Judge Willis Whichard has yet to determine whether or not he will declare an impasse between Rowan-Salisbury School System and Rowan County Commissioners.
“I have asked the lawyers for both boards to let me know where they ended up. They have not given me that yet, but have indicated that they will,” Whichard said.
Whichard, a lawyer who has served both as an appellate judge and as a state legislator, serves at the mediator between the two groups.
Once Whichard receives an update from both attorneys, he will make an assessment.
“I hope we’re close to ending this one way or another, but we’ll see.”
The chairman of the Board of Education said that if impasse is granted, the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education will not need to meet again before filing a lawsuit.
Vice Chairman of the Board of Commissioner Craig Pierce said, “At this point, we’re still in mediation.”
Neither Richard Schwartz, the school board’s attorney, nor Neil Yarborough, the commissioners’ attorney was available for comment.