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Edgefield County School Board Meeting Edgefielddaily.com web posted May 24, 2005 The Edgefield County School Board held its bi-monthly meeting at 6:30 pm tonight, May 24, 2005. After calling the meeting to order, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, Chairwoman Sallie Cooks asked to allow an agenda item be moved ahead of the Executive Session and the board agreed. The item was listed as Gerald White and NBA Basketball star, Michael Curry regarding the 2005 Michael Curry Basketball Camp at J.E.T. Middle School. Mr. White spoke on behalf of Mr. Curry who was, “unable to attend the meeting due to having his wisdom teeth removed today”, Mr. White said. Mr. White explained this was the second year the camp has come to Edgefield County and that Mr. Curry started the camp 18 years ago as a way to give children the opportunity to find constructive ways to spend their free time during the summer and out of trouble. Mr. White also said the children are given the chance to meet NBA players and that influence, “gives them chances to strive,” for higher goals. Mr. White said Mr. Curry’s local office is Augusta Sports in Action in Augusta, Ga. and said the program was in Edgefield County due to the help of Tracy Hamilton. Ms. Hamilton spoke about upcoming plans to bring the camp twice during the summer to give the children more choices in activities and that they may also try to bring in NFL teams saying, “We are working on the Carolina Panthers right now,” and the future could be very bright for the aspects of summer activities for the youth. The camp will be held July 11-15, 2005 for boys and girls ages 6-18. Ms. Curry said they are also looking for people or companies to sponsor “less fortunate” youth in the program. Information may be obtained by calling 637-2025 or 803-480-3066. School Superintendent Sharon Keesley pointed out the program was a fund raiser for J.E.T. Middle School. Afterwards Chairwoman Cooks stated the board needed to go into executive session to discuss several items. The board voted to close the doors and the public was sent out. The open meeting resumed and the chair stated no action was taken in executive session and asked that all items discussed be voted on as one item. The items listed were: Two student appeals regarding parents wishing to remove their children from the Edgefield County School System; Personnel Issues, Maternity leave for two teachers at Merriwether Middle School, Resignations of a teacher at Strom Thurmond, JET Middle School, and Johnston Elementary, and teacher recommendations at Merriwether Elementary and Middle School and JET Middle School. All passed with a 7-0 vote. The board moved on to Approval of the minutes of the April 27, and May 11 Discipline Hearings and the May 10 Board Meeting. Veteran board member Brad Covar questioned a recent issue of a student caught with a weapon and that student’s case has not made it to the board yet Superintendent Keesley stated. The board voted 7-0 to approve all. Penny Morris, energy manager, gave her last report as she is resigning and returning to teaching. “I just love to teach,” she said, “that’s just what I really want to do.” Superintendent Keesley stated that the, “wonderful progress,” that had been made was as a result of the hard work of Ms. Morris. “I can’t take al the credit,” Morris said, “it was the hard work of everyone,” who made the results possible. To date the program, which involves cost avoidance and cost savings, the school system had saved $202,000. Morris stated that the 19% target saving goal that had been reached might drop a little during a transfer to a new manager but that in a few years the school system will have saved well over one million dollars. Superintendent Keesley also passed out a report to the board on her goals for the 2004-2005 year as well as her goals for the 2005- 2006 school year and asked for the boards comments after review. Keesle also mentioned that the board members were to be at the graduation ceremony by 6:30 pm Friday and that in case of rain the ceremonies would be held next door at JET Middle School. Next on the agenda was the Office of the School Board at which time veteran member, and former chairman, Brad Covar addressed the issue of the new district maps that were handed out which were presented being drawn by the Legislative Committee and would be approved by the Legislature this week. Covar questioned the map saying, “some members didn’t get a copy of the map,” and stated that Vice-Chairman Scott Chitty provided him with a copy, which prompted his question of, “I want to know, did any member of the board make contact or suggest changes,” to the delegation saying, “Some (members) got maps and some didn’t.” Board member James Bibbs said, “I spoke to the delegation about the map.” Board member Covar asked, “What did you tweak?” Bibbs stated, “I gave them information they asked me for and told them what I thought and felt about it.” Covar stated he felt having certain members of the board speak to the delegation without the consent or on behalf of the board was, “disrespectful.” The confrontation rose as Covar stated he felt Bibbs was working, “on your own self interest,” and not of that of the board. ‘Did you go by yourself?” Covar asked sternly. “What business is that of yours,” Bibbs said insisting member Covar had no right to ask whether there were other school board members in the meeting. “The hell it ain’t!” Covar shot back, saying what any member does affected all members and no one should be allowed to represent their agenda as that of the board. “I acted on behalf of the county,” Bibbs stated. “WE are a board, James” Covar insisted. Chairwoman Cooks gaveled the meeting to order and explained that the delegation had drawn the map and there was, “nothing we can do about it,” and moved on. The board then discussed the budget for the 2005-2006 year. Larry Derrick stated the proposed 24.7 million dollar budget would allow to replace some of the positions cut from previous budgets and would also still set aside “incentive pay” for certain administrative positions which would be worked out later as the board choose. The budget, which if put in place after approval tonight, would raise the millage rate of taxes by 5.37 mills but that, “In September we will review and revise,” the budget before voting to raise the millage rate Derrick said. Vice-Chairman Chitty said he was unaware that positions were added back in and thought the last meeting the board stated they wanted to run the budget at the 5.37 rate without additional positions. Mr. Derrick explained that he wasn’t adding in any additional personnel but was trying to recover positions that were cut back previously and that the board is, “under any pressure to take a vote on it tonight,” he said. Chairwoman Cooks stated the issue brought up at the last meeting about the Technology position bothered her also, “That $70,000 just stands out to me,” she said. The position had previously been funded by a federal grant that had expired and now fell on the taxpayers of Edgefield County to fund the federally imposed position. “I think the board needs to keep in mind how much of a millage increase you are willing to vote on,” Cooks suggested to the board. After the discussion on the incentive pay structure that would be discussed in depth later the board moved for a vote and passed the budget with a 6-1 vote with Cooks voting no. The meeting ended at 9:10 pm. Return to Main Page
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