Moore County School Board fast-tracks IT building funding, silences debate, sparks public transparency concerns

On Feb. 9, Moore County Schools approved funding for the IT and Planning, Accountability and Research (IT) building on Vass-Carthage Road and requesting the use of lottery funds from county commissioners at the Feb. 17 meeting.

Madame Chairperson Calcutt blamed the snow for the combined work session and regular agenda meeting on the same day and said the published agenda served as notice for the public to attend the Feb. 9 meeting, which began at 9 a.m. and ended at 5:30 p.m.  

During the discussion on using lottery funds for the IT building replacement due to its leaking roof and faulty HVAC system, it was said renovation was not viable at $1.5 million, which did not include ductwork and relocating staff.

Member David Hensley said funding the building before the county voted on the site was not logical and unfair to the public. He said there were a lot of citizens who vowed to stop the development of a new Carthage Elementary School (CES) on Vass-Carthage Road by not voting for the bond.

Hensley did not support building the “industrial” building in the rural agricultural zone because the land is not zoned for industrial.

Purvis said the property would not need to be rezoned because the IT building falls within the guidelines of a supplemental building for the schools, even though there is not a school on the property.

Bruno did not vote for the funding.

At the Jan. 14 Moore Commissioners’ comprehensive work session, Chairman Nick Picerno said he’d never seen a school bond vote not pass when they discussed combining CES on Vass-Carthage Road in the middle of Century Farmland and a new high school without a designated site. Read about issues with the Nov. 2026 vote here.

Hensley said opponents to development on Vass-Carthage Road may defeat the bond, and the school district would end up with an IT building in the middle of a field. “I question the wisdom of building a data center on a controversial piece of land,” Hensley said.

There are plans to build the IT building nearer the road on Vass-Carthage Road on a two-acre section of the 32 acres.

Calcutt mentioned the two-on-two meetings, in which two county commissioners and the school chair, vice chair and acting superintendent Jennifer Purvis have been meeting.

Member Pauline Bruno said each board member should be able to take concerns directly to the county commissioners.

Calcutt said Bruno could write her concerns, and she’d take it to the commissioners.

Bruno asked why she could not attend the joint meetings. and Calcutt said she represented the board.

Hensley said Calcutt and Davis do not represent him.

Bruno said Calcutt had never asked for her concerns to be shared with commissioners.

Calcutt said Bruno could not attend. “It has to do with the opportunity to speak about issues…and uh…I don’t take my own personal.”

Vice Chair Shannon Davis accused someone of misinformation and lies after Bruno had asked to attend.

Davis refused to explain who she was accusing.

Purvis said the opponents to developing CES on Vass Carthage Road had traffic concerns. She said the IT department would bring 18 employees, limiting traffic.

Purvis said with spending $25,000 on sewer and county water (the North Carolina Department of Instruction pays for fiber.) and never using the Vass-Carthage Road’s 32 acres for anything except the IT building, they “still shouldn’t feel bad.” She said she told Picerno, and he agreed.

Bruno suggested they build IT in front of the Central Office.

Purvis said it would fit, but they have quarterly meetings for 30 people, so they would need 40 parking spaces, plus room for an 18-wheeler to deliver supplies. She said it would not work.

Bruno said they could use the space around the IT building for parking.

In further discussion, Purvis reiterated that the opponents to CES in the county were concerned about traffic.

Calcutt said Picerno was in favor of the IT building there, but she would ask all the commissioners to support the IT building on Vass-Carthage Road.

Benway said they may have a small but vocal group of opponents, but the people in Aberdeen, High Falls and Robins would not care, suggesting the school board would win the vote.

Hensley said it was wrong to dismiss a small group because sometimes they are right. He said the people of Aberdeen would be against it because they are still paying the price of traffic control devices that have not been placed in four years.

Calcutt said Hensley was out of order for discussing Aberdeen Elementary, even though Benway introduced Aberdeen Elementary, although she’d neglected to call him out of order.

Calcutt forced a vote for Hensley not to discuss Aberdeen Elementary, and he was voted into silence on Aberdeen Elementary.

Hensley said voting to fund the IT building meant they needed to identify the location on record as Vass-Carthage Road.

“This is being discussed and passed at a non-conventional time when people cannot come to speak,” Hensley said about the board not showing respect for the public.

Benway said he did not understand the argument.

Hensley said the normal protocol was to conduct a work session, then a week later have a business meeting, and then vote; “instead, the board plans to vote in two hours.”

*During the Temporary Safety Committee review, Calcutt said the school board will use off-duty sheriff’s deputies for SROs and will bring the recommendation to the board in March. It would be short-term assignments.

