Board approves school repairs and $267,557 capital reallocation for Category 1 projects

The Craven County Board of Commissioners on March 2 approved repair and renovation projects requested by the Craven County Board of Education and adopted a related budget amendment reallocating school capital funds.

Jerome Williams Jr., representing the Craven County Board of Education, presented requests totaling about $256,371 (transcript figure) to cover HVAC control upgrades at multiple elementary, middle and high schools and larger unit replacements at two sites. Williams said funding would come from the North Carolina lottery repair and renovation fund and attached tabulated bid results to his request.

Later in the meeting Craig Warren presented a budget amendment totaling $267,557 that rolls over prior-year funds and reallocates savings from one project (reported completed under budget at $99,975) to cover an overrun on another project (a boiler replacement reported at $172,150). Warren asked the board to approve using the underspend from the completed Vance Farm Life HVAC project to offset the Havlock High School boiler overrun. The board moved, seconded and approved the budget amendment by roll call.

Why it matters: the actions authorize county disbursement of school capital funds and permit immediate contracting and payment for the listed repairs; some bid dates had lapsed and commissioners asked staff to confirm contractors would honor prices, which Williams said they had done.

What’s next: county staff will execute contracts based on the approved bids and process payments; the school board will place the projects on its next agenda for its internal approvals as required.

At the meeting: Jerome Williams Jr., representing the Craven County Board of Education; Craig Warren, finance staff; roll-call votes recorded in favor by the board.