New Hanover board agrees to public discussion of committee assignments after split vote

The New Hanover County Schools Board voted 4–3 to add a discussion of committee assignments to the agenda after board member Pat Bradford requested the item be added for either old or new business.

The board’s initial vote to add the discussion was 4 in favor and 3 opposed. Board members Josie Barnhart, Pat Bradford, David Perry and Pete Wildebourgh voted yes; Melissa Mason, Judy Justice and Dr. Tim Merrick voted no. Bradford said media and social posts had made the matter public and that the board needed an internal discussion to restore trust. Merrick and Justice cautioned that committee assignments are within the chair’s authority and that policy changes — not a public airing — would be the proper remedy.

At the end of the meeting the chair addressed the board’s concerns, saying she had attempted to place each member on at least one committee they cared about and one that would broaden their experience, and that she had sought feedback before finalizing assignments. Several board members disputed elements of the rollout, saying a list circulated earlier had not been clearly labeled a draft and that some members discovered assignment changes only recently. The chair said she had spoken with each member while preparing assignments and defended the approach as collaborative.

No formal change to the policy on assignment authority was adopted; the discussion was added to the agenda as an information item for board follow-up.

The exchange resurfaced later in the meeting, with board members urging a focus on district work and services rather than internal politics.