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KENANSVILLE — A multimillion-dollar school renovation grant, employee recognition, and upcoming county business highlighted the Duplin County Commissioners meeting held Monday night.
In a unanimous vote, the commissioners made a motion to accept a $32.4 million state grant for the renovation of East Duplin High School marking a major investment in local school infrastructure. The needs-based public school capital fund grant requires a county match of $1.624 million and will be used over a three-year period.
Interim County Manager Lisa Hughes explained the funding is provided through the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and is intended primarily for Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties.
“When the bill was first passed, it was supposed to be for new construction and not for any type of renovations, but through the Association of County Commissioners and all the commissioners across the state, we worked with them to change it and recognize that we don’t all need new schools. Sometimes we just need to go in and renovate what we have, and that’s what this one is,” explained Hughes.
The project will involve a complete renovation of East Duplin High School rather than new construction. The county’s share will be reimbursable as expenses are incurred, with an estimated local match of about $406,000 in the first year, $1.136 million in the second year, and $81,200 in the third year.
“It is not in the current budget, so it is something that we would have to budget for in the future,” said Hughes. “They expect the funding to be used over the next three years. As we move forward with it, we’ll bring it back to you for a budget amendment for that funding.”
“It would be a big help to the county to get that $32.4 million,” said Chairman Dexter Edwards, adding that the grant is a significant step toward addressing broader high school needs across the county. “At least this is a good start.”
Commissioners briefly discussed additional school funding, including North Carolina Lottery proceeds. Chelsea Lanier, Finance Department Head noted that updated figures are available for the public on the state’s website.
Hughes also informed the board that two commissioners will be needed to meet with an accreditation team during a site visit scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 25. The visit is part of a streamlined re-accreditation process and will primarily involve a building walkthrough and brief interviews.
Earlier in the meeting, Hughes presented a retirement plaque to Lawrence Hope of Solid Waste, recognizing his 14 years of service to Duplin County. Hughes also noted that the deadline for applications in the county manager search is Thursday at 5 p.m., with further updates expected.
