Local Radar

---

---

PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 
9:00 – 9:30 AM Edgefield County Chamber of Commerce, 416 Calhoun Street, Johnston. 10:30 AM Edgefield Senior Citizens Center, 400 Church Street, Edgefield. 7:00 PM Reception at Persimmon Hill Country Club. Come Discuss Today’s Important Issues and Share Your Views
ALL ARE WELCOME    www.robertbarber2006.com

---

School board member bills district for suites, upgrades during conferences

web posted September 25, 2006

COUNTY – Edgefield County elected officials are allowed to go to conferences to sharpen their skills and to network with other similar government bodies in the state. The Edgefield County Council usually attends one or two a year. In the past Edgefield County School Board members attended one or two a year. With the additions of Scott Chitty and James Bibbs to the school board that average has changed and the funds expended have some questioning the amount billed by at least one member.

School Board Chairwoman Sallie Cooks attended three conferences last year with a total of $875 for the conferences and $1,435 for hotel rooms at the conference rate provided. Board member Mary Alice Jackson attended three conferences costing $545 and hotel rooms costing $437. On one occasion Mrs. Jackson exceeded the conference rate provided by $34 by staying in a room that cost $189 rather than the offered conference rate of $155 a night.

School Board Vice-chairman Scott Chitty attended five conferences last year at a cost of $1,105 and hotel rooms costing $1,383, which was $40 less than the allowed conference rate provided.

However, freshman board member and Secretary, James Bibbs has attended a total of nine conferences last year at a cost of $1,285 and an extreme amount of hotel expenditures of $2,462, some $437 above the allowed conference rates which should have cost $2,035. So far this year Mr. Bibbs has attended two more conferences and billed another $200 above the contracted conference rates for a total of $637 in additional billings to taxpayers.

On July 23 – 24 Mr. Bibbs stayed in a two-bedroom suite in Charleston at a cost $229 a night rather than the conference rate of $155. He transferred to another hotel for the remaining three days to a room costing $169 a night.

In August of last year Mr. Bibbs attended another conference and exceeded the contracted rate of $99 a night by staying in a room costing $149 a night for his two-day stay in Hilton Head.

In January of 2006 Mr. Bibbs attended still another conference in Myrtle Beach for three days. Rather than staying in the contracted room costing $82 a night, Mr. Bibbs billed the school district for a two-bedroom villa costing taxpayers $129 a night, $141 more than allowed. Mr. Bibbs returned to another conference in Hilton Head in February for two days choosing another two-bedroom villa exceeding the contracted conference rate.

Bibbs returned to a conference in Charleston in June, again upgrading his stay from a conference contracted rate of $109 a night to a King Suite costing taxpayers $139 a night for his two-day stay.

So far for the current fiscal year, Mr. Bibbs has attended two conferences and continues his taxpayer funded upgrades. Mr. Bibbs attended the Alabama Association of School Boards this July and exceeded the contracted rate of $169 a night in Destin, Florida by upgrading to yet another two-bedroom suite costing $269 a night, costing taxpayers $200 in unneeded expenditures.

Other school officials have exceeded the contracted rate to attend conferences; however, they have paid the additional funds out of their own pockets billing the school district only for the contracted rates. Mr. Bibbs has not paid any overages to the School District. It is the responsibility of Board Chairwoman Sallie Cooks to control and approve board member expenditures.

Calls to Mr. Bibbs to find the need for two-bedroom accommodations, suites, or even a King Suite and why he felt the need to attend a conference of the Alabama School Boards were not returned.

According to records obtained by EdgefieldDaily.com, three veteran board members, Andy Livingston, Brad Covar, and Louise Talbert attended no conferences and incurred no expenses for 2005-2006 or so far for 2006-2007.


 

EdgefieldDaily.com is a member of the
Edgefield County
Chamber of Commerce

---

JAM Straight Customs

---

Featured Dining

La Cantina

---

---