Related: NHC commissioners push for property tax cut, some express concern about growing budget
Port City United’s Community Building Plan received around a 75% budget cut to its technical certification initiative.
The Connected to Education, Employment & Entrepreneurship Program (CTE³) is aimed at adult family members of students in areas impacted by inequities. The program helps them complete trade and training programs.
PCU Director Rashad Gattison addressed the budget reduction.
"That is a new program that we haven’t launched yet, and it is part of the county’s overall Community Building Plan to provide financial assistance for residents to receive technical certificates at CFCC. We have more than $200,000 allocated in the budget that will go toward that program in the coming fiscal year, which will help us launch the program and determine the effectiveness of it," Gattison said.
New Hanover County Schools and Cape Fear Community College both received $500,000 reductions. The school district’s cut was to its capital funding and the community college’s operating funding received the cut.
The county also removed a senior social worker position for just under $50,000. Initially, the budget included funding for two new social worker positions — this update reduces it to one.
The county also adjusted its expected salary funding to account for vacant positions. The county increased the level of expected vacancies, which allowed them to predict an additional $500,000 saving in the budget.
The county also reduced the administration reserve by almost $250,000 —that’s contingency funding they set aside for unexpected expenses that might pop up.
Lastly, the county decided against putting up a $100,000 shade structure for a park near the Cape Fear Museum.
