Cleveland County, N.C. — The Cleveland County Board of Education on Monday approved a proposed beginning budget resolution and a personnel report and spent much of its meeting debating a change to the district's December payroll date and required policy updates stemming from state law.

The board approved the proposed beginning budget resolution by an 8-1 vote and approved the personnel report by the same margin. Board members also moved forward multiple committee recommendations on facilities bids, CTE surplus equipment and room-naming requests; those committee items later carried on full-board votes.

Why it matters: The beginning budget resolution establishes how the district will open the 2025'26 fiscal year and frames spending by major purpose and funding source. A related operational decision'paying employees on the last calendar day of December instead of the last teacher workday'prompted questions about the impact on classified and temporary staff who may face longer gaps between paychecks.

Superintendent Steven Fisher told the board the December change "is a state law. That is something that we have to'we're supposed to pay on the last day of the month." Fisher said the change aligns payroll with state financial systems and will make the December pay schedule consistent with other months.

Discussion and votes

Finance and personnel committee chair Aaron Bridges reported the committee recommended the beginning budget resolution after reviewing the proposed 2025'26 starting budget, which the full board then approved 8-1. During the floor discussion several board members raised concerns about the December pay date change and the effect on substitutes, teacher assistants, bus drivers and other hourly staff who historically have used the December paycheck timing to bridge the holiday break.

Dr. Fisher and district staff said the change stems from state payroll rules and not from the budget document itself. The superintendent and staff said they have communicated the change to employees and that open-enrollment and other employee communications are underway.

The board also approved the personnel report (motion made by Mister Umfries; second by Mister Bridges) by an 8-1 vote. The board did not discuss the personnel report in detail in open session because of confidentiality rules.

Committee recommendations moving to full board

- Safety and operations committee items: the board advanced a package that included a Township 3 chiller replacement low bid from Pyatt ($196,000), Boylan/Bowling Springs roof bids (lowest responsive bid from Gutter Guys, approximately $302,000 including contingency), approval of CTE surplus items, and a request from The Paideia Academy (TPA) to name the weight room and multipurpose room after former employees. The committee supported these recommendations and the board later voted to approve these items 9-0.

- Education and policy committee items: the committee reviewed Reading Horizons classroom visits, recommended policy updates required by recent state legislation, approved two sole-source requests for career discovery construction lab systems (Paxton Patterson) totaling $38,567.21 (to be funded by a donation from Beam Construction) and $11,822.56 (federal CTE funds), Head Start documents, a Crest High School optional overseas trip proposal and school improvement plans. Those committee recommendations were approved at the board meeting by a 9-0 vote.

Policy updates and timing

Board members debated proposed policy language that the State Board Association provided to comply with state law. Several board members asked for additional review and clarity on specific wording. The board agreed to move several policies to a third read at the next meeting so members and the board attorney can review suggested language and address questions raised about compliance, employee protections and administrative details.

Recognitions and other items

Superintendent Steven Fisher and board chair Joel Shores opened the meeting with recognition of North Shelby School as a 2025 state and national School of Character and announced the district's "Stand Up for Kindness" winners for the first nine weeks. Fisher also recognized district staff and a school resource deputy whose quick actions saved students'lives: Deputy Greg Johnson of the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office and Beth Ware Elementary staff members Lisonbee Benfield, Cameron Clark, Michelle Franklin and Nicole Fonca were honored for performing abdominal-thrust maneuvers that cleared students'airways.

A staff presenter summarized the lifesaving awards: "We have two students in our county that are still here because of their actions." (presenter identified in district records)

Superintendent Fisher also presented a draft strategic plan for 2026'2030 organized around three pillars (Policy & Educational Programs, Safety & Operations, Finance & Personnel), with measurable action steps under each goal; the board was asked to provide feedback and plan to return for approval in November.

Public comment

Two community members urged more senior activities at local high schools, including allowing seniors to paint parking spaces and considering an alternate format for announcing homecoming royalty.

Votes at a glance

- Proposed beginning budget resolution: approved 8-1. Motion/second not specified on the record. Notes: beginning budget outlines sections by purpose and funding source; includes a December pay date of 12/31/2025 as reported by staff.

- Personnel report: approved 8-1. Motion by Mister Umfries; second by Mister Bridges.

- Safety & operations committee package (Township 3 chiller replacement bid, Bowling/Bowling Springs roof bid, CTE surplus, TPA room-name request): approved 9-0 (committee had recommended; board vote 9-0).

- Education & policy committee items (policy first reads, Reading Horizons visit, Paxton Patterson sole-source requests totaling $38,567.21 and $11,822.56, Head Start items, Crest High overseas trip, school improvement plans): approved 9-0.

- Approval of minutes for Sept. 8, 2025 and closed session Oct. 7, 2025: approved 9-0. Motion by Mister Bridal; second by Mister Humphreys.

What's next

The board scheduled additional committee meetings, a special-called meeting on Oct. 21 to continue discussion on Marion and a vote in November on the strategic plan. Staff said parents and employees will continue to receive communications about payroll timing and open-enrollment details.

(Reporting note: all actions and direct quotations are drawn from the Oct. 13 board meeting transcript. The article does not infer authorities beyond those the board cited during the meeting.)