The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

March 9, 2010

Board OKs $62.5 million spending plan

District wants $1 million more from commisioners

KIMBERLY BELLAMY

The Edgecombe County Board of Education Monday night approved the proposed $62.5 million budget for the 2010-11 school year with a request to the county to increase their allotment by $1,004,943.

The request to the county to fund $7.8 million is an increase of 14.77 percent more than the 2009-10 allotment from the county.

The request specified the local funds would be used for mandatory expense increases including step increases on the state and local salary scales, retirement rate increases, hospitalization increases, maintaining local supplements, maintaining positions, revenue prediction adjustments, cost of anticipated increase of discretionary reduction and increased operating cost.

The district is also counting on the county to provide $65,818 to purchase band uniforms for SouthWest Edgecombe High School. Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon said while the uniforms are needed, that expense could be taken out depending on the final allotments for the budget.

Board Chairwoman Evelyn Wilson asked about plans to manage funding if the county isn’t able to grant the increase.

Finance Director Laurie Leary said she expects the district has planned accordingly with their budget request.

“No one submitted large amounts of increases in their request,” Leary said.

Although the state allotment is expected to increase because of an increase in average daily membership by 58 students, a 35 percent increase in discretionary reduction to the state is expected, resulting in $1,501,088 that the district will have to revert back.

The budget doesn’t restore funding for professional development, improving student accountability, or literacy coaches and no additional money will be allotted for textbooks.

The district also projects a reduction in non-instructional support from the state, which they are planning to use American Recovery and Reinvestment funding and lottery money to cover the loss.

Leary said the disbursements of the lottery funds are unpredictable.

“It shows up really sporadic,” she said.

“We don’t count on that money until it’s in,” Witherspoon said.

Lottery money will also be used to pay the district’s share of a bond payment of $316,241.

The board also approved budget amendments to the 2009-10 school budget with increases, decreases and transfer of funds in several areas.

In other news:

• Edgecombe Community College President Dr. Deborah Lamm invited the board to a meeting in April to discuss forming a partnership to create strategies to improve education and the work force.

• Approved policies 4180 and 5840 on pregnant students and Monitored and Directed Growth Plans, respectively.

• Approved 25 field trip request.

• Approved a historical marker to be placed a Phillips Middle School to recognize the existence of Phillips High School from 1949-71.

• Approved the continuation of agreement with Follett Software Co., formerly Tetra Data, to have a central access point for all of the district’s data.

Text Only
Local News
  • The first lap (with Relay story).jpg Edgecombe Relay for Life seeking business partners

    Fresh from raising $196,312 and ranking No. 4 nationally in per capita fundraising, Relay for Life Edgecombe County is seeking business and corporate sponsors to help in the fight against cancer.
    Corporate and business sponsorship packets, which detail the levels and benefits of sponsorship, are ready to be delivered, according to Jane Gurley Harper, corporate sponsor chair. Businesses can also help by forming a team to participate in Relay and raise money in that manner.

    February 9, 2012 1 Photo

  • Maggie Boyd.jpg Princeville commissioner, interim town manager involved in physical conflict


    PRINCEVILLE — The disconnect of water service at a commissioner's home led to a physical confrontation between the elected official and a town employee Wednesday at the town hall.
    According to Commissioner Gwen Knight, interim Town Manager Maggie Boyd gave instructions to a public works employee and a police officer to cut off Knight's water because the account was delinquent in the amount of $662.77.
    Knight said she went to the town hall to pay the bill as soon as she was told about her service being cut off.

    February 9, 2012 2 Photos

  • Victor Marrow new hedeshot.jpg Princeville terminates town manager Appoints museum curator to fill same position

    PRINCEVILLE — A contract dispute between the Princeville town manager and the town commissioners led to his termination at the close of business Monday.
    Victor Marrow was notified by Princevile Attorney Charles Watts that he had been fired.
    Marrow's contract expired Feb. 1, but the town extended it six days in hope of his signing a proposed new contract. Marrow was hired in February 2010 on a two-year contract. Nine months later, he resigned, only to rescind his resignation the following morning.
    Stipulations of the proposed new contract were untenable to Marrow and included the stipulation that it was to end on June 12, included a $5,000 pay cut, work in excess of 40 hours per week and write at least three grants per month, he said. 

    February 8, 2012 1 Photo

  • CRIME ROUNDUP

    The Tarboro Police Department responded to a call Friday and was told a victim had been stabbed. While conducting an investigation, officers were told by the victim that Perry Lee Bunn, 58, 304 Granville St., had stabbed him several times. The name of the victim was not released by police.
    Officers called EMS to respond to the scene to transport the victim to the hospital so he could treated for his injuries.

    February 8, 2012

  • Significant deficiencies in county audit

    Auditors told Edgecombe County Commissioners on Monday night that they found significant deficiencies while compiling the 2010-2011 annual audit of county finances. Still, the audit received an unqualified opinion.

    February 8, 2012

  • Teresa Bryant headshot.jpg Bryant declines to seek re-election

    Teresa DeLoatch Bryant announced she will not seek re-election to the District 2 seat she now holds on the Edgecombe County Public Schools Board. The announcement came 91 days before the May 8 Primary Election and nearly a year after the first-term plus one year board member announced her resignation for personal and career reasons. She later rescinded her decision.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • MimiHerman.jpg W.A. Patillo receives $5,000 poetry grant

    W.A. Pattillo School has been awarded $5,000 from the North Carolina Arts Council for Poetry in the Classroom with Mimi Herman.
    The funds will be used to provide a week of poetry writing experiences for seven fourth grade classes through the expertise and creativity of Herman. Students will gain self-confidence, and will view themselves as writers rather than merely consumers of literature. They will learn to use language effectively and creatively to communicate thoughts, feeling, and impressions.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • IMG_5889.JPG Pizza Bowl

    The biggest football game of the year brings the largest sale of the year for two area pizza restaurants.
    Tarboro branches of Pizza Inn and Dominos Pizza are gearing up for Super Bowl XLVI Sunday by increasing their regular employee lineup by as many as seven.
    Pizza Inn is running a special that they believe will keep them busy throughout the day. Last year they sold over 200 large pizzas on Super Bowl Sunday compared to 50 on an average Sunday.

    February 3, 2012 1 Photo

  • Edgecombe unemployment up in December

    TARBORO — Unemployment rates increased in 93 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in December. Rates decreased in four counties and remained the same in three.
    Edgecombe, which saw a slight improvement in November, fell back to its October 2011 level (15.7%). Of the 100 counties in North Carolina, Edgecombe and Dare are tied at third highest in unemployment. 

    February 3, 2012

  • Three ECPS campuses ahead of First Lady's nutritional guidelines

    When First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced new guidelines for the nutritional overhaul of school meals last week, they could have chosen three of Edgecombe County's public schools as their models.

    February 2, 2012