Invoices show CMS Board nearly $400,000 on superintendent investigation so far

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – New invoices and contracts show Charlotte Mecklenburg School board is spending more than $379,000 for an investigation surrounding Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill.

Invoices from Brooks Pierce, a Greensboro Law Firm show it first billed CMS on May 13th for a phone call just days after the board and the superintendent clashed over budget cuts in a meeting.

On April 28th the board voted to reject Dr. Hill’s $2.1 billion budget for the district over concerns some of her adjustments and cuts didn’t fit within the board guardrails for the district.

“If the board is directing me to amend a $2.1 billion dollar budget, I respectfully request what part of the $2.1 billion budget needs to be amended,” Dr. Hill asked in a April board meeting.

“I understand that and I said to you you will get further direction it will not be at this moment and it will not be at this time. the meeting is adjourned,” Board Chair Stephanie Sneed said as she hit her gavel to end the meeting.

Lawyers charged more than $2,400 dollars to watch the board meeting from April 28th and another from May 8th.

The board put Dr. Hill on paid leave on June 17th for concerns over administrative and operational . That same day the firm did several tasks for the board including interviewing employees and advising on public statements. The firm charged more than $6,700 on June 17th alone.

On June 23rd, the firm charged $1,760 to look through over 2,000 emails.

On July 18th, the firm charged $1,375 to research school performance and confirm accuracy of evaluations “in light of allegations”.

On July 23rd, the firm charged $275 dollars to talk about public relations concerns, press coverage and leaks.

On July 28th, the invoice shows Dr. Hill’s attorney offered a settlement to the district and the firm charged $2,887.50 for the conversation.

The invoices show cost until July 31st. The documents also show the district is paying more than $62,000 for a crisis communication firm.

The board reinstated Dr. Hill back on August 11th. In her first board meeting since returning, the board voted to release a report of further details of the investigation without violating employment privacy laws.

“I want to make sure that whatever is shared is really around governance accountability, process integrity and the stewardship of public dollars,” Anna London, Board Member District 6 said.

Board Chair Stephanie Sneed and members Lenora Shipp and Monty Witherspoon all abstained from voting on whether to release further details on the investigation.

“We should’ve already made a statement to the public so at this moment for me this is a performative action,” Monty Witherspoon, Board Member at Large said.

The board’s legal team will be putting together a report to be released before the end of September. This investigation happened just five months after the board voted to give Dr. Hill a salary increase.