NEW HANOVER COUNTY — It’s official: Voters will have the final say on whether they want to allot $320.5 million to cover multiple projects needed in the New Hanover County Schools district with this fall’s referendum.
During Monday’s public hearing, the county commissioners voted unanimously to adopt the bond order and resolution setting the referendum to be on the midterm ballots.
The bond is worth $320,525,000 million for the taxpayers to vote on.
READ MORE: The Endowment commits to $116M in school bond needs, only if November referendum passes
However, at the end of May, the county, schools district and The Endowment entered a memorandum of understanding that $116 million would be given to the county to pay down debt, but only if the school bond passed. The Endowment’s grant would be paid out over 10 years at $11.6 million.
“That’s a big bite of the apple,” Chair LeAnn Pierce said during the meeting.
The county’s finance director, Eric Credle, told commissioners ahead of Monday’s public hearing the money reduces the bond’s increase in the tax rate by 71%. Essentially, that means a taxpayer would only pay in property taxes $5 more annually instead of $17.50 per $100,000 assessed value of their home.
Credle explained three separate bonds will be issued over seven years, to be paid off in 20 years. Despite the Endowment paying a third toward the debt over 10 years, there will be no increase to taxpayers beyond the ½ cent they vote on.
The multimillion-dollar bond will help grow capacity, modernize learning spaces and improves safety risks, by covering:
- Riverlights new elementary school ($53,855,851)
- Phase 1 of the proposed New Hanover High School master plan ($59,786,276)
- Replacing Pine Valley Elementary School ($56,332,402)
- New Trask Middle School ($94,751,362)
- Addition to Porters Neck Elementary ($7,625,000)
- Districtwide system upgrades ($19,828,800)
- Districtwide technology upgrades ($10,000,000)
- Districtwide security upgrades ($10,000,000)
“This is a major step forward,” commissioner Rob Zapple said, calling The Endowment’s money an effective stretch of county dollars, “working the way it’s supposed to.”
“And it’s important to note we are not taking down Trask Middle School but building a new school on Sidbury Road,” Zapple added, noting Trask will continue to operate.
Port City Daily asked the district to confirm what’s planned for the almost $95-million project but didn’t hear back by press; this will be updated upon response.
A handful of people spoke during the public hearing, including Superintendent Chris Barnes — sporting a Pine Valley Elementary shirt “to subliminally encourage everyone to vote for the bond.” Barnes explained the money as an investment “in every student, every staff member and community member” to strengthen the district.
The superintendent held listening sessions upon being hired almost two years ago, to understand what schools need to improve education.
“One of the strongest themes from all those conversations was to have a safe learning environment for all of our students,” he told commissioners. “Our schools need attention and investment.”
Board of education member Pat Bradford, who chairs the finance committee and folded a capital planning and dormant bond committee into the group, praised the work of all members who helped flesh out the needs in the last few years. The group voted unanimously to push through the bond before it ever moved forward to the district’s board of education and county commissioners.
Though as an elected official she can’t advocate for it, Bradford congratulated the “pioneering committee” for coming together diligently to move the needle and crossing political lines. One committee member was Natalie English, CEO of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce.
“We learned a lot about what was happening within our facilities,” she said. “You all know it’s more than $320 million of needs in our school system. … Because a talented workforce is the most important thing to any business success, we want our own to be developed in that way — to be the employees that our companies headquartered here can hire.”
Vice Chair Dane Scalise recognized the need for more school improvements, but added: “Let’s not let perfect be the enemy of good.”
He commended The Endowment’s community output and its help to “buy down” the tax rate.
“Because of their involvement, we are able to more affordably do the things that do need to be done,” Scalise said. “We only have so much debt capacity that we have available to us to address these issues. What The Endowment’s grant to the New Hanover County government system does is allow us to not only buy the debt down but preserve debt capacity, which means we will have further dollars available to engage in additional dialogue on subjects like these in the future.”
Megan Mullins, also an employee of the chamber, thanked all officials and community leaders for joining together and “setting an example” to work for the greater good of the community. She vowed to advocate with business owners and realtors for the bond’s passage.
Chair Pierce asked county staff to post detailed information about the bond on the county website for educational purposes.
The commissioners’ vote directs public notice and ensures the referendum will be taken up for a vote on Nov. 3, 2026. It also asks the board of elections to print and distribute ballots for the referendum, which will include language of the authorized bonds, $320.5 million, and the repayment of $500.3 million, including interest. It also formalizes that the liability increase is for $5 per $100,000 home value.
The order commissioners voted on affirms sufficient taxes will be levied to repay debt, gives a sworn statement that the county’s debt has been filed with the clerk and can be inspected by the public, and that the bond order takes effect if the referendum passes on Nov. 3, 2026.
Upon passage, commissioners will be required on Nov. 16, 2026, to certify the results.
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