ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday appointed a new tax assessor, held a public hearing on the county’s 2026 property value schedule, accepted additional state disaster loan funding and recognized several county programs honored with national awards.
New tax assessor
Commissioners appointed Eric Cregger as the county’s tax assessor following a nationwide search. Cregger had served as interim assessor for nearly a year and previously worked as assistant assessment director.
“I have been part of the department for several years in a leadership capacity and fortunate enough to work on many projects that have improved the efficiency and quality of our work while improving valuations that we provide our public,” Cregger said in a statement.
Cregger will oversee the county’s 2026 property reappraisal.
Schedule of values
The board also held a public hearing on the county’s Schedule of Values, a document guiding appraisers as they establish property values until the next countywide reappraisal in 2029.
Buncombe County reappraises real property every four years to keep pace with a fast-changing market, though the 2025 reappraisal was delayed until Jan. 1, 2026, following Tropical Storm Helene.
Key dates in the reappraisal process include:
- Sept. 16, 2025: Commissioners scheduled to adopt the Schedule of Values
- Jan. 1, 2026: Reappraisal effective; appeals and exemption applications open
- Feb. 2026: Notices mailed to property owners
- June 2026: Commissioners to set the 2026 tax rate
Disaster loan funding
Commissioners also accepted $5.4 million from the N.C. Department of State Treasurer, the third installment of a loan program aiding counties hit by Tropical Storm Helene. Buncombe County has received about $14 million in total through the program since March.
Statewide, the treasurer’s office has distributed $97 million in disaster loans to affected local governments.
National awards
Several county departments were recognized with 2025 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties, including:
- Helene Family Assistance Center, for volunteer coordination and wellness checks after the storm.
- Camp RIO, a weeklong outdoor program for migrant education students.
- Buncombe Connections: Hope, Healing & Community Education, a substance use disorder initiative supported by opioid settlement funds.
- Reading MENtors, a library program providing male role models for children.
Commissioners praised the initiatives as examples of innovation during a challenging year of recovery.
