Dozens urge Alamance commissioners to fully fund schools, libraries and rescue services at public hearing

Dozens of residents spoke at the Alamance County budget public hearing to urge full funding for public schools, libraries and volunteer rescue services, warning that cuts would have long-term consequences for students and public safety.

Speakers included parents, teachers and school-board officials who asked the board to fund the full ABSS request. Sandy Ellington Graves, chair of the Alamance County Board of Education, said the county has a nearly $21 billion property-tax base and about $96,000,000 in its fund balance and urged commissioners to treat education as a priority. "Tonight, you have an opportunity to show our community that education is truly important to you," Graves said. She also reminded the board that ABSS is one of the larger districts in the state and highlighted the staffing pressures in the schools.

Several educators and school staff described immediate operational impacts from reduced funding: bus-driver shortages that delay students, social workers and nurses stretched across multiple schools, and the loss of support positions such as graduation coaches and testing coordinators. Teacher Morgan Baker, who said she had worked in local classrooms and jails, said, "Libraries save lives, even those experiencing homelessness," and argued that libraries and schools are both "core services." Teacher and parent Robert Alves described low local per-pupil spending and warned that reduced local supplements and staff retention problems were already eroding services.

Public-safety volunteers and leaders also spoke. Chris Mone, chief of the Alamance County Rescue Unit, described the unit's specialized mission and volunteer training: "Many hands, many minds, one goal. The goal is clear, to save lives." Multiple speakers, including Josh Shumate, commander of the North Carolina Association of Rescue and EMS, and Leslie Prince, a former rescue director, said the rescue unit provides unique technical capabilities — swift-water, heavy-rescue and dive teams — that the county would have difficulty replacing if funding were cut.

Business and civic leaders also urged investment in schools. Reagan Gurell, president and CEO of the Alamance Chamber, told commissioners that a low tax rate is not valuable if it prevents investments needed to attract jobs: "If the proposed budget further reduces per pupil spending, we stand to fall even lower. It places us at a competitive disadvantage and will have an impact on our ability to recruit highly skilled, high paying jobs."

Why it matters: Speakers framed school and library funding as long-term economic development and public-safety investments. Several said short-term savings would cost the county more over time in higher remediation costs, reduced workforce readiness and pressure on emergency services.

Ending: Commissioners heard a cross-section of testimony and will consider the public input as they review the manager's recommended budget at upcoming work sessions ahead of a June 16 adoption vote.