During the agenda portion of the meeting, the board approved launching the survey as amended.

During the work session, the board debated launching the superintendent survey for the public to check boxes on a list of the most desired qualities for the new hire. When there was conflict, Calcutt said she would confer with the attorney and revise the survey by the end of the day.

The board plans to have the survey live on the school website this month.

Preview the original survey here.

At the March 9 school board meeting, BWP & Associates will present a report based upon the survey feedback they receive.

Calcutt did not add Bruno’s suggestions, saying the most important characteristic to add to education was commitment to community and demonstrates mastery.

“We have the worst national grades in 30 years…The only thing I care about is educating our kids. Our kids need to learn to read… Prepare them for life. I think the rest of this is pure nonsense,” Member Pauline Bruno said about the list of qualities reading like a list for a business executive.

Bruno added that a superintendent search was a waste of money, but Attorney Richard Schwartz reminded the board they had a contract with BWP & Associates and, under the school’s ethics code, they were required to support a passed motion.

.The board voted to use $663,100 from Fund 8 Restricted Revenue to help fund the Union Pines Stadium Field’s cost by FieldTurf for the design-build.

The district planted grass on the stadium field to get by until turf is placed.

The school district will not use the unused SRO salaries to help fund the new turf, as recommended by the county commissioners. SRO salary funds are considered recurring costs and “will be rolled into next year” to hire more SROs, according to Superintendent Tim Locklair.

The agenda notes read that in June 2025, the Union Pines football field washed out beyond repair. The Union Pines Boosters requested synthetic turf, and the district began a funding plan.

In July 2025, county commissioners approved $600,000 in school bond interest revenue for turf, and Visit Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen (formerly CVB) awarded a $120,000 grant in Jan.  

Hensley said the school board should educate the public that if Visit Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen invested 25% in the schools, it would save taxpayers millions. “They gave Moore County Schools less than 2% of their yearly take.”

Staff and the construction committee recommended a synthetic turf installation after graduation, using FieldTurf’s CoolPlay system at $1,383,100, with $720,000 secured and the remaining $663,100 funded as a onetime expense from Fund 8 Restricted Revenue.

The board recommended the higher quality turf because the Boosters said they would provide the additional funds for CoolPlay.

Read the financial proposal here.

Member Steve Johnson said he had concerns about the process of making the decision. “We have groups that can approach commissioners for projects they want done…Make sure this is not a routine thing…As a Pinecrest parent, I think it’s fair to bring the reservations that school clubs funded their turf privately,” Member Steve Johnson said about supporting the $663,100 expense for the students’ sake.

During the Jan. 20 county commissioners meeting, Commissioner Tom Adams emphasized ensuring proper installation for any new field cover to prevent potential issues again because Union Pines’ field has a history of irrigation problems and water accumulation leads to decay within six to seven years.

The board approved the 2026-2027 High School Course Guide.

The board reviewed a presentation on the new high school courses included at Connect Academy, a blended virtual classroom. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction creates these contracted courses.

Leadership Development and Workforce Ready aim to strengthen communication, collaboration and career-readiness skills. Visual Arts Intermediate is a foundation for Digital Photography I and II, the Art of Game Design and the Art of Fashion Design. Forensic Science Honors and Oceanography Honors are electives that challenge students through inquiry-based learning.

The board approved salary increases for transportation mechanics and the supervisor beginning March 1.

The work session reviewed the salary increases.

Outside of the normal budget cycle, according to Superintendent Tim Locklair, they reviewed the extreme need for more mechanics with higher pay.

The department is budgeted for seven mechanics but has only one certified mechanic and two apprentices, due to non-competitive pay.

Hensley said they lost mechanics in 2019 because they went to work for the state after being denied a raise.

The school’s mechanic’s wages range from $16.50 to $24.88 per hour, below market rates.

To suffice for the lack of mechanics, the district uses third-party mechanics at $160 per hour.

The transportation mechanic technician supervisor is also underpaid.

State 056 transportation funds will cover increased salaries and will not impact the local district budget.

With 25 resignations, the board increased wages to begin at $18, topping at $30.88.

The board reclassified the supervisor position to Pay Level 72, encompassing a pay scale of $49,545.60 to $66,788.

Member Kenneth Benway recommended that mechanics they train be required to stay after that training for two years, but there was no motion to vote.

There is no contract for training and loyalty to the school system.

With higher wages, the district may lure back former mechanics.

The next board meeting is March 2 at 1:30.

Feb. 9, 2026

Stephanie M. Sellers

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