[{"_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":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6241843,"mediaKeyId","3253045-b7f6910dcf95bf2fef3b1d872dc1fc3b","parentId",3253045,"title","Board extends Crown Castle cell-tower lease through 2050 for planned Middle/High School site","audioSeconds",294,"startMs",1983875,"endMs",2278059,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3253045-b7f6910dcf95bf2fef3b1d872dc1fc3b&start=1983&end=2278","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3253045-b7f6910dcf95bf2fef3b1d872dc1fc3b/thumbnail_1983875.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6241843/North-Carolina/Board-extends-Crown-Castle-cell-tower-lease-through-2050-for-planned-MiddleHigh-School-site","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241843-3753e7532a046de320ea1a075152a7e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771149102&Signature=IjEOdC7X2c57vzaqC-C-QinKcxuldMTcFORURkcb8fyZyWxvrj3MaZW97Fh~iKfGZ-jp60-BXu~znOhCFqvGu6WMLzKBakbPvsju2IBbDNdUcG-6f8oq~kimHJtcUdJOZ2dF~bCvdpZvqJ~JDKNjaidf7-aDQZsVDt1~i48T25zB94pML~RWWWtUwoy5kMh62RuI0yqVfs0BaVeE8F1zLCbNB~H0SyJQRwBwFkBXTcS-BRFrSNh1m6Ruv4oO~itw1T1ly9AUNLEuGdDYjgIPixPmLYi1g5wMBq3rpnakfujyzBOK3glgbhuWVIAgtS3s0azrIa1XRJjp3UOlLEi~5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-08T19:20:17Z","article","MONROE, N.C. — The Union County Board of Education approved an extension to a Crown Castle lease for a cellular tower located on a parcel associated with the planned Middle/High School D site in the Hemby Bridge area, extending the lease through 2050.

District staff presented the proposal and said Crown Castle had requested a 30-year extension to attract additional wireless tenants; the district negotiated an 18-year extension that would extend the lease until 2050. The current lease had been in place since February 2011 and was described by staff as set to expire in February 2032, which is why an 18-year negotiated extension reaches 2050.

Staff described financial and site details: the district currently receives $1,508 per month in base rent for the tower and also receives 20% of subtenant rents, which staff said totaled about $1,205. Under the new proposal, Crown Castle offered to increase the base monthly rent to about $2,000 and to provide a signing bonus, according to the staff memorandum presented at the meeting. The tower footprint is about 0.17 acres (roughly 10,000 square feet), the presenter said.

Board members asked how close the tower is to where a future middle/high school would be located. A district staff member, Mr. Moore, said he had preliminary schematic plans and that the tower is in the northernmost part of the property “near parking lots and some playing fields” rather than immediately adjacent to where classroom buildings would be placed. He estimated the tower location to be several hundred feet (“probably more than 400 to 500 feet”) from the designed school areas on the schematic he had viewed, but he said he could not confirm exact distances at the meeting without the final drawings.

Board members also asked whether an existing tower easement would transfer if the district sold the parcel in the future. Staff said the lease/easement would transfer with a property sale and that the new property owner would receive the rent payments. The presenter also said the Board of Education has not declared the property surplus and that there were no current long-range plans to build on that site.

A facilities committee had reviewed the recommendation; staff reported the committee approved the extension unanimously before the full board vote. A motion to approve the lease extension was moved and seconded; the full board approved the item by voice vote.

Ending — The board approved the lease extension, and staff will finalize contract language with Crown Castle. Staff noted that if the district later designs a school for the site, tower location and layout would factor into site design decisions and that any future sale would convey the lease to the buyer.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Union County Public School Board of Education Meeting (May 6, 2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Union County School staff told the board it negotiated an 18-year reduction of a requested 30-year Crown Castle lease extension, extending the existing lease through 2050; board approved the extension. Staff said the tower occupies about 0.17 acres and currently brings the district roughly $1,508 per month plus shared subtenant revenue.","taxTitle","Union County Public Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",14185,"location","North Carolina","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":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6241848,"Union County board adopts budget request with $2,000 teacher supplement, approves Lenovo Chromebook vendor",1476,2603485,4079760,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3253045-b7f6910dcf95bf2fef3b1d872dc1fc3b&start=2603&end=4079","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3253045-b7f6910dcf95bf2fef3b1d872dc1fc3b/thumbnail_2603485.jpg","/articles/6241848/North-Carolina/Union-County-board-adopts-budget-request-with-2000-teacher-supplement-approves-Lenovo-Chromebook-vendor","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241848-79a26be7d91d672ffd34127f8ac64d02/orig.mp4?Expires=1771149102&Signature=ZXBZPVeU6Cez66pyu24TjhiiCBKljNhp3cZeOlsTz9XDBOkOTwFmrF6Jjol8tKBkMNFQvqpyqODmX-2vl85KWkPv7NSnnmv2VU~K4gtT7qFKMwqmKxXRMYV8svVgAzgPGK2qIGzveZY9JM3xDZHsw~2sVHmHmJ13tiCCn9rQiTtttRMHDRBQmeVVQo1aMmaLILY9-kwJ7P2j-beFTFlqDC0fgSzL2qUG4Uu4aZn~u5TPGcRh3qoSI-3DNf4WPpUDYeqwM3PY5Vwew~H4D3W5xVQIxr6sBzbhdNKjhdoNLsT4np9e5whsyC1zyDK8QaOiezp9Qm0-f-e0m-AhNTOaLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","MONROE, N.C. — The Union County Board of Education voted Wednesday to submit a revised budget request to the county that includes a $2,000 local teacher supplement and several capital adjustments, and it approved Lenovo as the recommended vendor for grade 3–5 Chromebooks after staff warned of an anticipated 5–10% tariff on laptop units.

