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Craven County adopts $169.12 million FY2026–27 budget with no tax increase; funds schools, grants and departmental fixes
Summary
The Craven County Board of Commissioners on June 1 adopted a $169,121,047 FY2026–27 budget that keeps the tax rate at $0.4448 per $100 valuation, funds $30.27M for schools and approves several departmental budget amendments and grant applications.
Craven County adopted its FY2026–27 budget on June 1, approving a $169,121,047 spending plan that holds the county tax rate at $0.4448 per $100 valuation. County Manager Jack B. Veit, III presented the ordinance and noted the levy remains unchanged: “the County has a balanced budget of $169,121,047 with a tax rate of .4448 which remains the same, as there was no tax increase.”
The ordinance itemizes $30,271,452 for Craven County Schools and preserves existing service levels across public safety, health and social services while funding one-time capital priorities. Finance Director Craig Warren said the county will also submit the required Public School Building Capital Fund application to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to access lottery proceeds restricted to school construction or debt service; Warren said proceeds will be applied to about $1.3 million in debt service on the 2013 Limited Obligation Bonds, with the board told that this school debt is expected to retire next fiscal year.
The board also approved a set of departmental budget amendments tied to operational pressures and court-mandated work: Solid Waste Director Steven Aster won a $35,000 amendment to cover higher convenience-center usage and new tipping fees imposed by the Coastal Regional Solid Waste Management Authority; Recreation & Parks Director Mark Seymour received a $44,000 amendment to cover increased electrical costs and building and grounds needs at West Craven and Creekside Parks; and Planning Director Chad Strawn secured $32,200 to remove trash and three to four dilapidated mobile homes at Sandy Ridge Mobile Home Park following a court judgment. Each amendment passed on unanimous 7-0 roll-call votes.
On aging services, Clayton Gaskins, chairman of the Craven Aging Planning Board, presented the Home and Community Care Block Grant (HCCBG) recommendation for FY2026–27. The board approved the recommended allocation and the county match of $69,184; Gaskins cautioned that the transcript-listed National Grant Award of $622,658 remains expected but unconfirmed and that any change would prompt a future budget amendment.
The board also approved a resolution to enter a multi-year capital lease with Apple, Inc. for school district technology purchases, as presented by Dr. Stuart Blount, Interim Assistant Superintendent for Systems & Operations. Blount confirmed the Board of Education previously adopted a supporting resolution and that the lease is presented under N.C.G.S. 115-528.
The budget ordinance includes an adopted fee schedule and a set of administrative delegations allowing the budget officer to make line-item transfers up to specified limits and to freeze new vacancies when warranted. The meeting record shows all votes on the budget and related amendments carried by recorded 7-0 tallies. The board adjourned after receiving routine manager and commissioners’ reports and a brief public-comment segment.
Looking ahead, staff indicated that any changes to the HCCBG award will be brought back to the board through the normal amendment process; the Finance Director also noted school debt-service planning related to lottery proceeds would continue through the coming fiscal year.
