Votes at a glance: Catawba County Board approves budgets, contracts, tuition and personnel

The Catawba County Board of Education approved a slate of motions and contracts in its Feb. 23, 2026 meeting, recorded in the transcript as passed by voice vote or unanimous consent.

Key approvals included the 2026-27 local current expense budget draft (presenter Seth Privett said the request represented an overall $4,000,000 increase — about 11.4% — from the county), a revised capital outlay request, and the audit engagement for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026 (the audit contract reflects a roughly 3% fee increase to just over $42,000). "An overall $4,000,000 request increase request from the county equates to 11.4%," Privett said when presenting the draft budget.

The board approved amendments to the district’s E-rate consulting agreement with Clarity Solutions (seventh and eighth amendments) and Amendment 2 to the district’s Wide Area Network telecommunications agreement with Cantera Ultra Broadband LLC; Marty Sharpe presented both items and said the WAN amendment is the final extension ahead of an RFP next school year.

Early-childhood and curriculum items approved included a pre-K tuition increase from $496 to $650 for 2026-27 (presenters said the district faces about a $200,000 deficit and that the increase would reduce that shortfall) and a $75,396.39 purchase from Curriculum Associates for i-Ready resources for grades 2–5 (to be paid from PRC 085 funds, not state/local textbook funds).

The board approved master service agreements with Participate Learning to supply dual-language teachers (presenter noted a fee around $23,000 per teacher but said the district recoups costs by not paying benefits/retirement), and approved an architectural services selection process recommendation, awarding SFLA (SFLA Architects) for the middle school additions and renovation program following a 12-firm solicitation and six-firm shortlist.

Other approved items included revisions to the 2026-27 school calendar to add inclement-weather makeup days, adoption of the employee use of social media policy (7.335), approval of personnel recommendations and addenda, adoption of a resolution supporting equitable funding for exceptional children (district staff said the program has been underfunded by more than $2 million over two years), and a resolution declaring certain real property adjacent to Balls Creek Elementary School surplus to begin a bid process.

Most recorded votes were passed by voice vote with unanimous consent as noted in the transcript; individual roll-call tallies are not included. The board adjourned the Feb. 23 meeting by unanimous voice vote.

Provenance: actions and approvals are recorded across the transcript; budget draft and audit engagement appear SEG 805–903; E-rate and WAN amendments SEG 908–966; pre-K tuition and curriculum purchases SEG 967–1004; master service agreements SEG 1049–1104; architect selection SEG 1250–1356; policy adoptions and resolutions SEG 1360–1612; personnel and adjournment SEG 1615–1639.