Burke County Board tentatively approves $FY26 budget with $22.45M transfer for school projects

The Burke County Board of Education gave tentative approval Thursday to a proposed fiscal year 2026 budget that increases personnel and benefit spending and moves $22,450,000 into the district building fund for planned construction and renovation projects.

The tentative budget passed on a voice/show-of-hands vote after a motion “to tentatively approve the budget as presented,” made by Mister Lang and seconded by another board member. The board must adopt a final budget at its June regular meeting and the budget must be advertised in the newspaper prior to final approval.

The budget presentation by Mr. Martin, a district finance staff member, said revenues as of April 30, 2025, were $128,042,388 and expenditures were $59,164,279. “Through the month of April, our fiscal year is 83.33% complete,” Martin said. He told the board that investments totaled $294,827,342.11 as of April 30 and that receipt of the utility digest payment caused a notable increase to revenues and investments.

Martin said the proposed $6,919,423 increase in the FY26 general fund budget is driven mainly by salary and benefit increases: a roughly $3.2 million addition for a 7% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and step increases, roughly $2.3 million for health insurance changes, and nearly $1 million from higher employer FICA and TRS contributions after the TRS employer rate rose to 21.91% from 20.93%.

The board packet shows the transfer to the building fund increased to $22,450,000. “The largest addition … is the $10,000,000 related to the fields,” Martin said, listing items included in that figure: two middle-school practice fields; a middle-school football field with track, bleachers and lights; new middle-school baseball and softball fields with bleachers and bathrooms; and renovation of high-school softball and baseball fields.

Other function-level changes Martin outlined include a $4,046,288 increase for instruction (to $49,879,955), $433,251 for school administration, $777,117 for maintenance and operations (including a $119,988 expected property-insurance increase), and modest increases for general administration, pupil services, instructional media and transportation. Martin said many of those increases are salary- and benefit-driven.

Board members discussed project phasing for the Burke County Life Center demolition/rebuild, confirming that some projects are being budgeted over two fiscal years so only half the cost appears in the upcoming year. The finance staff reiterated that the FY26 figures are tentative and that a final approval is planned for June.

The board voted to tentatively approve the budget and will return for final adoption after required public notice and any additional review.

What’s next: The board will advertise the tentative budget, continue review at the May–June meetings and is scheduled to consider final adoption in June.