Southampton County Schools’ $26.4 million budget includes no layoffs, program cuts

Published 10:10 am Wednesday, March 16, 2011

COURTLAND—The Southampton County School Board on Monday night proposed a $26.4 million budget that would not cut programs or lay off any employees.

The spending plan, which is $476,851 less than the current budget, also does not call for pay raises. Employees’ last pay increases were in 2008, said Superintendent Charles Turner.

The school district is asking for $130,553 more in local funding over this year’s allocation for next year’s budget.

Southampton County Administrator Mike Johnson said Tuesday it’s too early to say whether the county can swing an extra $130,553 over the current $10.7 million.

“I won’t have my draft county budget until April 6,” Johnson said.

He did not want to speculate on whether it is doable or it if it would require a tax increase.

The county budget will be presented during a special Board of Supervisors meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, at the Southampton County Administration Building in Courtland.

The school district’s proposed budget was forwarded to the county on Tuesday.

In the school budget, carryover funds of $2.5 million would be used to pay for 37 teaching positions for the 2011-2012 budget, Turner said.

For the current budget, 32 jobs were saved with carryover funds. Another 19 positions were eliminated through attrition, meaning any openings created by retirements or resignations were not filled.