Accomack County’s top school official questioned the county’s plan to use $2 million in leftover education money to plug an imbalance in the county’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) fund.
Gennifer Miller, superintendent of Accomack County Public Schools, spoke at a March 30 public hearing before the county Board of Supervisors about the fiscal year 2027 county budget.
Describing the EMS fund as “balanced” for 2027, Miller said rather than use these funds for that purpose now, it might be more prudent to wait.
“That would give the county a year to explore other revenue streams to fund an entity that is not operating within their budget,” she said.
The EMS fund has been described by County Administrator Mike Mason as “imbalanced” and without intervention, it will operate at a deficit at the end of 2029.
The $2 million from the schools fund, he said, would put the fund at break-even status at that point.
Miller said she found it confusing that carry-forward funds from the schools were being used in the same capacity for the EMS fund in fiscal years 2028 and 2029.
It didn’t sit well with Miller, who said she didn't plan to talk about this issue specifically until it was brought up earlier in the meeting.
“When funding is taken from the schools, you’re decreasing the schools’ ability to complete capital improvement projects,” she said.
Despite this, Miller also commended county officials for their “diligence and continued partnership throughout this budget process.”
“We fully recognize the weight of the decisions before you,” she said.
On June 30, 2025, Accomack schools had $29.5 million in unused county funds that revert back to the county, per state law. The school division accumulated that amount because it prioritized spending time-sensitive federal pandemic monies instead of local money.
Although the county could keep up to 50%, it has typically appropriated all funds back to the schools since the pandemic.
Given that, the school division planned accordingly, anticipating those funds. In mid-March, the Board of Supervisors informed the school division of its plan to keep $2 million.
Afterward, Supervisor Robert Crockett said he looked a bit closer at the remaining money.
“There’s not $27.5 million just sitting there,” he said, explaining much of it has already been encumbered or contracted out for projects.
He said with various gymnasium projects underway, as well as the $10 million renovation of the former Accomac Primary School to house school administrative offices, there is only $15 or $16 million.
After considering other expenditures, including $1.6 million for new textbooks, Crockett said he estimated the amount left to be around $6 million.
“We are taking 33.3% of that,” he said.
The gymnasium projects involve building two new auxiliary gyms, one each at Nandua High School and Pungoteague Elementary, together totaling close to $5.5 million.
Carry-forward funds have also been appropriated for the purchase of the former BB&T bank building on Lankford Highway near Kegotank Elementary. With a purchase price and renovations at around $600,000, the building will house the school division’s alternative education programs.
Almost $2 million supports the county’s involvement in the All in Virginia program, which required a local match. Designed to remediate pandemic-related learning loss, it focuses on intensive math and reading tutoring for students in grades 3-8.
Close to $32,000 will be used for staff sign- on and retention bonuses.
These are anticipated to move forward, while other projects might be cut.
These include asbestos abatement at Nandua High School and classroom-controlled thermostats at Kegotank Elementary. Sidewalks at three elementary schools and various floor replacement projects—including the gymnasium floor at Arcadia High School—also might not move forward.
Accomack County’s $23.9 million local contribution to Accomack County Public Schools for the upcoming year represents an increase of 2.7% over the current year, or an additional $632,000, according to County Administrator Mason.
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