Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools spent roughly $379,000 on an outside law firm to investigate Superintendent Crystal Hill this summer, invoices obtained by WCNC Charlotte show.

The Greensboro-based firm Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard billed CMS $130,652.50 for work through June 30 and $248,776.50 for services through July 31, according to invoices sent to the district's general counsel. The July invoice included $62,381.50 in disbursements largely covering public relations work by Fitzpatrick Communications, which the firm brought on to "inform" its legal advice.

The fees came from the same district budget that funds classrooms at Ballantyne-area schools including Ardrey Kell High School, Community House Middle School and Polo Ridge Elementary.

CMS hired Brooks Pierce under a contract signed May 18 naming Elizabeth Troutman as lead attorney at a discounted rate of $275 per hour.

The board placed Hill on paid leave June 17 and launched an investigation into "matters involving administrative and operational oversight." The board has not said why. Hill was reinstated Aug. 11 after roughly two months away.

The investigation followed a budget dispute. Board members said district staff did not answer their questions about Hill's budget proposal, which the board initially voted down before eventually passing it after adding work sessions.

The Charlotte Observer separately determined that contracts with some of Hill's former colleagues totaled more than $1.7 million over three years. CMS has not confirmed or denied previous reporting that those contracts were the subject of the investigation.

On Tuesday, Aug. 25, the board voted 6-0 to release a summary report on the investigation's findings by the end of September. Three members abstained: board chair Stephanie Sneed, Lenora Shipp and Monty Witherspoon. Board member Charlitta Hatch introduced the motion, joined by Shamaiye Haynes, Cynthia Stone, Liz Monterrey Duvall, Anna London and Dee Rankin.

"Confidentiality does not have to mean silence … I am not asking us to work around the law, I'm asking us to use the process the law gives us," Hatch said at the Aug. 25 meeting.

Under North Carolina law, most contents of district employees' personnel files are not considered public record. The board's vote was required before any findings could be shared publicly.

CMS parent Stacy Staggs told Spectrum News 1 the board's silence was unsettling. The lack of explanation, she said, was "not reassuring" and was "not giving confidence to the leadership, not just the superintendent, but the members of the board."

Hill addressed the situation at an Aug. 18 media briefing, her first public appearance after reinstatement. "To ignore it or pretend that it didn't happen, would not be authentic and that's simply not who I am," Hill said.

The summary report is due before the end of September.