In a letter sent to both the county and state board of elections, Rebecca Copeland, chair of the Coalition for Education and Economic Security, requests the boards investigate the nature and extent of the relationship between the Halifax Citizens Political Action Committee and the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District Board of Education.

“It appears,” the March 4 letter said, “based on the enclosed copy of PAC's fundraising appeal, that it was formed in January 2014 to raise money and support candidates for county commissioners who oppose school merger.”

Sources confirmed this afternoon the group has been in existence longer than this January and were instrumental in fighting the 2012 proposed supplemental school tax.

The letter continues, “We suspect that close working relationship between a public school district and this political action committee is improper and unethical. To gather information about the collusion between these two organizations, we have submitted a public information request to the superintendent of the RRGSD … We are concerned that members of the administration and board may have violated general statute … requiring board members to uphold the integrity and independence of the board member's office; and general statute ... requiring board members to avoid impropriety in the exercise of board member's official duties. Furthermore, we suspect that two or more school board members have violated the RRGSD's code of ethics … requiring board members to avoid being placed in a position of conflict of interest or from using the board members' position on the board for personal or partisan gain.”

The coalition lists as reasons to suspect impropriety as the following:

• That Roanoke Rapids school board Chair Jay Carlisle is a co-chair of the PAC with school board member Mike Williams as the other co-chair.

• Roanoke Rapids school facilities have been used at least twice to promote political and fundraising objectives of the PAC.

• Last month, Williams spoke as a school board member to parents at Manning School during a PTA meeting urging parents to support the PAC and its political goals.

• The parents were urged to switch their voter registration from Republican to Democrat or independent so they could vote for county commissioners who oppose merger in the May primary. Voter registration forms were distributed for this specific purpose.

“To ensure the integrity of all three school systems in Halifax County and remove the cloud of suspicion and political intrigue which hangs over the RRGSD board and the HC PAC, we are asking for an impartial and independent investigation into any and all conduct between this political action committee and the leadership of the board of education,” the letter says, continuing, “Since the activities of the RRGSD and the Halifax County PAC are intended to influence the May 6, 2014, election, we ask that you look into this matter without delay. During the time your investigation is (under way) we also ask that you advise those RRGSD board members with leadership roles on the PAC to either step down from their role on the HC PAC or their role on the RRGSD Board of Education.”

Carlisle had no comment when reached today.

The Halifax County Board of Election said today the letter has been forwarded to the state for its input.