Board approves five-year facility needs survey, cites potential new EJ Hayes/Williamson elementary and 8-classroom addition

Mr. Barber, presenting the district’s five-year facility needs survey, told the board that state law requires local boards to submit a comprehensive facilities survey and that the district entered every identified capital need into the report.

"This survey is a very, very big report," Mr. Barber said, describing sections on current capacity, campus information, utility usage, a 52-question school questionnaire and the plan/project section that itemizes capital needs and estimated expenses for the next five years. He said the district compiled site-by-site capacity using principals' input, blueprints and some physical measurements and that NCDPI’s capacity calculator was used to compute totals.

Mr. Barber and Mr. Edwards noted that the plan/project section mirrors the district’s 5–10 year plan previously shared with the county commissioners and that the survey lists both small items (for example, resurfacing a basketball court) and large projects such as a possible 8-classroom addition at Martin County Middle School and a request for a new pre-K–5 school to replace EJ Hayes and Williamson Primary School. On the question of funding, Mr. Barber said the survey "is not saying that we have money for these things. It is simply relaying the need and being transparent." Dr. White added that the entry of a need in the survey is not binding and can support future grant applications.

Chair Purvis asked for a motion to accept the five-year facility needs survey. The motion was made and seconded, the board voted by voice and Chair Purvis declared the motion carried to approve submission of the survey to the state.

The survey presentation referenced state statute language in the transcript that the presenters cited when describing the district’s submission obligations. The board also later approved personnel items discussed in the closed session and kept the closed-session minutes closed.