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Commissioners cut money for school board, attorney fees

By Sharon McBrayer | The News Herald

Published: July 1, 2009

Morganton - It now appears there is no money in the schools' budget for the Burke County school board's legal expenses and attorneys' fees, membership in the N.C. School Boards Association, board members' travel or even their $200-a-month per diem.
The Burke County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night eliminated $363,800 designated for the policy, leadership and public relations function, also known as the 6900 fund.
The money was not shifted into another school fund, contrary to what The News Herald originally reported. The commissioners moved the money into the county's general fund expenditures for non-departmental contingencies.
Vice Chairman Bruce Hawkins' amendment to the budget ordinance reduced the 6900 fund from $363,880 to zero.
In the school's 2009-10 budget, the 6900 fund includes:
• $36,800 for board members' travel expenses.
• $12,000 for membership and dues in the N.C School Boards Association.
• $24,750 for legal fees and judgments.
• $30,000 for the annual audit.
• $65,000 for school board attorneys' fees.
• $30,000 for office supplies for central office and $17,800 for postage and meter rental.
• $10,000 for public relations materials and $8,600 for printing and binding.
The fund also includes $54,156 for salary supplements for supervisors and directors, $25,270 for administrators' performance bonuses and $13,800 for the assoociate superintendent's travel.
The commissioners' action reduced the county's total appropriation to the schools from $14.1 million to $13.77 million.
The final budget ordinance says the board of education must obtain the commissioners' approval to amend the appropriation for a function by 10 percent or more. In effect, whenever the schools need money for the 6900 fund next year, the school board must come before the commissioners and ask for the money.
The budget ordinance also says any requests must be accompanied by copies of the school system's state and federal budgets. The county commissioners normally see only the schools' local-expense budget.
The ordinance also demands a monthly financial report on the disbursement and use of local money appropriated to the schools by the county commissioners.
Commission Chair Ruth Ann Suttle said cutting the schools' budget wasn't retaliation for the Burke County Board of Education buying out Superintendent David Burleson's contract. She said the county commissioners have a responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayers' money.
Suttle noted that the county commissioners have no idea where the money will come from to buy out Burleson's contract.
In a letter sent to county commissioners, school board members and The News Herald on Wednesday, Richard Schwartz, special counsel to the Burke County Board of Education, said the money to buy out Burleson's contract will come from funds controlled by the school board, not county commissioners.
The anticipated amount that will be paid out to Burleson will be no more than $116,448, Schwartz stated.
Hawkins later clarified remarks attributed to him in a prior article. He said Schwartz told him at Tuesday's school board meeting that money owed to Burleson would come from funds controlled by the school board.
After the county transfers funds to the schools, the money becomes the schools' and the commissioners have no further control over it.