Regular Meeting of The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners | September 1, 2026

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting on September 1, 2026, where several procurement and budget-related matters were discussed and approved. Key procurement actions included approval of a $29 million Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant for the Western North Carolina Futures Factory, a 70,000 square foot advanced workforce training facility. The county will act as construction manager and lead procurement for architecture, engineering, and construction management services for this project. Additionally, the board approved a resolution to submit applications for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding totaling approximately $24 million for county parks recovery and affordable housing infrastructure projects. A budget amendment was approved to carry forward $552,611 for prior year purchases, including ambulances. The board also approved changes to the county's pharmacy benefits manager contract, transitioning to Employers Health CVS starting January 2027, and implemented a new GLP1 weight loss management program to reduce costs. Finally, a budget amendment related to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program was approved to support administrative costs for property acquisition and elevation projects following Tropical Storm Helen. Several board appointments and scheduling of interviews for vacant positions were also conducted.