It’s time Duplin County’s boards of commissioners and education set aside their differences, look beyond past disagreements and work for the betterment of those they were all elected to serve.

It’s sounds like a broken record, we know, but continued poor moves by both boards leave us with no other choice than to call, once again, for a truce that is no longer just needed but demanded from the county’s citizens.

At stake this time around is teaching positions, teacher supplements, school resources and a laundry list of other items that the school system will likely have to do without because commissioners have locked finances into only a handful of educational line items.

Even though commissioners are acting within state law by allocating nearly $7 million in local education dollars to the school system, but locking it into expenditures for building maintenance, fuel, utilities and some custodial and maintenance staff, they aren’t handling the matter wisely.

In fact, they are acting like petulant children yet again, bullies who don’t like the way the school system handled past financial matters so they’re exercising a little financial muscle to prove their disdain.

But commissioners’ actions aren’t hurting the intended target — the school system — they are hurting those involved with the school system, starting with teachers but, unfortunately, ending with the county’s children.

Although unspoken, we are certain the commissioners still rankle at the $1 million financial faux paus made by superintendent Dr. Wiley Doby a few years back. Doby ask commissioners for that million bucks and the board gave it to him. Problems arose when the superintendent turned around and used the funds to give exorbitant raises to administrators.

Commissioners have never gotten over that, and while we understand their distaste for the actions, and in fact, concur, no good can come from taking out on teachers and students what should be directed at the school board and Doby.

The county board believes the purse strings it can hold over the school system is its only avenue, but it’s a poor one, and it’s strings that need to be cut immediately.

The two boards, as parents have urged, need to sit down together and truly iron out their differences and somehow find a common ground in which to work.

That should be easy enough if each one sets aside ego and the need to wield the most power and focuses on those they are elected to serve.

Will it happen? Odds are no. Should it happen. Without a doubt.

All the players are adults, all, in their own way, truly want what they think is best for those they serve and all have the power to move beyond the past.

That cannot happen as long as commissioners are holding school finances hostage.

And, should commissioners show their willingness to meet the school system halfway by freeing up the money to be used as necessary within the confines of current expense, then Doby and the school board should be expected to use that money to meet the educational needs.

There should be no more feathering the nests of administrators at the expense of commissioners’ wishes.

It’s time both these boards did the right thing. Duplin residents should demand it.