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Avery County schools seek $6.8 million contribution; commissioners agree to consider $450,000 closeout amendment
Summary
New superintendent Beth Pendley told commissioners the county request was reduced to $6.8 million without cutting positions and asked for one year to address budget problems; commissioners agreed to consider a $450,000 closeout amendment at their June 9 meeting.
Beth Pendley, the new superintendent of Avery County Schools, told the Avery County Board of Commissioners that the school system’s request to the county had been cut to $6.8 million without eliminating positions and that the district needs time and short-term help to stabilize finances. "We are changing the supplement to a flat amount of $1,000 to all employees," Pendley said as she outlined requests for closeout funding for summer programs and 4‑H and plans to retain a consultant and pursue long-term child-nutrition solutions.
Beth Edwards, interim finance officer for the Board of Education, told commissioners she "did not see any misuse of funds," but warned that one-time federal ESSER funds had given a false sense of security and were not sustainable, and that the district’s fund balance has been depleted. Edwards also noted pending legislative action could raise starting teacher pay to $50,000, a change several commissioners said would further strain the budget.
Several commissioners pressed district leaders for clearer budgeting. Commissioner Dennis Aldridge said the board has repeatedly asked for a line-item, understandable budget and flagged that the district appeared to have about 30 more positions than expected before the May 1 staffing deadline. "We don’t want to cut positions," Aldridge said, "but whenever you have student loss the harsh reality is you cannot continue in that regard." Commissioner Wood Hall Young Jr. called a $50,000 starting salary proposal an "unfunded mandate."
The board reached consensus to consider a budget amendment at its June 9 meeting to provide $450,000 to close out the school year for Avery County Schools. The transcript records the consensus but does not show a formal roll-call vote or who formally moved the amendment. The superintendent and the Board of Education interim finance officer asked for ongoing monthly coordination meetings among the county manager, the superintendent and finance officers to monitor progress.
Next steps: the board will place the proposed $450,000 closeout amendment on the June 9 agenda for formal consideration; no formal approval was recorded on May 22.
