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Commissioners look at funding for local teacher supplements
By Justin Goble
Commissioners Monday night (Sept. 8) discussed allocating additional funds in this year’s budget to the school system.
School board members have requested $24,434 from the county to provide local teacher supplements. According to county Manager Ken Westmoreland, money to pay 2-percent salary supplements for eligible employees was included in the more than $6 million set aside for the schools in this year’s budget.
“We gave them what they asked for,” Westmoreland said.
Commissioner William Shelton said since the county lived up to its obligation by providing the money the school board asked for, officials should not have to provide more funds to cover the teacher supplements.
“We allocated what they requested,” Shelton said. “I think it’s up to them to come up with the rest. They should make up the shortfall.”
Stating that some figures “got lost in the math,” Commissioners’ Chairman Brian McMahan was also against allocating the additional funds, putting forth a motion to deny the request. That motion was seconded by Commissioner Tom Massie, who said he thought people didn’t pay attention to the county budget.
“We shouldn’t have put any money into anyone else’s budget,” Massie said. “We should have just put all our money in the contingency fund and have people come and ask us for money. Our budget is tight and yet we’re still getting these huge requests.”
Though saying he understood the reasons behind wanting to deny the request, Commissioner Mark Jones suggested tabling the matter for two weeks, which would allow officials with the school system to find out why there is such a deficit.
“If we waited until they figure out what went wrong, then that would give me a level of comfort where I could make a decision on this.”
McMahan withdrew his motion and commissioners agreed to take the matter up again during their next regular meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m.
In other business Sept. 8:
– Commissioners unanimously approved a $15,000 short-term loan for the town of Dillsboro.
The town is receiving a $250,000 grant from the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund for the park at the Monteith Farmstead. However Westmoreland said the town didn’t have enough funds on hand to pay the $15,000 match required and continue to conduct town business.
“It takes them 60 days to recover that money,” Westmoreland said. “They’re a small town and they wouldn’t have the cash on hand.”
Once Dillsboro officials get the grant funds, Westmoreland said they will pay the county back.
– Several appointments were made unanimously.
Raye Parker and Becky Chastain were named to the Industrial Facilities and Pollution Control Finance Board.
Howard Allman and Vance Davidson were reappointed to the county and regional library boards. Glenna Buchanan, Sue Bumgarner, Kim Cowan and Richard Frady were reappointed to the planning board, while Steve Yurkovich was reappointed to the board of adjustment.
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