[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6559637,"mediaKeyId","3198834-43383a1d280a3a7f47430b78d33a3ac3","parentId",3198834,"title","Bladen County Schools seeks $9.2 million in county support, cites staffing, safety and facility needs","audioSeconds",672,"startMs",2003000,"endMs",2675000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3198834-43383a1d280a3a7f47430b78d33a3ac3&start=2003&end=2675","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3198834-43383a1d280a3a7f47430b78d33a3ac3/thumbnail_2003000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6559637/Bladen-County/North-Carolina/Bladen-County-Schools-seeks-92-million-in-county-support-cites-staffing-safety-and-facility-needs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6559637-5cc64d79a57c3c889ab9319172fa8e52/orig.mp4?Expires=1771214789&Signature=o7GLnCPD-2Te-H2Ts63mry3E87WHlY9mj1A9p0B1tiZDWuqbKwZRyH499o-iuOCcoali5LDGIv-DUA64Lpy6TnUAXcBdxpzWoOoeIvbqC2kmV8mDG1D9WA4oj3x1JQZdb3Ob2u-R8UdiJRvHRX0eyqfRPmC09wfHXtP83OAMkPU62F8WDHbWGdPoXwBklNomrQyy-w3lOxZ9hgYt55gv8HgwD8c7pmLthFuFPgp4GwRwclUrrIrrLKTgCANsa3jYwMJ1w08iV33PvyNmYrm2t1WArFHLwut9bt62Z-d~TKYM1pV2dBCHXLXb5b89abRlvbhKcg2NV1PY1G79lU4t-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bladen County","date","2025-05-06T13:45:42.893Z","article","School district leaders presented the Bladen County Schools budget proposal to county commissioners, asking for $9,197,343.58 in funding with a net increase of approximately $1.1 million over the prior year. The district identified personnel costs, safety upgrades and capital repairs as top priorities.

The superintendent (recorded on the transcript without a full personal name) told commissioners that 10 of 12 schools met or exceeded growth in the most recent accountability year and that more than 90 percent of students live in the county. The presentation said the district is the county's third-largest employer and cited statewide funding uncertainty, including pending teacher compensation changes and limits on drawing indirect costs from child nutrition programs.

Key operational and capital requests listed in the district's submission include:
- Recruitment and retention: a proposed recruitment-bonus match and a \"Grow Your Own\" program to sponsor up to 10 non-certified staff to return to college; the district identified about $30,000 in a federal line it could use as part of a tuition-match program with local universities.
- Staffing: proposals to add teacher assistants (including one additional TA per second-grade team at each school) and to preserve assistant principal positions the state formula underfunds.
- Safety and SROs: the district said it currently has about six permanent school resource officers and estimated it would need 12 to be fully staffed; the district noted local sheriff's staffing challenges affect the ability to expand SRO coverage.
- Facilities and capital: requests include multiuse building classroom wings (two per year for three years), field-house projects (about $1.5 million each for two buildings listed on the district's five-year plan), track resurfacing or a single upgraded community track, HVAC improvements in two gymnasiums, parking-lot and driveway repairs, and remediation work in the Bladenboro Middle School auditorium due to moisture and air-quality concerns.
- Transportation and equipment: the district said it has not purchased activity buses since 2006 and described high mileage on the fleet; it also proposed mobile restroom/concession units to address field and stadium layout problems without new construction.

The district requested continued commissioner support for school safety and noted the impact of state policy changes (including potential voucher proposals and changes to charter accountability) on district finances and staffing. District leaders asked the county to consider capital needs grants and potential partnerships for projects such as a community track.

Commissioners and district staff discussed redistricting as a tool to relieve overcrowding at specific schools, the timing of state capital grant opportunities, and the need to align any facility projects with available county resources. The district said it will reapply for needs-based capital funds and noted some previously submitted applications were not approved.

The board did not take final county funding action at the meeting; commissioners scheduled follow-up budget work sessions to consider the item.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bladen County 05052025","oneSentenceSummary","School leaders presented a $9,197,343.58 budget request and outlined needs including teacher recruitment, additional teacher assistants, school safety upgrades, facility repairs and capital projects such as multiuse additions and track/field improvements.","taxTitle","Bladen County, North Carolina","taxId",74649,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6559642,"Bladen County elections staff and Heart Intercivic outline plan to replace aging voting equipment after incident reports",582,874000,1456000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3198834-43383a1d280a3a7f47430b78d33a3ac3&start=874&end=1456","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3198834-43383a1d280a3a7f47430b78d33a3ac3/thumbnail_874000.jpg","/articles/6559642/Bladen-County/North-Carolina/Bladen-County-elections-staff-and-Heart-Intercivic-outline-plan-to-replace-aging-voting-equipment-after-incident-reports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6559642-1a5334ada24808d5620739f3f0a18aff/orig.mp4?Expires=1771214789&Signature=PRqnf3XSMPoNdLmjh3GaNRm22wN2VAFY~lhVMXmIwWwCact8jMb-OyIew1ReZuyMEKkFR-ccJk5fj8otv4c8~HjNZZPiD9zAi4yJVoOu~JMdsfCNXYJAf72qWwOH~m2-LOG-3qtnULqTpo-pxisGFcxvufmE6fEaKhFUpDlJgSAxWiABXeSrPL6cQLZJtJ5TL8rtnuEOa3cPTVlcvmStXQLTyZQwUf9nw3ShAltcwHNDVhOJ6tsHnmtqMu2qeZZ3jibyTCDm7fXvwYLU6U5nFYLPk41l2LhK6z~Rt6wF-1Du-TI7J5tXffKKar-paQnvuok5VWI4p~twOQ73tXTm2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bladen County's elections office told county leaders it is seeking to replace a decade-old voting system after an election cycle that produced dozens of equipment incident reports. Miss Wagner of the Board of Elections said the county recorded 51 incident reports involving current tabulation equipment and that the State Board has directed counties to pursue replacement and software updates.

