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Board to send joint request for $10M water/sewer funds and asks legislature to raise small-school revenue
Summary
The board approved a letter to Representative Mike Clampett asking for $10 million for water and sewer infrastructure (a joint request with the town and county) and supported a 40% increase in small-schools revenue that would raise district annual funding from about $1.7 million to approximately $2.4 million.
The Swain County Board of Education approved a budget-letter package to send to Representative Mike Clampett that includes a joint request with the town and county for $10 million to address water and sewer infrastructure needs and a request that the General Assembly increase the district's small-schools revenue by 40 percent.
Staff presented a draft engineer's estimate and town engineer's map that identified work areas and a preliminary cost list; the packet materials were to be attached to the letter as a statement of need. Board members said the coordinated request from the three local governments would carry more weight at the state level.
The small-schools revenue item asks the legislature to raise the district's annual small-school allocation from roughly $1.7 million to about $2.4 million (a 40 percent increase). Staff and board members described the small-schools funding as an important part of the district's operating resources, often used much like local funds.
Why it matters The $10 million infrastructure request would support sewer and water upgrades that affect school properties and town infrastructure and could be eligible for grant coverage of on-property work. The requested increase in small-schools revenue would materially add recurring funds to the district's operating budget if adopted by the General Assembly.
Next steps The board authorized district chair to sign the letters and asked staff to deliver the materials to Representative Clampett by the stated deadline; the board also agreed to copy Senator Portman on the request.
