s011116 Joint RCSJanuary 11, 2016 -- Special Joint Meeting with the Randolph County Board of Education
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met in special joint session with the
Randolph County Board of Education at 4:30 p.m. in the Randolph County Schools Central
Services board room, 2222 S. Fayetteville Street, Asheboro. Commissioners Frye, Kemp,
Lanier, Haywood and Allen were present. Also present were County Manager Hal Johnson;
Finance Officer Will Massie; County Attorney Ben Morgan; County Staff Attorney Aimee
Scotton; Amanda Varner, Clerk to the Board; Dana Crisco, Deputy Clerk to the Board; and
members of the Randolph County Board of Education and school officials: Superintendent
Dr. Stephen Gainey, Todd Cutler, Gary Cook, Emily Coltrane, Tracy Boyles, Fred Burgess,
Finance Officer Todd Lowe, Assistant Superintendent of Operations Marty Trotter,
Executive Assistant to Superintendent Beverly Fowler, Assistant Superintendent of
Curriculum/Instruction Catherine Berry, and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources
Amy Walker.
School Board Chairman Todd Cutler welcomed the Commissioners and Chairman Frye
called the meeting to order for the County.
Dr. Stephen Gainey gave an update on their accomplishments after two years into their
nine year plan and thanked the Commissioners for making their needs a "team" effort. He
gave an update on funding and discussed some of their 2016-2017 FY budget requests that
will be presented at the March Commissioner meeting. Dr. Gainey said they project
continuation costs to be down from $525,000 last year to $382,000 for the 2016-2017 FY.
He said they are projecting an increase in all types of insurances and discussed a 2% match
for health insurance increases and are expecting a 3% increase in liability/workers
comp/property insurance rates. They would like to be able to give a salary increase of 2%
and a retirement increase of 3%. They have had no increases since 2007. To stay competitive
with surrounding systems, he requested 1 % supplemental increase for all employee
classifications. They would like to be able to retain good teachers, be able to bring back
some that were lost, and to entice new teachers. He stated that there are no pay incentives
from the State to stay after 25 years of service. Many teachers see no benefit to stay a full 30
years but he wishes they could retain many of them a little longer. He stated that they often
leave the teaching profession and find other careers if they are not yet at retirement age.
Dr. Gainey also explained how charter school growth has affected all county school
systems. Randolph County Schools lost around $55,000 in funding for this school year when
320 kids moved to various charter schools including virtual charter schools. He added that
home schooled children are not counted into average daily memberships in regards to state
funds; however, if they decide to attend a charter school, monies are then taken from the
school system in which they live and given to the charter one. They did encounter a few
instances of home school students transferring to a charter.
Chairman Frye asked if the charter school situation had been discussed with the State
legislators and Dr. Gainey said there had been conversations.
In regards to their capital outlay, Dr. Gainey said they have completed year two of the
nine-year facility upgrade to address necessary building repairs and have no new requests for
the upcoming year.
Assistant Superintendent of Operation Marty Trotter presented the updates to the school
system's nine-year facility upgrade/repair plan devised in 2014. Materials have been
purchased for both the first and second year unfinished projects and will be completed during
teacher workdays or the 2016 summer vacation.
Staff continues efforts on the year three project of the need for municipal water and sewer
for New Market Elementary. They are now working with an engineering firm to evaluate
options and costs to move this project forward with a plan to get these services from either
the City of Randleman or Archdale.
Dr. Gainey said the need for additional capacity in the Randleman and Southeastern
Randolph Middle School has subsided and each is now below capacity. However, there is
still a need for a middle school in the Trinity area and estimated a cost of at least $22 million
dollars to construct. They would save around $52,000 a year on the rent they are paying for
mobile units. He said they already own land for the building.
Dr. Gainey said they have been good stewards of the monies received and have been able
to make cuts and save money in order to maintain expenses and complete projects. They will
not be requesting any additional capital outlay. Their total current and capital request is
estimated to be around $1,582,000.
Adjournment
At 5:41 p.m., on motion of Kemp, seconded by Allen, the Board voted unanimously to
adjourn.
Darrell L. Frye, Chairman Phil Kemp
Arnold Lanier
David Allen
Stan Haywood
Amanda Varner, Clerk to the Board