NEWTON — Eligible law enforcement officers on Catawba County’s payroll are in line for a one-time $1,750 bonus from the state around Oct. 15 after county commissioners signed off on the money Monday night.
The board appropriated $301,419.20 for the bonuses at its Oct. 5 meeting, according to the county’s meeting recap. The state is paying the full amount. County documents say no county money is required.
The bonuses come from this year’s state budget law, Session Law 2026-41. The county counted 160 eligible full-time-equivalent positions. Each eligible officer gets $1,750, and the state also covers the county’s share of Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes on the bonus. That brings the state’s payment to $1,883.37 per position: $280,000 for the bonuses and $21,419.20 for payroll taxes, according to the budget amendment in the meeting packet.
To qualify, officers must be sworn, must have been employed as law enforcement officers on June 30, 2026, and must work full time or permanent part time. The bonus must be paid separately from regular paychecks and as close as practical to Oct. 15. Under the state law, permanent part-time officers get a prorated amount, and the bonus does not count as pay for any state-run retirement system.
The recap and packet do not say which county department the 160 positions are in.
The same budget law makes the $1,750 bonus available to sworn local officers across North Carolina and puts the State Bureau of Investigation in charge of awarding the money. The SBI must report to the legislature’s budget staff on how it handled the awards by Dec. 15.
The Finance and Personnel Subcommittee recommended the appropriation, and it passed on the consent agenda along with three other routine items. The recap does not list a vote count.
Revaluation hearing set for Nov. 2
Commissioners also accepted the proposed Schedule of Values, Standards and Rules for the 2027 property revaluation and set a public hearing on it for Monday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. The recap says the board approved both requests.
The schedule is the manual county appraisers will use to value land and buildings for the revaluation, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. The county has about 95,000 parcels, and state law requires each to be appraised at full market value. A copy of the proposed schedule is on file at the county tax office for public inspection.
Under the timeline in the meeting packet, the board plans to consider adopting the schedule Nov. 16. New value notices are expected in February 2027, which opens the appeal period, and the Board of Equalization and Review is set to hold its first appeals meeting April 6, 2027. Catawba First News laid out the process in Monday's preview.
Other business
- Odin and Thor retire. The Sheriff’s Office drug-interdiction dogs were retired and signed over to their handlers. Odin, 8, who served six years, goes home with Dustin Ladd. Thor, almost 10, who served seven years, goes home with Daniel Ikerd.
- Regional council rules. Commissioners approved changes to the Western Piedmont Council of Governments’ charter and bylaws. Commissioner Cole Setzer represents the county on the regional council.
- Map review officers. The board updated its list of local officials who review plats and maps before they are filed. Newton removed Randy Williams, Conover removed Madeleine Epley and Long View removed Susan Matheson. Long View and the Town of Catawba each added Elizabeth Moss and Laney Lancaster.
The county manager’s report listed three budget transfers:
- $2,000 from contingency to buy property next to South Newton Elementary through an NCDOT auction, to address a driveway encroachment.
- $7,150 from contingency to cover the purchase of the Sherrills Ford EMS base.
- $65,000 from a reserve for future public safety capital projects to Conover, the second year of a two-year funding arrangement. The county said the money had been planned for but not set aside.
Setzer also presented a proclamation naming Oct. 4–10 Fire Prevention Week to Fire Marshal Troy Scott.
The open session ended at 7:40 p.m., and the board went into closed session with no further action expected. Commissioners next meet Monday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. at the Catawba County Justice Center.
Source note
As of publication. Board actions, the bonus details and the manager’s transfers: Catawba County, BOC Recap: 10/5/26, published Oct. 6, 2026. Bonus budget amendment, revaluation timeline, K-9 details and meeting agenda: the board’s Oct. 5 agenda packet. Statewide bonus terms: Session Law 2026-41, section 41.3, on the General Assembly’s website. Official minutes had not been posted, and the recap does not give vote counts.
