The Moore County Board of Education is starting to plan for a new round of school construction that addresses crowding at its two largest high schools.
Plans that would have remedied over enrollment at Pinecrest and Union Pines were left out of the last round of school construction bonds in 2018.
kAm%96 4@?46AE @7 2 DA64:2=:K65 4@>>F?:EJ 4@==686 @776C:?8 E649?:42= 2?5 4@==686\=6G6= 4@FCD6D E@ DEF56?ED 4@F?EJH:56 72:=65 E@ 86?6C2E6 D:8?:7:42?E 4@>>F?:EJ DFAA@CE[ 2?5 4@F?EJ =6256CD 2E E96 E:>6 76=E :E 4C62E65 E@@ 8C62E 2 7:?2?4:?8 3FC56? 2=@?8 H:E9 7@FC ?6H 6=6>6?E2CJ D49@@=D]k^Am
kAmqFE 6?C@==>6?E 2E 3@E9 9:89 D49@@=D 92D @?=J 4@?E:?F65 E@ 4=:>3[ 2?5 E96 4FCC6?E D49@@= 3@2C5 :D AC:@C:E:K:?8 E96 C6A=246>6?E @7 >@3:=6 4=2DDC@@>D H:E9 3C:4<\2?5\>@CE2C 3F:=5:?8D]k^Am
kAmrFCC6?E=J[ !:?64C6DE 92D a[a__ DEF56?ED :? 3F:=5:?8D 56D:8?65 7@C `[e__] |62?H9:=6[ 6?C@==>6?E 2E &?:@? !:?6D :D ?@H FA @G6C `[c__ @? 2 42>AFD 3F:=E 7@C `[_e_] t249 244@>>@52E6D E96 @G6C7=@H H:E9 2 `_\4=2DDC@@> >@3:=6 F?:E @? 42>AFD[ 2=@?8 H:E9 92=7 2 5@K6? D:?8=6 EC2:=6CD]k^Am
kAmt2C=:6C E9:D J62C E96 D49@@= 3@2C5’D 4@?DECF4E:@? 4@>>:EE66 2D<65 $7{Z2 pC49:E64ED[ =@?8E:>6 4@?DF=E2?ED @? |@@C6 r@F?EJ $49@@=D’ 3F:=5:?8 AC@;64ED[ E@ C6G:D:E A=2?D D<6E4965 @FE :? a_`d E@ C6?@G2E6 2?5 6IA2?5 3@E9 9:89 D49@@=D]k^Am
kAmq@2C5 >6>36CD =62C?65 =2DE >@?E9 E92E 7F=7:==:?8 E9@D6 A=2?D — H9:49 H@F=5 >2E49 E96 D49@@=D’ 42A24:EJ E@ E96:C 4FCC6?E 6?C@==>6?E — H@F=5 =:<6=J 4@DE Sacd >:==:@?[ @C EH:46 2D >F49 2D E96J H6C6 6IA64E65 E@ 324< E96?]k^Am
kAmqFE 3J E96 E:>6 2?J D:8?:7:42?E 4@?DECF4E:@? AC@;64E 4@F=5 36 4@>A=6E65[ D@FE96C? 2?5 46?EC2= |@@C6 r@F?EJ 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ 92G6 @G6C c[___ AF3=:4 9:89 D49@@= DEF56?ED] %92E ?F>36C :D AC@;64E65 E@ 36 @G6C c[c__ 7:G6 J62CD 36J@?5 E92E]k^Am
kAm“tG6? :7 H6 925 :>A=6>6?E65 E96 A=2? :? a_`d[ H6’5 36 369:?5 E@52J] $@ J@F’5 DE:== 36 =@@<:?8 2E 2 >2;@C 42A:E2= AC@;64E 6G6? H:E9 E92E[” %@> wF896D[ 2 AC:?4:A2= 2C49:E64E H:E9 $7{Z2[ E@=5 E96 4@>>:EE66 E9:D H66<]k^Am
kAm“x7 H6 DE2CE E@52J H:E9 2?J >2;@C 42A:E2= AC@;64E[ 3J E96 E:>6 H6 8@ E9C@F89 7F?5:?8[ 56D:8?[ 4@?DECF4E:@? … H6’C6 @FE E@ a_af D@ =6EVD E2<6 E92E 2D D@CE @7 2? :?E6C:> 8@2=[”k^Am
