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Pamlico County Board backs application for $33.8 million needs‑based grant to expand Pamlico Primary, seeks county match
Summary
Superintendent recommended reapplying for a state needs‑based capital grant to add classrooms at Pamlico Primary, move grades 4–5 and eventually close Fred Anderson; the board approved proceeding with the application pending county‑commissioner sign‑off, noting a 5% local match estimated at $1,689,803.
The Pamlico County Board of Education voted unanimously at its meeting to move forward with an application for a needs‑based capital grant to expand Pamlico Primary School, pending approval from the county commissioners.
Superintendent (speaker 6) told the board the proposed project budget has increased from $29,606,154 in last year's application to $33,796,000 this year and carries a 5% local match requirement. "If we get a $33,000,000 grant and we've got a $62,000,000 grant, it's nearly a $100,000,000 opportunity for the county for around a $5,000,000 investment," the superintendent said, recommending the district reapply and coordinate with county leaders for the match. He said the district asked architects to add two classrooms to ensure capacity for future expansion.
Under the plan discussed, grades 4 and 5 now housed at Fred Anderson Elementary would move to the primary school; Fred Anderson would be demolished and its site repurposed for athletic fields. The superintendent said some bid packages are already coming in under budget: "There were 41 bid packages... some of those bids came in under budget," he said, and a guaranteed maximum price will be brought to the board for approval when finalized.
Board members stressed fiscal prudence while supporting the application. One member noted an estimated annual local match (5%) of $1,689,803; another cited projected savings from consolidation, including roughly $120,000 in electricity savings and about $120,000 from reduced redundancies, though those savings were characterized as estimates contingent on consolidation and final budgets.
The superintendent also described a sales‑tax rebate calculation: he said the district anticipates a $675,921 sales‑tax rebate on the primary‑school budget and about $1.3 million in sales‑tax refunds associated with the 6–12 school; he recommended returning the $675,000 rebate to the county to reduce its debt service obligation.
Board Chair asked for a motion to approve moving forward with the application pending county approval; the motion was made, seconded and approved by voice/hand raise.
Next steps the board outlined include finalizing bid pricing, receiving a guaranteed maximum price from the contractor/architect team, and presenting the application and local‑match plan to the county commissioners for their decision. The superintendent and oversight committee will continue to refine numbers and return with more detail before any construction contract is executed.
The board made no final decision on construction contracts at the meeting; it voted only to pursue the grant application and to work with county officials on the required local match.
