Moore County board hears strong public opposition, support as staff updates site due diligence for proposed new Carthage Elementary

The Moore County Board of Education on Monday heard extended public comment and an update from staff on plans to replace Carthage Elementary School, with residents split over a parcel the district has placed under contract. The board’s staff and superintendent said the district is conducting geotechnical and Phase II environmental testing before making a final purchase decision; dozens of residents urged the board either to proceed or to move the project into Carthage town limits.

The debate matters because the district plans a new 600-seat school and says it is trying to solve capacity issues across Area 1, which includes Vass Lakeview, Sandhills Farm Life and other nearby elementary schools. Miss Purvis, a district staff member leading the site work, told the board, “Under contract does not mean it’s a done deal,” and that the district has ordered Phase II environmental testing and a title search as part of due diligence.

Public speakers gave sharply different views. Lisa Moore, who identified herself as a Carthage resident, veteran teacher and the Carthage Elementary school improvement chair, said staff and families “stand united urging the board to move forward with the land purchase as planned and to prioritize a timely start to construction of the new school.” Third-grader Eli Blake told the board he cares “that my friends and teachers have a school that is safe and that they can be proud of.”

Opponents said the chosen parcel is outside Carthage and in a long-standing agricultural area; they warned a school there would accelerate residential development and require long sewer, water and road extensions. Victoria Riddle, a neighbor whose family farm appears on the county’s land-use plan, said the proposed campus would “lose to development within a decade” and that seven approved residential developments inside Carthage were not accounted for in the public discussion. Dan Bonilla, a Carthage commissioner, said the town had attempted government-to-government talks with the district and that those conversations stopped: “The first time we heard that there was a spot picked out was from the pilot newspaper,” he said.

Staff outlined why the parcel was selected. Superintendent Tim Locklear and Miss Purvis said they examined many parcels and flagged the chosen site for favorable topography and road frontage, and that the site is deep enough to allow vehicle queuing away from the road. Purvis said the district has engaged N.C. Department of Transportation planning on entrances and would place the school “towards the back of the parcel” to limit cars on Joel Road. She also noted a projected $3,000,000 cost to run a sewer force main to connect the site into a nearby lift station.

Board members asked for more time, information and greater consultation with local elected officials. Board member David Hensley urged more government-to-government conversations and said the district should revisit the county land-use plan and alternate parcels, including municipal-owned property, before finalizing the purchase. Vice Chair Davis and several board members emphasized the district’s obligation to serve the full Area 1 student population and defended the staff’s selection process while promising continued outreach.

The district did not vote on the land purchase Monday. Staff listed completed survey and geotechnical work and said Phase II environmental testing would begin this week; the board said it will continue due diligence and discuss next steps at future meetings.

The board recessed after the presentation and received further public comment and questions; members asked staff to provide maps and to continue coordinating with the town of Carthage and Moore County commissioners.