The Board of Commissioners started its Feb. 4 meeting with a financial update for fiscal year 2025 second quarter. Finance Director Melissa Moore presented a report that includes General Fund budget versus actual, Q2 FY2025 year-to-date actuals versus Q2 FY2024 year-to-date actuals, a summary of major revenue sources, current net County cost actuals, Solid Waste summary, Capital Project overview, and donation activity. Find the full report (unaudited) here, and the presentation here.
New business: Support for Eastern Hellbender’s endangered listing
Under new business, the Board approved a resolution in support of the Eastern Hellbender’s endangered listing. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting public comments for a 60-day period as a part of that listing. The resolution states in part, “Whereas, Buncombe County has the duty to express its full and unwavering support for the endangered listing proposal for the eastern hellbender, so we can preserve this important species for future generations.” The resolution will be submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a public comment. Find the full resolution here.
More:Word from the Smokies: Amid Helene damage, hellbenders may get endangered species listing
Budget amendment for public health restores school nurse, animal shelter funding
The Board approved a budget amendment for the FY25 budget to restore essential public health services. The state is disbursing $2,166,210 of Tropical Storm Helene Disaster Relief funds to help restore local health department essential functions and address the post-disaster needs of the local public health system during recovery to be used through 2030. In Buncombe County, these funds will be used to ensure full service delivery for school nursing and animal shelter operations this year while further guidance is sought for eligible uses. See the ordinance here.
More:Buncombe County implements hiring freeze to offset Helene’s budgetary impacts
FTA Section 5307 Funding Recission – FY26
The Board approved a motion to rescind $864,338 of suballocated federal transit funds in two different grants to support the ART transit system in FY26 conditional on the City of Asheville.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requests subrecipients spend expiring transit funds. Buncombe County, because of existing funding that must be spent before regular annual funding, will be unable to spend expiring regular funds in advance of expiration. Recognizing these constraints, and in support of the City of Asheville’s funding needs for its ART transit system, County transportation staff recommended the Board of Commissioners consider rescinding funds to the City of Asheville to support its FY26 transit activities. The following funding amounts will be rescinded:
· $782,544 in FY20 Section 5307 annual allocations
· $81,794 in FY20 Section 5307 JARC (Job Access Reverse Commute)
Support for some prismatic recommendations following school system consolidation study
Following an open discussion in the briefing, the Board of Commissioners added a letter to the consent agenda supporting components of the School Consolidation Feasibility Study report.
To view the meeting, visit www.facebook.com/buncombegov. All meeting materials can be accessed at www.buncombecounty.org/commissioners.
The next regular meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will be held on Feb. 18.
