LUMBERTON — A recommendation to give money to Robeson County’s high schools to help cover losses in athletics revenue was approved Thursday by the school board’s Finance Committee.

It was one to two recommendations the panel agreed to forward to the full Public Schools of Robeson County Board of Education for consideration during the school board’s Feb. 9 regular meeting. The other recommendation is to improve lighting at St. Pauls High School’s track.

“We’re moving forward with high school athletics,” said Erica Setzer, PSRC’s chief Finance officer.

Because of COVID-19, and the restrictions on the amount of fans at the events, high schools have not been able to “get the revenue that they’ve been used to receiving,” Setzer said.

She, district Superintendent Freddie Williamson and Athletic Director Jerome Hunt reviewed athletic revenue during the 2019-20 school year at each high school, Setzer said. They agreed to recommend that $30,000, or 50% of most of the schools’ revenue at that time, be taken out of local funds and given to the high schools for use in athletic programs only. Some funds for Lumberton High School were adjusted because of the additional money given for travel to the state championship game, which was canceled.

“Now, we know this may not be enough,” Setzer said.

But the funding issue can be revisited later if needed, she said.

Finance Committee Chairman Mike Smith called the recommendation a “good gesture.”

Committee members also agreed to seek partners in funding new lighting at St. Paul’s High School’s track. The intent is to have lighting that can be turned on and off remotely and will maximize the safety of student athletes and members of the community.

The lighting project will cost $15,000, Smith said.

The town of St. Pauls did not have the funding to cover the cost, but he reached out to Robeson County Commissioner Lance Herndon, in whose district the school sits, to ask for help, Smith said.

Other committee members suggested partnering with churches or civic groups or St. Pauls businesses.

Also on Thursday, committee members heard updates about roofing repair projects, which will be paid for using lottery funds.

Roof repairs at St. Pauls Elementary School are 90% complete, and should be completed by Saturday, said Earney Hammonds, director of Maintenance.

Repairs to the Shining Stars Preschool roof are to start Jan. 28 and be completed by March 12, the Maintenance director said.

The school district and Robeson County government are in talks about PSRC assuming ownership of the Shining Stars building.

“The negotiations for the building are well underway and it appears that we’re going to be in good shape to achieve the building,” Hammonds said.

He was working with Setzer to make sure funding for the repairs at schools is in place before moving forward on roof repairs at the other schools, he said.

“These were the most urgent ones,” Hammonds said.

More bids will come in for the RB Dean-Townsend Elementary School project, which includes placing new mobile classroom units at the school, Hammonds said. He is confident the project will cost less than $500,000.

Hammonds also shared preliminary numbers with the committee, but did not read them aloud during the virtual meeting.

Other projects were discussed during Thursday’s Finance Committee meeting. One was how much it would cost to buy a metal shell building to house a weight room at St. Pauls High School. No votes were taken on items discussed.

Reach Jessica Horne at 910-416-5165 or via email at [email protected].