Charles City School Board approves $10.2 million budget for FY2022-23 cycle

Charles City’s School Board approved its proposed budget of $10.2 million for the FY2022-23 cycle.

School board members followed the recommendation of Superintendent of Schools Dalphine Joppy by a vote of 3-1-1 after a public hearing Monday night yielded one speaker.

Joppy’s proposal requested an additional $250,000 in funding from the local level, making the total ask from the county of $6,268,997 for the cycle. Those funds are expected to assist with addressing issues of increasing minimum wage, employee salary, and fulfilling staff shortages. The superintendent is also requesting $130,356 in CIP projects for the new cycle.

While the motion did pass to approve the budget to send the proposal to county leaders for recommendation, at-large member Preston Adkins, who cast the lone dissenting vote, explained his stance.

“I can’t in good faith vote on a budget that I don’t know what’s in it,” he said. “I appreciate our staff and all that they do, but I have no idea what is in this.”

District 3 representative Martha Harris abstained from the decision. District 1 representative Joy Harris, District 2 representative Rodney Tyler, and at-large member Royce Paige all cast favorable votes on the proposal.