The board approved the budget request as amended and instructed staff to forward the package to county staff before the end of the week. Board members also removed a proposed increase in board stipends during the same vote.

The decisions matter because the county’s allocation will shape how many items in the school system’s proposal are funded. District staff said the revised package narrows the gap between projected needs and the county’s forecast but still leaves an additional funding ask to the county.

Shauna McNair, who presented procurement details for the Chromebook RFP, told the board staff had been informed by vendors to expect a tariff of roughly 5–10% on the units. “We have included that maximum of 10% in our capital request to cover that additional cost,” she said. McNair said Lenovo remained “significantly less” than other vendors after the tariff was included; staff estimated Lenovo’s offer was roughly $1.5–2 million less than an HP proposal.

The board heard that the tariff translates to an added cost in the district’s capital request; McNair said the district accounted for the maximum tariff in the proposed capital figures. A motion to recommend Lenovo for grade 3–5 Chromebooks was moved, seconded, and approved by voice vote.

Superintendent Dr. Andrew G. Houlihan outlined the broader budget presentation and praised district staff: “I can say with confidence that we have the absolute best teachers in the state of North Carolina,” he said while noting the recommendation to prioritize sustaining operations and investing in employees.

Finance staff provided a line-by-line recap of the operating and capital requests. Key figures presented in the meeting record included (verbatim from the district presentation): a current operating budget baseline described as “a hundred and $30,000,006.11,” a proposed operating budget of roughly “a hundred and $41,000,004.89,” and a capital request of approximately $20,000,008.00 resulting from committee adjustments. Staff said the county’s forecasted increase (reported at an April 10 joint meeting) covered about $8.6 million of the district’s additional requests and that the district would still ask the county for roughly $3.1 million more.

Board members debated compensation and program requests in detail. Finance staff said the district originally proposed a $2,000 local supplement for certified staff and that, in light of county discussions, staff had recommended keeping the full $2,000. A board member moved to restore the $2,000 supplement; the motion carried by voice vote. Another motion to remove a proposed board-stipend increase passed later in the meeting; the transcript records the motion to remove the stipend increase passing by a voice/hand vote with the chair noting five ayes.

Other budget items discussed included a continuation of a contract for an Exceptional Children (EC) behavioral class at Parkwood Middle School (the so-called Chancelight program), a five-year plan to add school nurses (two nurses requested in year one), technology lease funding (which incorporated the Chromebook tariff), reduced activity bus requests, and a 10-year band uniform replacement rotation with Piedmont High School slated for the coming year.

Several board members asked for additional detail on items such as reorganization plans for Exceptional Children’s services, how fund balance might be used if the state provides a one-time bonus, and how school bands would be prioritized for uniform replacement. Staff said some items could be adjusted before submission and that final implementation would await state and county funding outcomes.

