Asheville Under Surveillance

Macon County

3 min read

Macon County is WNC’s proof that removal is winnable.

Timeline

  • July 14, 2026: commissioners vote 5–0 to de-Flock. The board barred the Sheriff’s Office from spending county funds on Flock and moved to terminate the contract “as soon as possible” (ahead of its October expiration), with over 100 residents packing the room. (Smoky Mountain News · the meeting video · How Cities Won · Getting Flock Out)
  • After the vote: access cut. MCSO lost access to all 16 cameras (“no one has access now”); the four school cameras entered limbo, deferred to school leaders who say neither MCSO nor Flock has contacted them.
  • By mid-August 2026: the removal is holding. No reinstatement effort, and no crime-spike claims. Sheriff Holbrooks says he “respects the decision” while still defending the tool.
  • November 2026: the election carries it forward. Commission candidate Dylan Castle (Republican, pastor, county GOP vice-chair) spoke against Flock on constitutional grounds and advanced to the November general (an MCSO captain lost the same primary). Macon may elect WNC’s first explicitly anti-ALPR commissioner.

The vote: how it happened

Motion by John Shearl, seconded by Barry Breeden (a former sheriff’s deputy who came in “50-50”), with Chair Josh Young, who had leaned toward his sheriff until he polled constituents and found them “nearly unanimously against.” Shearl’s verdict on the Flock rep sent to defend the product: “like a car salesman.”

The numbers that did it: 16 cameras (12 county, 4 schools), a $31,950 contract grown to ~$47,000/year, logging 1–3 million plates a month in a county of 37,000.

What’s happened since the vote

  • The four school cameras are still unresolved: commissioners deferred them to school leaders; the school system says neither MCSO nor Flock has contacted them about the cameras on their buildings. No school-board vote has ever been taken.
  • A cautionary note: the fight’s social-media spillover included false claims that Franklin had Flock cameras (it has none), escalating to threats against town officials, which handed officials a warning-about-the-opposition story. Getting facts wrong hands officials a weapon; see How Cities Won on what backfires.

Watchdogs and video

Independent journalist Bobby Coggins / Macon Media films Franklin council (which has no official video) and county meetings; the county commissioners’ channel carries the official record, including the July 14 vote. Smoky Mountain News (Kyle Perrotti) has the deepest coverage.

Related: WNC and NC · How Cities Won · Getting Flock Out

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