Board approves $400,000 lottery application for Phillips Middle School roof

The Edgecomb Public Schools board approved submitting a North Carolina Education Lottery application to fund roof repair and replacement and associated design work at Phillips Middle School, with an estimated total request of $400,000. A board member moved and another seconded the submission; the motion carried on a voice vote.

Board discussion focused on urgency and flexibility. Members noted the roof is actively leaking and that delaying repair could increase costs. One committee member said, "It's leaking in it," when arguing for prompt action. The presenter and other members also discussed whether the funds could be reallocated to another project later; the presenter said reallocations would require board agreement and additional steps and emphasized that the application must next be routed to the county commissioners for approval.

The board recorded that the $400,000 estimate includes architectural design fees and said the district tends to estimate conservatively. Following the vote on the lottery submission, the board approved a motion to enter closed session under the North Carolina Open Meetings law to consider personnel matters and consult with counsel, and the meeting later adjourned.

The lottery submission is a board action to seek project funding; final funding depends on county and lottery approval.