Representatives from Heart Intercivic, identified on the record as Kelly Hood and Shawn Phillips, presented the company's voting system proposal. Heart Intercivic described a hand-marked, paper-based system with ballot-on-demand printing for early voting sites, scanning equipment, and a ballot-production service to prepare and proof ballots. The vendor said its products are manufactured in Austin, Texas, and emphasized on-site support: company staff attend the first election and first day of early voting at each county and provide training to poll workers and county staff.

Heart Intercivic offered purchase and a three-year lease option; the presenter said the lease is intended to reduce upfront cost and cited an illustrative interest rate of 5.29 percent for a financing option. The company said equipment carries a one-year warranty with an option to purchase extended hardware coverage and that consumables (paper rolls, batteries) will be ongoing costs. The vendor also described customer-service programs including annual checkups and monthly webinars.

Elections staff and the vendor discussed grant support: the state is offering a software-upgrade grant that totals $42,100 and will be split among 14 counties, giving Bladen County roughly $3,007 under that allocation; the transcript indicates that is the only state grant currently available for software upgrades. County staff said some federal or state grants may be available to cover parts of replacement costs, but the county will need to follow state procedures for demonstration, preliminary recommendation and testing before the State Board can approve a new system.

No formal procurement decision was recorded in the meeting segment; Heart Intercivic answered commissioners' questions about precinct support, ballot production, transition from existing systems and the vendor's in-state staffing and warranty terms. The transcript records a raised concern about vendor responsiveness to the incumbent vendor and the county's desire for timely support during elections.

The election office and vendor agreed to follow the state-required steps for equipment replacement and to return to the Board of Commissioners or Board of Elections with final procurement and financing details for approval.","Bladen County Board of Elections presented a proposal to replace 10-year-old voting equipment after the county recorded 51 incident reports; vendor Heart Intercivic described a hand-marked, paper-based system, training and financing options, and a small state grant available for software upgrades.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6559647,"Bladen County commissioners adopt amended 911 addressing ordinance after public hearing with no comments",116,172000,288000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3198834-43383a1d280a3a7f47430b78d33a3ac3&start=172&end=288","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3198834-43383a1d280a3a7f47430b78d33a3ac3/thumbnail_172000.jpg","/articles/6559647/Bladen-County/North-Carolina/Bladen-County-commissioners-adopt-amended-911-addressing-ordinance-after-public-hearing-with-no-comments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6559647-a6e1039b1f41d44f82f347c47ad231e6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771214789&Signature=biPH0cpPXl0Nxy-rquyeGVTXix5bLF3~GqLkG-G9M9UTBo2MYnIYwDoJngXt2eAk5eaOXqJaLDTfULWfYyKXywpGeEnT-7EprSTG1ZOWjkUnG0kUsngJoMjDTDpan-c6ZTp3~I-7jljWp2Z~s0Kj47bS51rb7-JNwyj-kHEdyNoErDmCPxEFDzRWZFlc-RXORkRMYsXUbKymzO7OvRas-YXqaCBBp6MIaIHwrXW~Mk852aPTvmAVyxc5kQEl7fhHicpvv3Kt6ACTuymInGC2q2bWYyty5Xs7C6cn896k6uP9ZlBOE4f-zCzA6htg3K7ndVXunypszYL0brrOeuIq8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bladen County Board of Commissioners closed a public hearing with no public comment and voted to adopt an amendment to the county's 911 addressing ordinance during its May meeting. Commissioner Glassman moved to adopt the amendment and Commissioner Brit seconded; the motion carried.

The public hearing drew no speakers. During the hearing the county made the record that there were no members of the public present to comment, the hearing was closed and the board proceeded to consider adopting the amended ordinance.

The transcript does not include the full text of the amendment or specify which sections of the addressing ordinance were changed. County staff presented the matter as a routine public hearing on a proposed text amendment and no additional testimony, exhibits or written comments were recorded in the hearing segment.

Because no public comments were received, commissioners made the decision on the ordinance without further public input. The board's action at the meeting was recorded as adoption of the amended 911 addressing ordinance.

The county clerk will need to supply the final ordinance text and effective date; those details were not specified on the record at the meeting.","The Bladen County Board of Commissioners closed a public hearing with no public comment and voted to adopt an amendment to the county's 911 addressing ordinance; motion by Commissioner Glassman and second by Commissioner Brit.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bladen County Schools seeks $9.2 million in county support, cites staffing, safety and facility needs

Bladen County elections staff and Heart Intercivic outline plan to replace aging voting equipment after incident reports

Bladen County commissioners adopt amended 911 addressing ordinance after public hearing with no comments