the First United Methodist Church and a former scoutmaster. He served on the Highway 64 West Task Force, the Planning Board, the Board of Adjustment, as Chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission. He ran for a City Council seat in November 2009. He was appointed by the Council to fill the vacant seat of Barbara Volk when she was elected as Mayor. |
Contact Information:
Written correspondence may be sent to: City Hall, 145 Fifth Avenue East, Hendersonville, NC 28792-4328
Mayor Barbara Volk (828)697-3000 (828)693-5692 bvolk@cityofhendersonville.org
Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Collis (828)696-0971 jcollis@cityofhendersonville.org
Council Member Steve Caraker (828)696-3615 scaraker@cityofhendersonville.org
Council Member Jerry Smith (828)243-9123 jerrysmith@cityofhendersonville.org
Council Member Wm Ralph Freeman (828)697-1704 rfreeman@cityofhendersonville.org
Policy formation and legislative authority are vested in the City Council that consists of a Mayor who is elected to a four-year term and four council members who serve staggered terms.
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
Composition of City Council. The City Council consists of the Mayor and four members elected by and from all the qualified voters of the City voting in the manner provided in the Charter of the City.
Mayor and Mayor pro tempore. The mayor serves as the official head of the city government and presides at all meetings of the City Council. The mayor has the power to vote on all questions coming before the Council, but has no power to veto. The mayor exercises such powers and performs such duties as are or may be conferred upon him by the general laws of North Carolina, by the Charter of the City of Hendersonville, and by the ordinances of the City.
The City Council chooses one of its members to act as mayor pro tempore, and (s)he performs the duties of the mayor in the mayor's absence or disability. The mayor pro tempore has no fixed term of office, but serves at the pleasure of the remaining members of the Council.
Terms; qualifications; vacancies.
a. Staggered terms of Council members began with the 1997 election. Elections are held every two years.
b. No person is eligible to be a candidate or be elected as a member of the City Council, or to serve in such capacity, unless (s)he is a resident and a qualified voter of the city.
c. In the event a vacancy occurs in the office of mayor, the remaining members of the Council, by majority vote, choose from their own members his successor for the unexpired term. Any vacancy in the office of councilman is filled by majority vote of the mayor and the remaining members of the Council until the next election.
Meetings of the Council. The City Council has a regular monthly meeting on the first Thursday following the first Monday of each month at 5:45 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers, 145 Fifth Avenue East, Hendersonville, NC. Special and emergency meetings may be held upon notice given in accordance with North Carolina General Statutes. All meetings of the Council are open to the public.
Ordinances and resolutions. The adoption, amendment, repeal, pleading or proving of ordinances is done in accordance with the applicable provisions of the general laws of North Carolina not inconsistent with the Charter.
Public Comment Time: The City Council receives public comment at regular Council meetings. Members of the public wishing to speak must list their name and address on a sign-up sheet prior to the commencement of the meeting. The sheet is posted in the City Hall lobby on the afternoon of the Council meeting. A total of 15 minutes is set aside at the beginning of each meeting for speakers on a first come, first served basis according to the sign-up sheet. Speakers may be limited to approximately four minutes each.
The Mayor and Council members receive mail at City Hall, 145 Fifth Avenue East, Hendersonville, NC 28792-4328. You may also email the Mayor and Council collectively by clicking here.