Brunswick County delays decision on $409.8 million school bond after school-system presentation and commissioner concerns

School officials presented a plan on Sept. 15 outlining capital needs across northern Brunswick County and requested authorization to place a roughly $409.8 million school bond before voters. The proposal includes two new elementary schools, a new high school, site purchases and classroom and playground updates; one of the elementary schools was budgeted as a hardened shelter, which adds roughly $19 million to the cost, according to school staff.

The board of the county’s school system told commissioners that rapid population growth has pushed Belleville, Lincoln and Town Creek elementary schools well above design capacity and that Jackie's Creek Elementary is planned to open in 2028 to relieve pressure. A school-system representative said planners aim to avoid another bond before the end of the decade by addressing needs in a single referendum package.

Commissioners pressed staff on timing, ballot choice and cost details. One commissioner warned that placing the bond on a low-turnout March primary ballot could jeopardize passage and urged the county to consider the general election when turnout is higher. "If we're gonna let the people have their say, should we not put it on the ballot when more people are gonna be at the polls?" a commissioner asked during the discussion.

Questions also focused on whether the bond should include funds to harden a portion of a new elementary school so it could be used as a hurricane shelter. Doug Sherwood, the project architect, described the structural and mechanical complexities of making an entire school—or a portion of it—meet shelter standards and said adapting an entire building to 'category 4' essential-facility standards raises costs and structural requirements.

Several commissioners asked the school system to produce an alternate bond option excluding the shelter work and to show a version that removes pre-K investments so the board can see how much the total would decline. The school system agreed to provide a breakdown and more detailed cost estimates and said independent cost estimators will refine figures as schematic design proceeds.

After extended debate about campaign readiness, turnout and fairness across the county, commissioners voted to delay action and asked school staff to return in two weeks with refined figures, a breakdown that removes shelter costs if requested, and a plan for public outreach. The board's delay keeps the bond on a tentative timeline while giving both governing bodies additional time to coordinate on scope and timing.

The school system representative said if the bond is not ready for the spring primary, officials will consider placing it on the general-election ballot. The school board staff noted that pushing the schedule back will also push construction and program timelines out and could increase projected costs.

Next steps: school staff will return with the requested cost breakdowns and outreach plans; the commission will reconvene the discussion at a meeting set after that staff review.