Amherst County schools ask board for $1.2 million to cover 3% pay increase, add nine staff; board holds health cost steady

Doctor Wells, a school division official, presented Amherst County Schools' proposed FY2026 operating budget to the Board of Supervisors and asked the board for an additional $1.2 million to cover a required 3% pay increase and other personnel and inflationary costs.

Wells said the division will set its enrollment in the budget on the state projection of 3,615 students even though local projections are higher (3,684), because using the state's lower projection reduces the risk of a midyear shortfall. "If we budget higher than that and it does come in low, then we're in a deficit," Wells said.

The presentation listed $65,769,290 in total requested revenue across all funds, an increase in state funding the division expects to be $947,381, and an operating funding ask of $1,200,000 from the county to meet a net personnel and cost gap. Wells said the $1.2 million "gets us to where we can fund the things we need to fund which mainly funds — no matter how you slice it — it mainly funds a 3% pay increase." He added that the biennial state budget calls for a 3% compensation increase for FY2026 and reiterated that the legislature also approved a one‑time $1,000 bonus for certain SOQ‑funded positions that will pay in June and not affect next year's budget.

Personnel changes: Wells said the division's FY2026 request adds nine net new full‑time equivalent positions (FTEs) and folds roughly 19 existing positions into the operating budget that had previously been paid from other funding sources. The nine new FTEs include a teacher at Madison Heights Elementary, a custodian at Amherst County High School to cover roughly 50,000 newly added square feet, six additional floating kindergarten instructional assistants (one per elementary school), and one Best Lab assistant at Elon Elementary. Wells placed the nine new positions' annual cost at $383,887.

Wells described the 19 positions that are now being moved into the operating budget as largely existing staff who had been paid from sub‑lines or grants; among them he said were van drivers (special education transport) who have worked for the division for years and who must be offered employer benefits because of their hours. The division estimates an additional $32,004 to cover benefits for those positions if employees choose coverage.

Compensation and benefits: The division is budgeting a 3% pay increase for contracted staff (estimated $1,286,000), market or step adjustments targeted at specific employee groups, and an employer health‑insurance funding increase of 7.74 (reported) percent, which Wells said would raise the division's employer health cost by about $350,000. Total reported increases on the personnel and operating side were listed as $2,251,080 before accounting for the expected additional state aid.

Programs and services: Wells outlined the division's "Best Labs" (Behavioral Educational Support and Transition) — in‑school mental health and behavioral supports that the division established after changes in Medicaid reimbursement reduced availability of external day‑treatment services. Best Labs are currently operating in five schools (Manellison, Amherst Education Center, Amelon, Madison Heights and Central Elementary) and the division proposed adding Elon Elementary next year. Wells said more than 50 students have participated and the division reported "9,000 individual consultations" to the Best Labs during the program's operation. The division is seeking Medicaid reimbursement for some mental health services and said reimbursements are pending.

Budget balancing and tradeoffs: Board members pressed Wells on the timing and permanence of the 19 positions moved into the operating budget and on whether those positions were planned in prior fiscal cycles or funded from one‑time sources. Board member Mr. Adams noted past increases in the county's long‑term debt tied to school projects and asked about tradeoffs; Wells and county finance staff pointed to internal reorganizations and savings that the division said offset part of the cost of positions and, in aggregate, produced approximately $91,703 in net savings in the division's reallocation exercise.

Board direction and insurance decision: Supervisors discussed county budget options and signaled the county will build the FY2026 draft around "no change to employee health contributions" while including the requested 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment for employees only if the budget can be balanced. In a separate formal motion, the board voted to direct staff to work with Pierce Group benefits to contract with Local Choice (TLC) to offer the Key Advantage 1,000 PPO and a TLC high‑deductible plan with a $1,500 employer annual HSA contribution for county employee health insurance in FY2026. The motion carried on a voice vote; board members said the motion passed after a call for ayes and noes.

Next steps and timing: County staff and school leaders agreed to "sharpen pencils" and return with tightened numbers next week so the county can finalize the budget for publication by early April. County staff recommended deferring many supplemental and capital improvement plan rankings until after the fiscal year close and bringing a prioritized CIP back to the board in September when carryover and unobligated fund balances are known. Wells said the division will continue community outreach and public meetings on its budget and will return for follow‑up with the board.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to direct staff to work with Pierce Group to contract with Local Choice (Key Advantage 1,000 PPO and TLC high‑deductible plan with $1,500 employer HSA contribution) for FY2026 employee health insurance: approved (voice vote; no roll‑call tally provided). - Motion to adjourn: approved (voice vote).

Ending: The board did not approve the school division's $1.2 million request at the meeting; supervisors asked school leaders to return with a revised proposal and said the county's initial draft budget will be built assuming no increase in employee health costs and level funding unless the board later chooses otherwise.