Supervisors debate school funding, $85,221 in salary/benefit increases and bus purchases; schedule follow-up

Nelson County staff reported to the Board of Supervisors that the school division provided a total of $85,221 in salary and benefit costs for positions shown to receive more than a 3% pay increase in the coming year, and the board discussed how to proceed with the FY26 school portion of the county budget.

County staff said the $85,221 figure came in response to a request for the total salary-and-benefits cost of positions shown to receive greater than a 3% increase. Separately, the budget as published for public hearing included funding for four school buses; staff said the county planned to use non‑recurring funds to expedite purchase of the four buses. Supervisors and school-board representatives discussed whether bus purchases could be staged inside the school division’s operational budget and noted the school board had signaled willingness to consider spreading bus purchases over time.

One supervisor asked for more detail about the $85,221 number; staff explained the school division’s letter itemized costs such as $65,422 in wages and $16,000 in associated fringe benefits for 51 teachers receiving more than 3%. Staff confirmed the totals with the division. Several supervisors said they wanted more time to review the figures before finalizing the budget; one supervisor cited a heavy workload and asked for additional time. The board discussed scheduling a follow-up meeting to continue budget deliberations and identified a late‑afternoon slot on the 25th as a possible time to reconvene, with staff to coordinate exact timing and availability.

Board members balanced concern about prompt contract issuance for teachers against the need to be confident in longer-term fiscal planning. No final appropriation action for the school portion of the FY26 budget was taken at the meeting; supervisors asked staff to continue working with school-division officials and return with clarifications.