kAmx? 2 %9FCD52J >66E:?8[ wF896D D2:5 E92E @AE:@?D E@ 244@>>@52E6 6?C@==>6?E 8C@HE9 @FE E@ a_ba H@F=5 =:<6=J CF? 2C@F?5 Sah_ >:==:@?]k^Am
kAm%96 >@DE DEC2:89E7@CH2C5 @7 E9@D6 @AE:@?D :?G@=G6D 3F:=5:?8 2 ?6H 9:89 D49@@= H:E9 2 D:>:=2C 42A24:EJ E@ !:?64C6DE 2?5 2 AC:46 E28 @7 2C@F?5 S`d_ >:==:@?]k^Am
kAm%92E D49@@= H@F=5 5C2H D:8?:7:42?E=J 7C@> !:?64C6DE 2?5 &?:@? !:?6D E@ 3C:?8 6?C@==>6?E 2E E9@D6 D49@@=D H:E9:? E96:C 3F:=E 42A24:EJ] #6?@G2E:?8 E9@D6 EH@ D49@@=D H@F=5 CF? 2C@F?5 S`c_ >:==:@?]k^Am
kAmu@C E96 AFCA@D6D @7 A=2??:?8[ E96 D49@@= 3@2C5 92D ?@E :?4=F565 }@CE9 |@@C6 w:89 :? E96 =2C86C 6BF2E:@?] %92E D49@@= H2D 6IA2?565 :? a_a_ E@ :?4=F56 2? 2FI:=:2CJ 8J>?2D:F> 2?5 ?6H 4=2DDC@@> H:?8] q@2C5 ':46 r92:C s2G:5 w6?D=6J[ H9@ =625D E96 4@?DECF4E:@? 4@>>:EE66[ D2:5 E92E E96 3@2C5 :D F?=:<6=J E@ 4@?D:56C 6IA2?5:?8 }@CE9 |@@C6’D 2EE6?52?46 2C62 36J@?5 H92E H2D 6DE23=:D965 :? E96 =2E6DE C@F?5 @7 C65:DEC:4E:?8]k^Am
kAm'2C:2E:@?D @? 3F:=5:?8 2 ?6H 9:89 D49@@= :?4=F56 3F:=5:?8 2 `[c__ DEF56?E D49@@=] p?@E96C b__ DEF56?ED’ H@CE9 @7 4=2DDC@@> DA246 4@F=5 36 25565 =2E6C — 6:E96C 2E E96 ?6H D49@@= @C 2E &?:@? !:?6D]k^Am
kAm“xE DE2CED E@ C2:D6 E96 BF6DE:@? @7 32=2?46] w@H 5@ J@F D66 E96 32=2?46 @7 J@FC 6?C@==>6?E :? J@FC D49@@=Dn” wF896D D2:5[ A@:?E:?8 @FE E92E >@DE @7 E96 @AE:@?D H@F=5 C6DF=E :? 2 EC:@ @7 bp D49@@=D]k^Am
kAmp?@E96C @AE:@? :?G@=G6D 42CCJ:?8 @FE E96 a_`d A=2?D 2?5 AF==:?8 ?:?E9 8C256 7C@> @?6 @C 3@E9 9:89 D49@@=D] %92E H@F=5 CF? 2C@F?5 Sagd >:==:@?[ wF896D D2:5[ :?4=F5:?8 Sc_ >:==:@? E@ 3F:=5 2 ?:?E9\8C256 24256>J]k^Am
kAmw6?D=6J D2:5 E92E E96 5:DEC:4E 92D @AE:@?D 7@C D:E:?8 DF49 2 D49@@=[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 }6H r6?EFCJ |:55=6 42>AFD 25;246?E E@ &?:@? !:?6D] w6 D2:5 E92E 96’D 2=D@ 5:D4FDD:?8 H:E9 p36C566? =6256CD E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 FD:?8 E96 @=5 6=6>6?E2CJ 42>AFD @? &]$] ` 2D “DH:?8 DA246” 5FC:?8 4@?DECF4E:@?]k^Am
kAmqFE 96 2=D@ @FE=:?65 E96 5C2H324<D @7 6IA2?5:?8 E96 6I:DE:?8 9:89 D49@@=D[ ?2>6=J E96 =:>:E2E:@?D @7 E96:C D:E6D 2?5 4@DE @7 7:==:?8 :? E96 A@?5 369:?5 !:?64C6DE[ 2?5 36?67:ED @7 255:?8 2 7@FCE9 9:89 D49@@=]k^Am
