Macon County Schools presents $15.7 million ask; commissioners debate priorities including Highlands athletic field and East Franklin study

Macon County Schools delivered a multi-part budget presentation to the county commissioners, asking the board to fund a maintain budget, a set of top priorities and an expansion package that together would raise the district's request to about $15.7 million for fiscal 2025'26.

The district presented its legislative timeline, fund structure and a three-tiered request: a maintain budget to cover projected salary and benefit increases and other baseline costs; a list of "top priorities" that included instructional coaches, two full-time art and two full-time music teachers, an instructional technology facilitator, and school nutrition support for two schools; and an "expansion" package of school-level personnel and equipment requests gathered from principals. The superintendent's representative said the county appropriation currently funds a large share of local positions paid from county funds, and stressed that state funding does not fully cover local needs.

The county commissioners pressed for specifics and pushed back on several items. Commissioner John Shields and others said Highlands School's proposed conversion of a natural grass soccer field to synthetic turf raised technical and cost questions: contractors told the district that the site is saturated with up to 20 feet of muck and that drainage issues and winter freeze/thaw cycles complicate a conversion. Commissioners and some community members said a design study for the Highlands field (estimated at about $75,400 in the district's packet) could be useful but warned it might only surface more unknowns and costs. Several commissioners urged clarity on whether a study would be an immediate step or simply add to planning costs.

Commissioners also discussed East Franklin School, which the school district listed among its capital priorities, including a request that the county support an independent facilities study to document problems and potential sites. County staff noted state grants are available for replacement elementary schools but that the grant process requires thorough documentation and a "shovel-ready" posture if the district later seeks funds. Commissioners asked the schools and county staff to coordinate on preparing an application and identifying possible county-owned sites for a future replacement.

Budget numbers provided by the district included a maintain cost of about $12.38 million, maintain plus top priorities of about $13.27 million, and the full maintain-plus-priorities-plus-expansion total of $15.70 million. The district's top-priorities line items totaled roughly $897,000. The presentation flagged a pending state bill that would raise beginning teacher pay from $41,000 to $50,000 and noted that, if enacted, that change would substantially increase the county ask because local supplements and benefits would rise for locally funded teacher positions.

Commissioner discussion emphasized process: several members said they wanted to set a recurring percentage of the county's operating budget the county will allocate to schools in future years so both the board and the district can plan. County staff said the proposed budget before commissioners already includes an increase in operating support for the schools (about $400,000) and $1.15 million in capital for the district.

The county and school board members present said the boards generally have a productive working relationship and agreed to continue the conversation, including a possible follow-up meeting focused on capital priorities and a timeline for an East Franklin study. County staff also noted the district had built fund balance using one-time federal ESSER funds and cautioned commissioners that those balances do not replace recurring revenue.

Ending: Commissioners said they would review the district's strategic plan and budget details, consider whether to set a percent-based allocation for future years, and discuss funding sources, including one-time uses of contingency or fund balance versus recurring allocations. The county scheduled follow-up budget work sessions to finalize appropriations before the county budget deadline.