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Wentworth council approves staff raises, school equipment and updated facility rules
Summary
At its Jan. 6 meeting the Wentworth Town Council approved two 3% merit increases for town employees, authorized purchases for Wentworth Consolidated School (a refrigerator/freezer and new computers), passed a budget transfer to cover the purchases, and adopted amended rental rules for the school facility.
WENTWORTH, N.C. — The Wentworth Town Council on Jan. 6 approved a string of personnel and capital measures intended to support town operations and the recently renovated Wentworth Consolidated School facility.
Council members voted to grant 3% merit increases to Hunter Wilson, the deputy clerk/accounting clerk, and to Yvonne Russell, the town clerk and finance officer, both increases noted by staff as already budgeted for fiscal 2025–26.
The council also approved purchasing a reach‑in refrigerator and matching freezer for the school’s kitchen area, authorizing a combined purchase price of $7,200 for the Avaco units. Council members discussed site readiness (new floors, added ductwork and electrical work) and coordination with the county health department on what cooking equipment will be allowed in the space.
A separate vote authorized the purchase of new office computers and a refurbished laptop for the mayor at a quoted cost of $3,006.98. Council approved a monthly managed IT/desktop support contract (about $313.60 per month) providing email protection and government‑cloud licensing; staff said the ongoing fee was included in a proposed budget amendment.
The body approved Budget Amendment No. 3, which shifts $12,500 from miscellaneous operating costs to capital outlay (to buy the refrigerator/freezer and computers) and moves $2,000 into computer software support for the monthly IT service; the amendment does not change the town’s overall budget total.
Council also passed a resolution authorizing disposal of obsolete personal property (old copiers, printers, computers and monitors) after staff presented an inventory and cited North Carolina statutory authority for municipal disposal of surplus property.
After a lengthy review and a series of amendments, the council adopted updated rules and regulations for renting the Wentworth Consolidated School facility. Key changes included explicit bans on baseball/softball practice and the use of related equipment inside the gym, a prohibition on dunking, footwear requirements for the gym floor, a $150 security deposit for large event rentals, adjusted resident and nonresident rental rates (the council approved a $400 4‑hour resident rate and $500 4‑hour nonresident rate for the large event room), and language banning tobacco use on the premises. The council also agreed that larger events (amended threshold: groups over 30 people) serving alcohol must use an approved bartender and comply with North Carolina ABC permit rules; the council withdrew a prior requirement that clients must schedule and pay off‑duty Rockingham County deputies for events.
Council chairpersons described the package as a set of practical updates intended to make the renovated school more usable while protecting the town’s assets and limiting liability. The council heard the legislative update earlier in the meeting from state Sen. Phil Berger, who toured local priorities and funding matters before departing.
The council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 3, 2026, at 7 p.m. at Wentworth Town Hall.
