May a county withdraw from a district health department?

A county may withdraw from a district health department when a majority of the county’s commissioners determines that the district is not operating in the best interests of health in that county. A district may be dissolved upon a similar decision by the boards of commissioners of all the counties in the district. Withdrawal or dissolution may take place only after written notice is given to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and only at the end of the fiscal year. A certified public accountant or an auditor certified by the Local Government Commission distributes surplus funds to the counties according to the percentage each of them contributed during that year.[1]

When a county withdraws from a district, the district board of health is dissolved and a new board is appointed.[2] However, any rules adopted by the district board of health remain in effect in the county or counties involved until amended or repealed by the new board or boards governing the affected counties.[3]