Carteret board approves capital and operating budgets; directs staff to build data-backed pay supplements

The Carteret County Board of Education voted Wednesday to approve its capital budget and operating budget and directed staff to draft a data-backed supplemental pay proposal for certified, classified and coaching positions to present to county commissioners.

The board approved a capital request that staff said totaled $4,368,256 and an operating budget presented at the special called meeting. Board members also passed a motion to prepare and submit, alongside the operating budget, supplemental salary increases for certified, classified and coaching positions based on follow-up research and comparative data.

Julie Bernotsky, finance staff member and presenter, summarized changes from the prior workshop packet, including reductions in technology spending compared with earlier proposals. “The total request is $4,368,256,” Bernotsky said. She told the board the district will move to a four‑year Chromebook replacement cycle rather than buying all devices in a single year, which lowers the first‑year cost to $687,000 and reduces a previous roughly $7 million single‑year ask. Bernotsky said software licensing for those devices is estimated at $144,000 and that “the total technology request is $1,172,000.”

Bernotsky also described other capital priorities and recurring maintenance lines. Planned repairs across schools total $1,386,000, she said, and the capital schedule includes individual projects such as playground replacement and bathroom tile work at Atlantic Elementary, postponed security gate work at Beaufort Elementary, and pavement work at Harker’s Island and Newport Elementary. Board members asked for status updates on specific items; Bernotsky said the Croatan High School baseball scoreboard will be replaced this year after local fundraising.

On operating budget adjustments, Bernotsky said property insurance costs increased and the district added recurring lines for camera licenses ($6,000) and for one School Resource Officer ($36,000) after the state safety and security grant did not cover that one position. She said the ESCO (energy savings performance) contract, which includes work by Johnson Controls, remains in force and “is set to expire, I believe, in 2029.”

Board members spent substantial time on employee pay supplements. Several members argued for targeted increases to retain staff and to align with neighboring districts. Board member Ms. Kurzich asked for an increase for certified supplements; other members pressed to consider classified staff, bus drivers and coaches. After discussion the board directed staff to produce a supplemental budget showing a proposed 9% supplement for certified staff, 5% for classified staff and a 5% increase to coaches’ supplements as a starting point for comparisons with peer counties, with final figures to be data‑driven and presented to the county commissioners alongside the operating budget.

The board discussed bus driver recruitment and retention at length, including ideas such as sign‑on and longevity bonuses, advertising and multi‑year incentive structures (for example, staged pay over a 4–5 year period). Members noted that comparable districts have tested bonuses and said any sign‑on or recruitment bonus program would need funding and buy‑in from the county.

Formal actions recorded during the meeting included a motion by Mr. Jenkins, seconded by Ms. Kurzich, to approve the capital budget as presented; a motion by Ms. Wheatley, seconded by Ms. Chadwick, to approve the operating budget as presented; and a motion by Ms. Kergett, seconded by Mr. Jenkins, to instruct staff to prepare supplemental salary increases for certified, classified and coaching positions and present that supplemental budget with the operating budget to the commissioners. Each motion was put to a voice vote and carried.

Board members and staff noted next steps: staff will compile the comparative data on supplement levels in other counties, calculate budget impacts for different percentage scenarios, and submit the supplemental request and supporting data to the board for inclusion with the packet to the county commissioners. The board adjourned after the votes.

Ending

The board’s approval keeps the district on its planned capital and operating tracks while directing staff to return with a concrete, data‑backed supplement package for consideration by the commissioners. The supplemental pay proposal, and the comparative data requested by the board, will determine whether the county will receive a status‑quo operating budget only or an operating budget accompanied by requests for recurring salary increases.