COMMISSIONERS, BOARD OF EDUCATION WORK TOGETHER
Superintendent: “Tough economy calls for unity”

Lincoln County Schools superintendent Dr. J. David Martin

By Jon Mayhew [LINCOLNTON] – The tenuous relationship between Lincoln County Commissioners and the Lincoln County Schools Board of Education may have come to an end Monday night.

LCS Superintendent Dr. J. David Martin appeared before the board to discuss a two percent cut in the current school system budget.

“In doing these cuts, we need to have a united front between the commissioners and the BOE,” said Martin.

At one point, Martin drew laughs from the Commissioners and the sparse audience in attendance.

“I know it’s rare for a superintendent to come before the board actually agreeing with budget cuts during the fiscal year,” said Martin. “That’s something unusual.”

Martin said the two percent cut in the current budget amounts to around $359,000. With the state reduction of more than $873,000, Martin said total cuts amount to more than $1.2 million.

“We have started this journey together,” said Martin. “We have become alarmed at the current economic crisis.”

Martin said the impact of the reduction will hit certain areas including technology; gas for busses; putting off capital projects; signing bonuses; and – if the economy doesn’t improve – other realities.

“We’ve been on the phone with Raleigh and we’re hoping at the most for a five percent reduction in funds from the state,” said Martin. “The reduction may include the loss of low income dollars coming from the state.”

The superintendent said that if the economy continues to worsen, the losses may total more than $4.7 million.

“This could also lead to the loss of up to 100 positions,” said Martin. “It’s going to take a lot of scrubbing and creativity in the upcoming budget session. We want to keep these cuts from affecting the learning in the classroom.”

County manager George Wood explained the cuts in the low wealth money obtained by school systems across the state are because the state’s changed the formula for calculating monies the systems receive.

“They’re trying to take some of the money to help their budget,” said Wood. “We need to get people alarmed about this to keep this from happening.”

Martin said that the county and the school board are in these tough economic times “together.”

“We are in this economic process together,” said Martin.