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JACKSON – A month after tabling their decision on providing additional funds to Roanoke-Chowan Community College, the Northampton County Board of Commissioners are still considering the request.

In early February, RCCC President Dr. Murray Williams presented information to the board about how the college is serving the local community, including Northampton County. She concluded her presentation by asking the commissioners to consider increasing their funding so that the funding percentage equals the percentage of Northampton County students attending the school.

That increase would be an additional $85,000 (bringing the county’s total allocation this fiscal year to $195,000).

The commissioners discussed the request at their Feb. 17 meeting, and Board Chair Ed Martin explained that RCCC had asked them for additional funds because they were “facing a shortfall this year.”

At that meeting, however, the commissioners decided that they needed additional information before coming to a decision.

They included the matter again on their agenda at the March 17 meeting.

“We do have some contingency money we could draw from,” Martin told the board, noting that County Manager Julian Phillips confirmed that $50,000 is the most they would be able to contribute.

Commissioner Melvetta Broadnax Taylor asked about the urgency of the request. Martin replied that the shortfall is occurring this fiscal year (which ends on June 30).

“They’re asking not only us. They’re appealing to Hertford and Bertie also,” he added.

He also noted that Dr. Williams did not mention the shortfall when she presented the request to the commissioners in February.

“I wish she would have been totally transparent in telling us that they were in such dire straits when she came in front of us,” Broadnax Taylor replied.

“It’s some tough times right now for education, across the board,” added Commissioner Kelvin Edwards.

Commissioner Keedra Whitaker noted that if they help out one community college, they should be prepared to have to help out others.

“It would have been good to get all the information at the forefront, so we would have known what we were really needing to do to help them, instead of finding out now,” she said.

Martin said he didn’t think the county would be obligated to support any college other than RCCC and Halifax Community College (HCC) since they were the two that serve Northampton. And HCC hasn’t requested any additional funds for this fiscal year. Their previous presentation to the board was their regular budget request for the upcoming fiscal year.

Commissioner Keith Edwards emphasized that education is important, but said they needed more information. He motioned to table the decision until the next meeting (scheduled for April 7). Whitaker seconded, and the vote passed unanimously.

Martin wrapped up the discussion by reminding citizens that the county commissioners have a responsibility to manage county funds for everyone’s best interest.

“We’ve got to try to balance the needs of everyone and everyone’s best interest, and still keep our budget at a manageable level so that we aren’t raising taxes. It is a difficult responsibility and we do take it serious,” he concluded.

On Monday (March 24), Martin told the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald that following a conversation with Dr. Williams, he was assured that the college is not currently facing any sort of financial difficulty. In hindsight, Martin said his reference to a financial “shortfall” at the college was perhaps not the right choice of words.

Martin stated that the college was attempting to request funding from the Northampton, Hertford and Bertie commissioners as a percentage proportionate to the number of students enrolled there from each of the three local counties.