Union County board adopts budget request with $2,000 teacher supplement, approves Lenovo Chromebook vendor

MONROE, N.C. — The Union County Board of Education voted Wednesday to submit a revised budget request to the county that includes a $2,000 local teacher supplement and several capital adjustments, and it approved Lenovo as the recommended vendor for grade 3–5 Chromebooks after staff warned of an anticipated 5–10% tariff on laptop units.

The board approved the budget request as amended and instructed staff to forward the package to county staff before the end of the week. Board members also removed a proposed increase in board stipends during the same vote.

The decisions matter because the county’s allocation will shape how many items in the school system’s proposal are funded. District staff said the revised package narrows the gap between projected needs and the county’s forecast but still leaves an additional funding ask to the county.

Shauna McNair, who presented procurement details for the Chromebook RFP, told the board staff had been informed by vendors to expect a tariff of roughly 5–10% on the units. “We have…