Moody mum on location
By Jeanie Groh
jeanie.groh@salisburypost.com
Superintendent Dr. Lynn Moody declined to disclose the owner or location of a proposed central office site, but said she plans to announce the location pending a positive vote at Thursday’s school board meeting.
A Post reporter requested the owner and location of the property, but Moody said that information will be disclosed “the day we take the vote,” adding, “it’s a part of the negotiation.”
According to the North Carolina Press Association, state law says a public body must disclose the identity of the owner, the location and the intended use of a property if those specific pieces are not under negotiation.
“We wouldn’t want disclosure to impact our ability to close the deal,” said board Vice Chairwoman Kay Wright Norman.
Moody was also tight-lipped about property negotiations with county commissioners earlier this month when she faced questions from the group about the district’s current administrative offices property on Ellis Street.
School boards are required to offer a property to county commissioners for its appraised value before selling it to another buyer. Moody told commissioners another buyer is lined up to purchase the property.
“At this point, we’re not asking you to approve anything except that you don’t want this property at $617,000. That’s all you’re voting on — tendering the property to us so we can further our negotiations,” she said.
The district will also introduce the new funding partners supporting the project.
In addition, the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education will vote to approve a recommendation for a construction manager at risk.
The manager can guarantee the school system a set price for the project, and would be responsible for overseeing construction of the central office.
“We are also hiring an architect,” Moody said. If Assistant Superintendent of Operations Anthony Vann has a recommendation ready by Thursday, that position could be discussed as well. The architect would work on plans for the consolidated elementary school in the western part of the county and renovations to Knox Middle School.
The consent agenda includes minutes for the board’s May 19 and 27 and June 2 and 9 meetings; financial summaries for May and June; a field trip request for East Rowan’s student leadership team and first reads on policies dealing with discrimination, the harassment and bullying complaint process, the authority of school personnel, managing student behavior and rules for use of seclusion and restraint.
Alesia Burnette will present the district’s Title I application, and will point out any changes to it.
“Before it’s sent in, it has to be approved by the board,” Norman said.
The board will approve first readings on policies concerning nondiscrimination based on disabilities, children of military families, translating policies for students and parents, equal educational opportunities, parental involvement, education for pregnant and parenting students and staff-student relations.
The meeting will be held Thursday at 8 a.m. in the board room of the district’s Long Street offices, 110 South Long Street in East Spencer.