Morrisville council unanimously approves interlocal agreements to support new school and town-funded amenities

The Morrisville Town Council unanimously approved three interlocal agreements on a single-motion agenda item, authorizing town participation in construction of school facilities and town-requested recreational amenities.

Planning staff told the council the new interlocal agreement with Wake County Public Schools includes a town "do not exceed" contribution of $1,064,804.75 for additional improvements requested by the town. "That agreement includes a do not exceed of $1,064,804.75 for the additional town requested improvements," the presenter said. Staff said Wake County Public Schools prepared the cost estimates and included a 15% contingency in the figure.

The improvements the town asked the district to add include lighting for tennis courts, work on two multipurpose fields, striping for three courts, a tennis back-hit wall, a share of a storage building, conduit for future IT equipment and related site features. Staff said those items totaled $916,265 before contingency and design costs, producing the $1,064,804.75 not-to-exceed amount. The project is currently being bid and staff said the town would pay actual costs if bids come in under estimates; if bids exceed estimates the amenities would be constructed up to the not-to-exceed figure.

Parks and Recreation Director Cindy King told the council the town plans to program and rent the fields and courts at different times and that the facilities "will be open to the public." King said Wake County athletic scheduling accounts for differences in weekend and weekday availability for specific fields and courts.

Staff also said students would be bussed from the high school site to Cedar Fork Elementary School for practice sessions, with most buses using the new lot and full-size buses using the existing drive. Planning staff cautioned that transportation patterns may evolve as the high school adds upper grades over time and that the school system could adjust plans.

Councilmember discussion touched on connectivity and greenway routing; planning staff said a steep grade along part of the site will require significant retaining work and that a dedicated trailhead is "aspirational" and under further study. Councilmembers asked staff to provide more detail on how the site will connect to the existing greenway network and the regional Triangle Bikeway as plans progress.

The council then considered three separate resolutions. Mayor Potem Rabadi moved to adopt the First Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement for Programming and Planning School and Town Facilities; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously (7–0). The council approved a second amendment to the Level 4 joint use agreement for Cedar Fork Elementary School and an interlocal agreement for infrastructure provision to support public school facilities; both motions passed unanimously.

The moderator thanked planning staff and partners, including Wake County Public Schools and Wake Tech, noting the work had taken several years. Staff directed residents to the town calendar for future meetings and engagement opportunities. The council subsequently voted to enter a closed session under NCGS 143-318.11(a)(4) to discuss an economic development matter.

Next steps: the project is being bid and staff will return with procurement results and any updates to cost or schedule; the council has approved the interlocal agreements subject to the not-to-exceed funding cap.