JACKSON – The Northampton County Commissioners approved the proposed budget for the upcoming 2018-19 fiscal year during their regular meeting on June 18. They did so without making any changes to the proposal, leaving intact a $500,000 cut to the county’s public school system funding.

In response, the Northampton Board of Education held a special called meeting on Tuesday to pursue the next steps in trying to secure additional funding. The meeting resulted in drafting a short letter that was sent to the County Manager and Commissioners.

The letter expressed Northampton County Schools’ extreme disappointment in the adopted county budget, and requested consideration to appropriate an additional $650,000 for current expense and additional $75,000 in capital outlay.

The approved budget, which goes into effect July 1, currently allocates $3 million for current expense and $595,000 for capital outlay.

“The school system wishes to resolve the matter quickly through a voluntary resolution,” stated the letter from Northampton Superintendent Dr. Monica Smith-Woofter.

When contacted by the News Herald for more information, Dr. Smith-Woofter said she had no further comment on the matter.

The County Manager’s office had no further comment either. Assistant County Manager Nathan Pearce said the two boards will meet soon to discuss the budget appropriations.

The joint meeting between the Board of Education and Board of Commissioners is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Friday, June 29 at the J.W. Faison Auditorium located at 9495 NC Hwy 305, Jackson.