Moore County asks schools to use lapsed SRO salaries to finish Union Pines turf

The Moore County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 20 asked Moore County Schools to use lapsed school resource officer (SRO) salary dollars to finish the remaining payment for Union Pines High School’s artificial turf.

County Manager Wayne Vest told commissioners the county had previously set aside $600,000 each for artificial turf at Union Pines and North Moore high schools, and that the Convention and Visitors Bureau awarded a $120,000 grant for Union Pines, bringing available project funding to approximately $720,000. Vest said the Union Pines project now needs an additional estimated $480,000, which the schools could cover from accumulated lapsed SRO salaries if those funds remain available.

“When we presented this, it was not met too well by the majority of the school board,” the chair said, describing the original allocation. Commissioners who spoke in favor noted the potential long-term savings on maintenance and the broader community benefits of a renovated field: tournaments, band competitions and graduations that can draw visitors and hotel room bookings. One commissioner described current field drainage problems and urged careful installation to avoid recurring issues.

Resident and booster supporters have pushed the turf project, and commissioners said they favored using existing local funds rather than requesting new county appropriations. Commissioner comments also included a suggestion that, if the school system cannot account for lapsed salary funds, the county request a performance audit from the state auditor.

The board approved the request by voice vote with no recorded opposition. The motion asks Moore County Schools to identify and, if available, apply lapsed SRO salary dollars toward the Union Pines turf payment; the school board retains authority to accept and allocate those funds.

What happens next: The county asked school officials to verify whether the lapsed SRO salary balance exists and to report back; commissioners also requested cost updates and noted the county’s expectation that the turf be installed with proper drainage and related facilities improvements where needed.