kAm“x7 J@F 5@F3=6 E96 D:K6 @7 !:?64C6DE[ J@F DE:== @?=J 92G6 ) ?F>36C @7 DEF56?ED H9@ 42? >2<6 6249 DA@CED E62>[” D2:5 w6?D=6J] “(96C62D :7 J@F DA=:E :E[ J@F 92G6 EH:46 2D >2?J DA@CED E62>D[ EH:46 2D >2?J E962E6C EC@FA6D] %96C6 2C6 >2?J >@C6 @AA@CEF?:E:6D]”k^Am
kAmr@DE AC@;64E:@?D[ H9:49 C2?86 FA E@ Sb`_ >:==:@? 7@C 2 ?6H `[c__\DEF56?E 9:89 D49@@=[ C6?@G2E:?8 2E !:?64C6DE[ 2?5 C6?@G2E:?8 &?:@? !:?6D H:E9 2 b__\DEF56?E 6IA2?D:@?[ 5@ ?@E :?4=F56 3FJ:?8 255:E:@?2= =2?5]k^Am
kAmwF896D D2:5 E92E E96 AC@;64E65 S`d_ >:==:@? 7@C 2 `[f__\DEF56?E 9:89 D49@@= :D “AC@323=J E96 >@DE 4@?7:56?E ?F>36C @FE E96C6]”k^Am
kAm“x’G6 6D42=2E65 D@>6 @7 E96D6 4@DED[ 3FE x 5@?’E 92G6 2 4CJDE2= 32== E92E 8@6D @FE E92E 72C[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmw6 2=D@ 25G:D65 E96 3@2C5 E@ H@C< H:E9 4@?DF=E2?ED 2E }]r] $E2E6’D ~A6C2E:@?D #6D62C49 2?5 t5F42E:@? {23@C2E@CJ[ H9:49 A6C:@5:42==J FA52E6D |@@C6 r@F?EJ $49@@=D’ 6?C@==>6?E AC@;64E:@?D 32D65 @? =@42= 46?DFD 2?5 =2?5 FD6 52E2[ E@ :56?E:7J 2? 2AAC@AC:2E6 86?6C2= =@42E:@? 7@C 2 A@E6?E:2= 7@FCE9 9:89 D49@@=]k^Am
kAmw6?D=6J D2:5 E92E 96 A=2?D E@ 3C:?8 E96 @AE:@?D 367@C6 E96 7F== D49@@= 3@2C5 ?6IE >@?E9 2?5 9@=5 :?5:G:5F2= 5:D4FDD:@? H:E9 E96 4@F?EJ 4@>>:DD:@?6CD] w6 9@A6D 7@C 2 ;@:?E >66E:?8 H:E9 E96 q@2C5 @7 r@>>:DD:@?6CD :? E96 4@>:?8 >@?E9D @?46 “>@C6 4@?4C6E6 4@FCD6D @7 24E:@?” 6>6C86]k^Am
kAm“%96 62C=:6C H6 :?G@=G6 E96> :? E96 4@FCD6 @7 24E:@?[ 56G6=@A>6?E[ E96 36EE6C[ 3642FD6 E96? E96J 5@?VE 766= =:<6 :E’D E2<6 :E @C =62G6 :E[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmr@?E24E |2CJ z2E6 |FCA9J 2E Wh`_X ehb\acfh @C k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i><>FCA9JoE96A:=@E]4@>Qm><>FCA9JoE96A:=@E]4@>k^2m]k^Am
(10) comments
A 9th grade academy is not a viable solution. It would increase the transportation load of bussing students all over the place. The board should also stop talking about building more schools along Union Church road. Given that the county commissioners continue to designate that portion of Moore County as "rural and agricultural" and denying builders the opportunity to build family neighborhoods in that area, we should not consider adding more school buildings there.
