Catawba County holds FY2026/27 budget hearings; commissioners flag several items for May 26 public hearing
May 22, 2026 | Catawba County, North Carolina
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The Catawba County Board of Commissioners convened a special budget hearing on May 22, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. in the Board of Commissioners Meeting Room of the Catawba County Justice Center. Chair Randy Isenhower called the meeting to order to hear proposed budgets for Fiscal Year 2026/27 from county departments, school systems and outside agencies.
A quorum was present: Chair Randy Isenhower; Vice-Chair Austin Allran; and Commissioners Robert C. Abernethy Jr., Barbara G. Beatty and Cole Setzer. County Manager Mary Furtado and senior county finance and budget staff attended, including Assistant County Managers Paul Murray and Adam Lindsay, Budget & Management Director Laura McBryde and Senior Budget Analyst Ian Bumgarner.
The board heard proposals from a broad set of units listed on the agenda, including Catawba Valley Community College, Catawba County Schools, Hickory City Schools, Catawba Valley Medical Center, Social Services, Public Health, the Sheriff's Office, Emergency Services/Communications, Utilities & Engineering (Water & Sewer and Solid Waste), Planning & Development, Parks, Facilities, Technology, Elections, Register of Deeds, arts and library organizations (including Arts Culture Catawba and the Salt Block), Cooperative Extension, Soil & Water, Finance, Tax, the Convention & Visitors Bureau and economic development partners, and Newton-Conover City Schools.
During a debrief and question-and-answer period with staff, commissioners requested that several items receive additional discussion at the public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, May 26. Those items were the Newton Fire District tax rate, funding for the Salt Block, funding for Arts Culture Catawba, and a proposed 2.5-cent tax-rate increase dedicated to school construction. The transcript does not specify which commissioner raised each specific item nor provide budget figures for any of them.
No formal budget decisions were made at the May 22 meeting. The board adjourned at 5:58 p.m. following a motion by Commissioner Barbara G. Beatty that carried unanimously. The matters flagged for additional deliberation are scheduled for the May 26 public hearing, where the board may consider public comment and more detailed staff recommendations.
A quorum was present: Chair Randy Isenhower; Vice-Chair Austin Allran; and Commissioners Robert C. Abernethy Jr., Barbara G. Beatty and Cole Setzer. County Manager Mary Furtado and senior county finance and budget staff attended, including Assistant County Managers Paul Murray and Adam Lindsay, Budget & Management Director Laura McBryde and Senior Budget Analyst Ian Bumgarner.
The board heard proposals from a broad set of units listed on the agenda, including Catawba Valley Community College, Catawba County Schools, Hickory City Schools, Catawba Valley Medical Center, Social Services, Public Health, the Sheriff's Office, Emergency Services/Communications, Utilities & Engineering (Water & Sewer and Solid Waste), Planning & Development, Parks, Facilities, Technology, Elections, Register of Deeds, arts and library organizations (including Arts Culture Catawba and the Salt Block), Cooperative Extension, Soil & Water, Finance, Tax, the Convention & Visitors Bureau and economic development partners, and Newton-Conover City Schools.
During a debrief and question-and-answer period with staff, commissioners requested that several items receive additional discussion at the public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, May 26. Those items were the Newton Fire District tax rate, funding for the Salt Block, funding for Arts Culture Catawba, and a proposed 2.5-cent tax-rate increase dedicated to school construction. The transcript does not specify which commissioner raised each specific item nor provide budget figures for any of them.
No formal budget decisions were made at the May 22 meeting. The board adjourned at 5:58 p.m. following a motion by Commissioner Barbara G. Beatty that carried unanimously. The matters flagged for additional deliberation are scheduled for the May 26 public hearing, where the board may consider public comment and more detailed staff recommendations.
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