Onslow board approves Pinnacle Architecture to design new elementary school; fee set at 6% of construction cost

The Onslow County Board of Education unanimously approved an agreement with Pinnacle Architecture to design a new elementary school intended to relieve capacity pressures in the Sneads Ferry and Stump Sound area.

District staff told the board the new school will address overcrowding at Dixon Elementary and Coastal Elementary and will be based on a prototypical design. The board record says the selection of Pinnacle Architecture was unanimous on Sept. 2, 2025, contingent on contract negotiations; the board moved to approve the negotiated agreement at the meeting.

Key terms presented to the board include use of standard American Institute of Architects (AIA) contract documents, inclusion of architectural, mechanical, electrical and civil engineering services, and fees equal to 6% of construction costs. Staff said payments will be made in increments tied to design milestones, procurement and construction administration. Purchasing staff and legal counsel reviewed the agreement and found it met district procurement and contractual requirements.

The board approved the motion by voice vote; the transcript records a motion, a second, an “Aye” and the chair’s statement that the motion carried. The meeting record does not include a roll‑call vote tally.

District materials presented at the meeting noted the project’s anticipated scope, that the design will follow a prototypical approach to control cost and schedule, and that the 6% fee is consistent with industry norms for the described services. Staff did not present a construction cost estimate or contract total at the meeting; those figures were not specified in the public discussion.