Asheville City Board of Education Work Session, October 5, 2026

The Asheville City Board of Education work session on October 5, 2026, reviewed the preliminary 2026–27 budget, contracts, school nutrition, and long-term facility needs. The initial budget showed roughly a $2.5 million increase in Fund 1 and about a $2 million increase in local current expense, while retaining a $2 million local fund-balance appropriation as a placeholder. The budget resolution was slated for a separate action item the following week, not the consent agenda; staff said the figures remain tentative, and projected approximately $12.9 million in fund balance after the budgeted appropriations were considered. The board advanced two contracts to the next week’s consent agenda: Carolina Thomas for an accessible activity bus with a wheelchair lift, and Trafera for Chromebook devices. Members requested more detail on the devices’ intended use and replacement schedule. The board also discussed a 50% compensation arrangement with Sessions Consulting for recovering school-level sales and use tax, and a preliminary school nutrition deficit of about $575,000. Nutrition staff cited participation and reimbursement efforts and described the existing Chartwells staffing arrangement; no new nutrition contract award was made.

The facilities-needs assessment with McMillan Padson Smith Architecture identified Asheville High, Claxton, and Jones as candidates for more substantial future capital investment, but no projects or funding were approved. The board discussed further analysis of district properties and capital planning, with a final assessment update expected later. A fractional portion of the 441 Haywood Road property related to the I-26 project was also expected to come to the board for a vote the following week. The meeting additionally included reports on student enrollment and the alternative learning program, and discussion of proposed policies; no other procurement awards were identified.