Ending — The board voted to submit the amended budget request to the county; staff will forward the materials and may return later if state or county funding changes require adjustments.","The Union County Board of Education approved a revised budget request to the county that includes a $2,000 local teacher supplement, a Chromebook vendor recommendation for grades 3–5 (Lenovo) with an anticipated 5–10% tariff built into capital requests, and changes to capital and operating priorities.",{"_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":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6241853,"Parents, students urge Union County Board of Education to declare schools safe from ICE; criticize board response",864,712461,1576515,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3253045-b7f6910dcf95bf2fef3b1d872dc1fc3b&start=712&end=1576","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3253045-b7f6910dcf95bf2fef3b1d872dc1fc3b/thumbnail_712461.jpg","/articles/6241853/North-Carolina/Parents-students-urge-Union-County-Board-of-Education-to-declare-schools-safe-from-ICE-criticize-board-response","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241853-0a5dc2f1b6e2e9b4097ab23d7c473fa5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771149102&Signature=OnlntDe-Px2KyRNe-fXZyE53IK9bKmG5wlLCMAJtrAlhxI2GsNv4OwWbqX9lfkQNlhtTj~s0VrbPOp2Cevc-5awShuRAfRVDmUS7Hsyad4QLyy00cIB1srHYTSHN3NiqDBDaPgsIcuVzlZ~yRO9cwISK6jUFFXAMzpJMRyuaen2wNogG9AWjmwInzV2fcZyh8tUz6-Q4Dh9cdc7R2tV79AL5RPCMk7mW41vo6PSmAUEo52IH9oc3dbvTyCoOvZZCvZ5Y6j96xfgqcBBsoqkmLwRC7b0Rsk-nM3J1XTdGD~mYp6neawrHNgp863zg-DmpRieWkp9mFgobboAhlJ36pw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","MONROE, N.C. — Parents, students and residents urged the Union County Board of Education on Wednesday to adopt clearer protections for students against immigration enforcement and to respond more directly to recent student protests.

Speakers described March and April walkouts at Monroe High School and said they want a formal board statement that ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is not welcome on school grounds and clearer local policy to protect students.

Those comments matter because speakers said the district’s silence has left immigrant students and families fearful and because community members tied local concerns to national incidents they said illustrate the stakes.

At the meeting, Luna Portillo Delgado, a resident, said board members dismissed student concerns as “rumors” and said that dismissal “plainly illustrates the weaponized incompetence and ignorance involving UCPS’s education on the topic of immigration.” She asked the board to take students’ demands seriously.

Skyler Breeder, a sixth grader at Cuthbertson Middle School, urged changes to district policy requiring that ICE present a judge-signed warrant before interacting with a student and that parents be given “a reasonable amount of time” to be present. “For me and my friends, it’s unbelievably traumatizing to even think that law enforcement can take a student,” she said.

Kobe Blackburn, a Union County resident and parent, said the board had not shown empathy for students who protested and argued the board should adopt “real preventative measures” before incidents occur elsewhere. He cited recent national examples, including reported ICE incidents in other states, to press the board to act locally.

Ingrid Portillo, a resident, described an increasing police presence at board meetings and said the show of force made some community members feel unwelcome. She praised Reverend Kirkpatrick as “the only board member … for caring and talking to the students” and called on other board members to engage more directly with the Latino community in Monroe.

David Petulio Delgado (who identified his last name as Portillo during remarks) said students “have a right to be heard” after marches to the district office and downtown demonstrations, and he criticized what he called “excessive deployment of the Monroe Police Department” at Monroe High School during protests.

Speakers repeatedly requested two actions: a board statement that UCPS schools are safe from ICE and immigration enforcement, and “equal treatment and opportunity and funding for all UCPS students.” Several speakers said they will continue to press the board for a formal statement.

The board did not respond during the public-comment period; the board’s public-comment rules — read at the start of the segment — state the board will not respond but may seek clarification later. The transcript shows board members listened and later discussed unrelated agenda items; there was no formal motion or vote on an ICE-related statement or policy change at the meeting.

The comments came during the meeting’s public-comment period, which the board limits to 60 minutes and gives priority to residents, parents, students and employees. Several speakers noted the timing of local protests (March 5 and April 1 were referenced) and said students had marched to the Board of Education and attended town halls seeking a response.

The board did not take formal action on the requests during the meeting. Some individual board members were praised for meeting with students, while others were criticized for not doing so. Commenters also requested that the board host more local listening sessions and that members hold individual meetings across the county to hear constituents’ concerns.

For now, no policy changes, motions, or votes appear in the meeting record on the ICE requests; community members said they expect follow-up and will continue advocacy.

Ending — Community members and students said they will continue to press the board for a public statement and policy changes; the board’s official agenda and minutes indicate no formal action on those demands at this meeting.","Public commenters at the Union County Board of Education meeting pressed the board to declare schools safe from ICE, asked for policy changes requiring judge-signed warrants and parental notification, and criticized board members for limited engagement with student protesters.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board extends Crown Castle cell-tower lease through 2050 for planned Middle/High School site

Union County board adopts budget request with $2,000 teacher supplement, approves Lenovo Chromebook vendor

Parents, students urge Union County Board of Education to declare schools safe from ICE; criticize board response