OCS Board News | August 2022

 

In a special-called meeting on Wednesday, August 31, the Onslow County Board of Education voted to remove member Russell Eric Whitfield from his seat on the Board, effective immediately. 

The vote was the culmination of the amotion process initiated by the Board of Education in May 2022. Under North Carolina common law, amotion is the process by which a governing body can remove a sitting member from office when their misconduct rises to the level of “just cause.” 

Pursuant to the amotion resolution adopted by the Board of Education on May 26, 2022, and in accordance with the Rules of Procedure for Amotion Hearing adopted by the Board on June 7, 2022, a public hearing was held on Monday, July 25, 2022. The intention of this hearing was for all evidence, documents, testimony, and related matters to be presented to the Hearing Officer. 

In Wednesday’s meeting, the Hearing Officer presented her findings to the Board, concluding that Whitfield’s actions provided just cause for removal.  

Upon receiving the Hearing Officer’s report, the Board voted 5-0 to remove Whitfield from office. Members Melissa Oakley and Eric Whitfield recused themselves from the deciding vote.  

The vacancy on the Onslow County Board of Education created by the amotion vote will be filled in accordance with state and local law.  

 

The Onslow County Board of Education held its first regular monthly meeting of the 2022-2023 school year on August 9 at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center. Agenda items included an overview of 2022-2023 salary adjustments for OCS employees. Member Eric Whitfield was not in attendance.  

After a Good News Spotlight segment, which highlighted the summer work of employees, and a public comment period with one speaker, Chief Finance Officer Jeff Hollamon started the meeting’s general business. 

Hollamon presented to the Board a review of the recently passed state and local salary adjustments that will take effect in 2022-2023. The state approved raises for teachers, principals, other certified staff, and classified staff. Teachers will see an average of 4.2 percent, while the principal and classified salary schedules will see an increase of 4 percent. Minimum pay for all employees has been raised to $15, and bus driver starting pay has increased to $16 an hour.  

In the coming months, additional adjustments to the classified salary schedule will be made at the local level.  

The state is also offering bonuses for teachers and other certified staff, including sign-on and performance bonuses. At the local level, the Onslow County BOE has approved a one-time $1,500 retention bonus for certified and classified employees, which will be paid out in November 2022.  

Hollamon also reviewed the recent increase in the local certified supplement, which has increased from 10 percent to 12 percent, starting in the 2022-2023 school year.