Cumberland Schools formalize interlocal bus agreements with Hope Mills and Fayetteville; towns to reimburse labor and fuel

The Cumberland County Board of Education approved three‑year interlocal agreements that allow the Town of Hope Mills and the City of Fayetteville (and Cumberland/Fayetteville Parks and Recreation) to use district activity buses during periods when the buses are not needed for school activities.

Miss Bolden, a staff member, told the committee the agreements codify long‑standing, informal arrangements typically used during the summer for camps and recreation programs. She said municipalities will be "fully responsible for all costs associated with their use," and that "the CCA activities will always take priority" over municipal requests.

Costs and operational details: under the agreements, municipalities will reimburse the district $21 per hour for driver labor and $3 per mile for fuel/diesel; district drivers will operate the vehicles and municipalities will cover maintenance and fuel costs during use. The agreements permit Hope Mills to use activity buses when the district is not using them (primarily in summer) and mirror an identical agreement approved the same day for the City of Fayetteville.

Discussion and approval: board members asked whether dollar amounts should be included explicitly in the agreement; staff said they would add a one-page addendum or include the reimbursement language and proceed. The committee voted to approve the agreements; staff said they would circulate the specific reimbursement language to finalize the contracts if necessary.

Why it matters: the agreements formalize an existing practice, create clearer cost-recovery terms, and mitigate confusion when municipal programs request bus usage. The district emphasized that school activities will retain scheduling priority.