Action by the Moore County Board of Commissioners Tuesday, authorizes the public schools to apply for more than $4 million for four capital projects at three schools.

Two applications to the N.C. Education Lottery Fund are $1.2 million to expand the Union Pines High School cafeteria and $2.7 million to expand the Pinecrest auxiliary gym and cafeteria.

The school system will also apply for $533,208 in average daily membership (ADM) state funds for a technology project.

The final application is for $150,000 for the Southern Pines Elementary School auditorium, these funds to come from sales tax refunds from the school bond building projects.

The schools are eligible for refunds on sales taxes paid by private contractors carrying out building projects under the capital improvement bonds program. The current balance in this fund is about $500,000.

Mike Griffin, the school system’s chief finance officer, said the Southern Pines auditorium upgrade includes such things as window replacements and new furnishings.

Griffin said the school system would be able to carry out the two lottery projects without further use of bond money.

The commissioners voted unanimously to authorize the four applications. All projects had received prior approval by the Moore County Board of Education.

The way is now cleared for the schools to submit applications to the State Department of Public Instruction for final approval and for the requested funds to be allocated to Moore County for immediate withdrawal.

In other business, the commissioners approved an agreement with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for services covering forest land in Moore County.

The agreement with the Division of Forest Services requires the county to allocate 40 percent of the cost of forestry salaries and related expenses connected with the overall forestry program in the county. Among the services is fire protection.

County Finance Officer Carrie H. Neal reported that the $157,659 appropriation for this expense is included in the recently adopted 2011-12 budget.

The board also approved a contract with the Carthage Fire Department to provide medium duty rescue and medical first response within the Carthage fire district.

Public Safety Director D. Bryan Phillips reported that the Carthage Rescue Squad is no longer able to fulfill its contract with the county.

He said the Carthage Fire Department is already providing these services within town limits and has the equipment, training and personnel to provide the needed services.

He added that the fire department is committed to the purchase of additional equipment to meet the medium duty rescue standard.

The commissioners also:

• Authorized the chairman to execute the Assistance and Procurement Policies related to the Single Family Rehabilitation grant offered by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency with an established project close-out date of June 2014.

• Adopted a resolution approving the write-off of $1,594.61 in bad debts to the Moore County Health Department as recommended by the Board of Health. These are fees charged for services which clients were unable to pay during the previous fiscal year. Each of the unpaid fees amounted to less than $50.

• Adopted a resolution approving the health department’s clinical fee schedule.

• Adopted a resolution approving the health department’s public health response plan for incorporation into the county emergency response plan.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at florence@the-pilot.com.