The Inter-Mountain photo by Edgar Kelley More than 20 people spoke during a Randolph County Board of Education meeting at Elkins High School Tuesday night.

ELKINS – More than 20 residents spoke out during the public comment section of a Randolph County Board of Education meeting at the Elkins High School Auditorium Tuesday night.

The majority were there to speak out against the BOE’s decision last week to keep the Harman K-12 School open, and to ask questions concerning the county’s budget’s deficit problem moving forward.

Last week’s decision to keep the schools open and not consolidate has left the county with the task of making up an approximate $2 million budget deficit. Randolph County Schools Superintendent Dr. Shawn Dilly’s plan was to close the Harman and Pickens schools and consolidate, which he said would have saved the county the needed funds for the budget.

Although a high percentage of those speaking were against the Board’s decision, others showed up to thank the BOE for their part in keeping the schools open.

Dilly presented a breakdown during the meeting of where cuts would have to be made in order to make up the budget deficit. Dilly said there would be roughly 32 positions that will have to be eliminated in order for the county to meet the budget requirements for the 2025-2026 school year.

He said some of the positions that will likely be cut include nurses, math teachers, counselors, librarians, art teachers, physical education teachers and science teachers. 

A full account of Tuesday night’s meeting will be posted on this site later today.

The next Randolph County Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Tuesday.