For months, the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners and county staff have been at work discussing the budget for the next fiscal year, but Monday commissioners cast their vote, which ultimately left residents feeling like they are lacking support in two major areas.
Residents filled the top floor of the New Hanover County historic courthouse to listen and give their last thoughts on the proposed fiscal year 2025 budget. Most of those in attendance were there for one or both of two issues: Port City United and New Hanover County Schools.
Port City United
Many residents, including those from other nonprofit organizations and employees from Port City United, spoke up about Port City United's proposed elimination from the budget.
The future of Port City United became uncertain in March when mediation and outreach supervisor Stephen Michael Barnett was arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to attempted murder. County commissioners began discussions about what the future of the department should be while placing the mediation and outreach department on paid administrative leave.
In May, another Port City United employee was arrested and faces multiple drug and firearm charges.
Commissioner Dane Scalise was outspoken about his belief that the program should come to an end, while Commissioner Jonathan Barfield Jr. shared his thoughts about the positive impact that the organization has made in the community.
Multiple New Hanover High School graduates came forward to share their positive experiences with Port City United's community recourse coordinators, who worked with kids in underserved schools to provide them with resources.
One graduate said she was a student at New Hanover High School when a shooting happened in 2021. "I thought I would never step back into that school," she said.
But her experience with community resource coordinators gave her confidence and a feeling of safety as well as resources to help her get scholarships, which she now has to attend North Carolina Central University.
About PCU's founding:As Port City United faces scrutiny, here’s a look at how and why it was started
Pastor Robert Campbell of New Beginning Christian Church in Castle Hayne spoke in support of Port City United and acknowledged that the communities that the organization works in are underserved and that the people in them are not expendable.
"I don't think they're lost," Campbell said. "I think we've left them."
New Hanover County Schools
The discussion surrounding funding for New Hanover County Schools has been one that has been jarring to many. With the original proposed cut of 279 positions from the district after the announcement in February of a $20 million budget shortfall, countless community members, teachers, students and local advocates have pleaded with the county for more funding.
The county's proposed budget included about $9.5 million extra in funding. About $5.5 million of those funds will be annual funding to go toward operating expenses, about $1.95 million will go toward Pre-K funding, and $2.1 million will go toward providing the same number of nurses and school mental health counselors.
The school district plans to reduce 170 COVID-19 relief funded positions by June 30 to save $10 million of the district's $20 million budget shortfall. The county's funding would save 76 positions of the 110 that would still need to be cut, according to prior county budget workshops.
Ashly Spannbauer, lead organizer for New Hanover For All, said to commissioners, "We do not feel heard. We're not asking for a magic number. We're not asking for a five, or a nine, or a 20, we are asking you to keep educators in our schools, period."
Spannbauer also said that funding the schools to the extent necessary shouldn't come at the expense of funding from other institutions such as the libraries, parks and even Port City United.
"There are people here in New Hanover County who are telling you where the fires are and you guys have the water and you are not putting out the fire," Spannbauer said.
Other budget highlights
The county's $543 million budget, which is an 8% decrease from the previous fiscal year uses none of the General Fund's Fund Balance or Revenue Stabilization Fund.
The budget includes no change in property tax rates. The rate will remain at 45 cents per $100 of assessed value. There will also be no change in the Fire Service District rate and it will remain at 7.25 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Approximately $8.8 million of Mental Health/Substance Use Disorder Principal Usage will go to Support Public Health.
Stormwater fees will increase to $6.14 per equivalent residential unit a month, which is an 8.7% increase. There will be no change in recycling and solid waste fees and that fee will remain at $52 per ton.
The vote
After hearing the voices of dozens of residents, the board of commissioners voted on the budget, but not without pushback from Barfield and Commissioner Rob Zapple, who voted against the budget.
"In my 16 years on this board, this is the most irresponsible budget I've seen presented," Barfield said, acknowledging that another budget option with the use of the county's Revenue Stabilization Fund would have provided more funding to different organizations.
"It's not like we don't have the money," Barfield said. "We are the third wealthiest county in the state of North Carolina, we have the resources," pointing to the county's Revenue Stabilization Fund that is $300 million from the sale of the New Hanover Regional Medical Center to Novant Health.
"I can tell you where your heart is if you show me your checkbook register," Barfield said. "We spend our money on what's important to us. ... What I'm hearing is that public education is unimportant. What I'm understanding is that the Black and brown communities in our community are not important when it comes to PCU being serviced and helping these young boys and girls get the help that they need."
Dane Scalise, LeAnn Pierce and Bill Rivenbark voted in favor of the budget.
