Readers ask for an update on former Asheville Mayor Leni Sitnick, who works for a grocery store now, and why food from stores' hot bars is thrown away instead of donated to food banks or shelters. Wochit



Question: I was at Harris Teeter in Asheville not too long ago, and I saw former Asheville Mayor Leni Sitnick working there. How long has she been working there? Why is she working there? Isn't she old enough to retire?

My answer: I'm reserving all snarky commentary here, as I'll probably be asking her to help me get a job there soon.

Real answer: This is really just economics at work.

"I'm working because I have to," Sitnick told me via Facebook. "No retirement fund and no other income, except for Social Security, which doesn't cover rent, utilities, food, gas, etc."

Sitnick was Asheville's first woman mayor, serving in that post from 1997-2001. Sitnick also served a two-year term on City Council, from 1993-95.

As mayor, she was known for — and proud of — welcoming all speakers at council meetings and holding long meetings.

In a 2016 Citizen-Times story, Sitnick said, "I was mocked for my long meetings, but I was proud of them. I think part of my legacy, according to what I hear from people now, is that I was a mother nurturer to the city." In that story, writer Marla Hardee Milling noted that Sitnick "works at the artisan bread kiosk at a Harris Teeter grocery store and enjoys the interaction with customers."

I'll note that I've run into Sitnick at the store myself, and found her there Tuesday. Sitnick, who's been at Harris Teeter four years, is always upbeat and pleasant.

"I really love the people I work with," Sitnick said. "They're hardworking, good people."

As far as the physical part of working, Sitnick said it is getting tougher, in part because of her age.

"I'll be 74 in April, and if I didn't have to work, I wouldn't," Sitnick said. "While I enjoy the people I work with at Harris Teeter, the work is hard and getting harder."

When younger, Sitnick trained as a nurse, but she graduated in 1962, so her skills are outdated. She also worked for 20 years in landscaping and landscape design in Miami, but that type of work would require some major updates in education to do it here, plus it can be demanding work physically.

Sitnick also raised three children with her ex-husband.

Before Harris Teeter, Sitnick worked in Asheville for Kimmel & Associates, an executive search firm, but the recession of 2008-09 hurt that job market. She also worked at Fresh Market.

Like a lot of older Americans, she found the job market is rough.

"I discovered that the older I got the harder it was to find a job," Sitnick told me Tuesday. "I'm one of millions of women who have found themselves in this situation."

Sitnick always had a good sense of humor, and that showed in our Facebook exchange, and when I chatted with her, when she said the tried the Publisher's Clearinghouse route before seeking a job.

"If someone would like to buy me a winning lottery ticket, I'd be very grateful," she said.

Question: I saw the good items at Harris Teeter food bar being put in the garbage around 8 p.m. on night. Can leftovers be donated to local shelters? I think other grocery stores do the same thing.

My answer: Don't worry — Sitnick is putting together a 16-hour meeting to address this.

Real answer: I've written about this issue before, and it's always a tricky one for grocery stores, as they have to balance the urge to help their communities with strict food safety rules.

"While the items on our prepared foods bars may be eligible for donation, that does not mean they are suitable by Harris Teeter standards," Harris Teeter spokeswoman Danna Robinson said. "Quality assurance and food safety are of the utmost important to Harris Teeter, and due to the loss of chain of command and proper temperature maintenance, we — like many other retailers — choose not to donate these items."

Harris Teeter, which is headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina, does try to limit the waste.

"While some loss is expected, our management teams closely monitor store needs, so that our valued associates can properly plan and prepare to their store’s specific demands," Robinson said.

She also noted that Harris Teeter supports food bank partners "with extensive financial and product donations, year-round."

At Black Mountain-based Ingles Markets, Chief Financial Officer Ron Freeman had this to say: "We have increased our donations over the past few years and are always looking for responsible ways to increase donations.  We are always concerned about food safety and efficient distribution of unsaleable food, and have worked closely with MANNA food bank for many years to donate and distribute millions of pounds of food in western North Carolina."

This is the opinion of John Boyle. Contact him at 232-5847 or

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