Martin County schools ask commissioners for $6.1 million to cover rising costs and fund capital needs

Superintendent Chris Mansfield on April 25 presented the Martin County Board of Education’s proposed 2018-19 budgets, asking the county commissioners to fund $6,110,255 of a $6,885,464 current expense budget and to approve a $655,143 capital outlay request.

Mansfield told the joint meeting much state funding remained uncertain, saying, "Looking towards the 2018-19 school year, much of the state budget information remains unknown at the current time." He identified K–3 class-size limits, restoration of small-county funding, charter-school enrollment, rising employee-benefit costs, and growing special-needs expenditures as the primary drivers shaping the district’s request.

The presentation included specific cost and enrollment details. The district requested $650,000 for local charter school payments based on recent enrollment patterns; Mansfield reported about 458 Martin County students attended eight charter schools in 2017–18, including 316 at Bear Grass Charter and 47 at NERSBA. He warned that the pending closure of Heritage Leadership Academy and Beaufort County’s planned exit from NERSBA could change those numbers and the district’s fiscal position.

Mansfield highlighted rising personnel costs: retirement rates were projected at 18.44% (up from 17.13%), health insurance at $6,104 (up from $5,869), and the budget includes a 3% pay increase. He also said the district’s central-office funding from the state has not kept pace with inflation and that Martin County bears substantial local financial responsibility.

The superintendent drew attention to special-needs spending, reporting contracted services requests rising from $65,000 five years ago to $225,000 for 2018–19, a 346% increase. He noted the district serves an English-language-learner population of 76 students speaking a range of languages and proposed hiring an additional full-time ELL teacher.

On capital needs, the schools requested $655,143, including $17,757 to complete the final phase of auditorium stage lighting after a committed 20% cost share from the Martin Community Players. Mansfield asked the county to consider separating auditorium capital requests from the school capital budget and to consider a recurring annual capital appropriation for the auditorium to allow long-range planning.

During discussion, Commissioner Ronnie Smith asked how falling population would affect Average Daily Membership (ADM) funding; Mansfield confirmed ADM declines would reduce state funding. Smith also raised the possibility of a school bond referendum and urged community outreach. County Manager David Bone noted that 1% of the tax rate equated to about $160,000 and said commissioners would review the budget and follow up with the superintendent.

The Board of Education presented these figures for commissioners’ consideration; no final appropriation was made at the joint meeting. The boards agreed to continue dialogue and schedule follow-up review of the proposed budgets.