ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Buncombe County commissioners approved a $5 million grant match Tuesday for Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College’s WNC Futures Factory project, while also voting to rename a Fairview Library community room and adopting several budget adjustments.
The board reallocated nearly $4.96 million from the previously approved A-B Tech Workforce Training Center budget and added $44,330 from Article 46 sales tax funds to support the grant match. The funding will contribute to a roughly $40 million plan to build a 70,000-square-foot manufacturing innovation hub for research, pilot production and workforce training. Commissioners also backed joining as co-applicant on the grant after further review by county staff.
In another move, commissioners approved renaming the Fairview Library community room in honor of Annie Clarke Ager, a longtime advocate for literacy and local libraries. Ager helped establish the Fairview Library brand, served on multiple library boards and led the Friends of the Fairview Library.
The board also amended several EMS projects, increasing the budget of the EMS East Base by nearly $3.4 million to cover construction costs, to be funded by future bond proceeds. Remaining funds from two smaller EMS design projects were consolidated into the Regional Base project to support land acquisition and design.
Commissioners further approved carrying forward about $3.6 million in unused funds from the fiscal 2025 budgets of several county funds into fiscal 2026.
During the meeting, Chair Amanda Edwards authorized three letters: one urging UNC Asheville to pause approval of Millennial Campus projects and engage more with the community; another supporting AdventHealth’s initiative for a fixed PET scanner in Weaverville; and the last calling for scrutiny of Mission Hospital’s application for Level I Trauma Center designation.
Commissioners introduced Daysha Chaney, the new Lead for NC Fellow, and heard updates on the county’s 2026 reappraisal schedule of values and advanced planning storage facility. A public hearing on the reappraisal values is set for Sept. 2, with a vote scheduled for Sept. 16.
