July 2, 2026
A screenshot of the adopted state budget with reallocations specific for grant funding already dedicated by Transylvania County Commissioners.
Local leaders say they are surprised that the recently adopted North Carolina budget which provides $4 million to Transylvania County to fund county EMS and fire response infrastructure as well as capital improvements for Blue Ridge Community College’s Brevard campus does so by repurposing that money from infrastructure funds previously allocated to Transylvania County.
The new state budget also reallocates $5,850,000 in grant funding originally awarded to support the Brevard High School pump station, Azalea/Rhododendron neighborhood utility extension construction in Brevard, the Calvert Road design and construction in Rosman that the Transylvania County Board of Commissioners had approved in March of this year.
However, this new reallocation does not appear to impact $10 million in state, federal and private funds that Transylvania County has invested in local city and town infrastructure systems since 2022.
“The county has been supportive of making these projects happen in partnership with our municipalities,” Transylvania County Commission Chairwoman Teresa McCall said in a news release from the Transylvania County Board of Commissioners. “While the reallocation was a surprise, our state leaders are working closely with us under a common goal of making sure that critical needs are met.”
“I am aware of the $10 million redirect that happened in the budget conference report. I believe it to be an innocent move by a house budget staff member to find money for projects for our region,” North Carolina State Senator Kevin Corbin added in that same news release. “The redirect was done through no fault or recommendation by Transylvania County and I am working with staff to find a solution.”
Transylvania County officials said they were not aware of this reallocation before it was discovered in the draft of the state budget released Monday. After consulting with state representatives, a statement from Transylvania County leadership said misinformation had been provided to state legislative leaders indicating that the funds were not needed for infrastructure projects.
North Carolina House Representative Anna Ferguson said she is actively working with other state representatives to address the situation.
“I am already identifying solutions that will keep the water and sewer projects in question funded while also bringing an additional $4 million in Helene Relief to Transylvania County,” Ferguson said in the news release. “I do not feel it is appropriate to blame anyone or group for this situation and will continue to devote my energy to finalizing the solution.”
Of $10 million for infrastructure in the state budget, Transylvania County had access to $9,850,000 to support infrastructure priorities in addition to direct awards at the same time for the town of Rosman and city of Brevard for $10 million and $13 million each. The news release said those projects are not affected and will continue to move forward despite the reallocation of funds in the budget.
Click here to read the news release from Transylvania County government.