(a) Whenever the board of commissioners of each county constituting a public health authority determines that the authority is not operating in the best health interests of the authority service area, they may direct that the authority be dissolved. In addition, whenever a board of commissioners of a county which is a member of an authority determines that the authority is not operating in the best health interests of that county, it may withdraw from the authority. Dissolution of an authority or withdrawal from the authority by a county shall be effective only at the end of the fiscal year in which the action of dissolution or withdrawal transpired.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, no public health authority shall be dissolved without prior written notification to the Department.

(c) Any budgetary surplus available to a public health authority at the time of its dissolution shall be distributed to those counties comprising the authority on the same pro rata basis that the counties appropriated and contributed funds to the authority’s budget during the current fiscal year. Distribution to the counties shall be determined on the basis of an audit of the financial record of the authority. The public health authority board shall select a certified public accountant or an accountant who is subsequently certified by the Local Government Commission to conduct the audit. The audit shall be performed in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 159-34 The same method of distribution of funds described above shall apply when one or more counties of an authority withdraw from the authority.

(d) Upon dissolution or withdrawal, all rules adopted by the board continue in effect until amended or repealed by the new authority board or boards of health. (1997-502, s. 1.)