Board to request nearly $2 million in lottery funds for Carthage Elementary site purchase and design work

Moore County Schools asked the board May 5 to request $1.95 million from capital lottery funds to reserve money for two purposes: up to $550,000 to secure a parcel of land for a planned new Carthage Elementary and $1,400,000 to pay design and planning fees for the school.

Financial mechanics and rationale: Director of facilities Jenny Purvis said district staff selected those figures after reviewing recent nearby land sales (per‑acre sale prices ranged roughly $8,000–$13,000) and comparing planning and design costs for the district’s four most recent school construction projects. Purvis said a district request for lottery funds does not obligate the district to spend the money immediately; funds not used can be returned to the district’s lottery account and the district may request additional funds later.

Approval process: If the board approves the request, Purvis explained the county commissioners will also need to approve the disbursement; district staff said they planned to present the request to the commissioners at their May 20 meeting. Purvis said the remaining lottery balance after the request would be roughly $4 million.

Why it matters: The district noted the land purchase would position the district to secure an appropriate site and to begin design and planning work so the district can advance a replacement or new Carthage Elementary in future bond or capital plans. Staff said planning work is required to produce cost estimates before construction funds can be requested.

Next steps: The board will consider the lottery‑funds request and, if approved, staff will present the request to the county commissioners on May 20.