Building new schools in the location where the majority of families live is the most sensible solution. Therefore, somewhere in the southern portion of the county is where the next high school needs to be built.
Whoa! With all the new options for non-government schools in our area, the board should also be considering enrollment shrinkage. The actual total enrollment in MCS schools reached a peak about a decade ago and has been at best flat ever since. Clearly though student concentrations lead to empty seats in one school and crowding in another, although class sizes of 30 or more were quite normal not so long ago - when academic results were also significantly higher. Sports and theater should not be a concern though - such things ought to be done outside of schools anyway as they are in most other countries. Modular classrooms should be the only thing considered now, second-hand if possible to save money. MCS enrollment will continue to decline as the wave of public school exodus reaches the higher grades in a few years. Our nation is nearly $32T in debt and the economy is fragile. We can not survive another wave of taxation including additional debt to build more gold-plated, D-rated government schools.
Kent, stop lying about enrollment numbers. Everyone is sick of it. Here is the enrollment data from Moore County School District, which shows a steady climb in enrollment since 2017, from 12,665 in 2017 to 12,963 this school year. These numbers do not include the students enrolled in charter schools which also receive funds from the public budget. Here is the official information source: https://www.ncmcs.org/about_us/our_schools
Assuming a 4% interest rate and 20 year amortization of a $300,000,000 debt, the annual debt service on this borrowing will be about $21,000,000 per year. That's an increase in the tax rate of about 11 cents / $100. Kent's going to tell us to home school all of those kids. That's not going to happen. I'm going to ask, again, why we can't get out State legislators to allow us to assess impact fees on new residential development to at least reduce some of these costs that will otherwise accrue to current residents with this new construction being brought on by newcomers to our County?
John Misiaszek
John Misiaszek
We also shouldn't forget that there's some of the lower grades that might need new schools too.
John Misiaszek
Hey John - did you know that our state passed a “put your money where your mouth is” law years ago? If you feel you are under-taxed, you may write a personal check any time and send it to NCDOR. Go for it. It is also about time that taxpayers are relieved of the tremendous burden of funding education in all forms. Including public and charter schools and vouchers, as this only leads to politicization of education. Anyone would be free to donate to them. Best would be 100% private, for-profit education including all colleges and universities. No government-backed loans, school bonds, etc. Free market solutions would explode, costs driven down, variety and quality would increase. Our county and state budgets would be cut in half, leaving money in our pockets, where it is always better spent than when in the hands of politicians and bureaucrats.
I'll pay my fair share Kent, even with no kids in school. My only point was that this is going to be costly, like it or not. It would certainly help if Moore County had some industry to help pay this bill. Commercial and industrial entities return $2.45 / $1 of cost, Vs. residential returning only $,75 / $ 1 of cost. What we're looking at is the cost of being an "agricultural / rural County. 1/3 of our County land is trees and those owners pay virtually nothing in property taxes but tie up the land leaving too little room for industrial expansion which would help pay the looming bills to build these new schools. Again, let's get the state to let us levy impact fees.
John Misiaszek
I usually agree with you. But where today would one get a 4% rate of borrowing? The current prime rate is 8.25%
They won't be borrowing the money tomorrow, this will be a couple of years from now I'd guess. Hope rates will come down by then. Otherwise, the tax rates will go up more than I mentioned.
John Misiaszek
Just looked, current muni bond rates are about 4 1/8%. Muni's are not taxable threfore carry a lower rate of interest.
John Misiaszek
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Comments that violate any of the rules above are subject to removal by staff.