Staff reports Buncombe County Air Quality certification and grant novation process

Staff presented a transition update explaining that the county Board of Commissioners adopted the Buncombe County air quality code on July 21 and that July 24 marked the council's first official day operating as Buncombe County Air Quality. The manager said the agency received conditional certification pending the county code and described administrative steps required to transfer federal grants to the reorganized entity.

The manager described a novation process required when reorganizing: closing out prior grants, submitting federal financial and performance reports, and applying for new grant awards under the county's federal-identifier numbers. Staff said county grants staff (Samantha Bowers) will be the official responsible authority for the grants while local staff will continue to act as technical project managers. The manager added that staff can continue to charge eligible expenses to the prior grants while novation proceeds, but the timing for formal award transfers remains uncertain.

"We are officially Buncombe County Air Quality now," the manager said, summarizing the transition milestone and the administrative steps underway. Staff asked members to prepare to sign annual conflict-of-interest disclosure forms required under the Clean Air Act (section 128) once draft forms are circulated.