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  Seven vie for four school board seats as filing closes web posted August 19, 2008 COUNTY – It is official, three of the four seats up for re-election this year on the Edgefield County School Board are formally opposed. The only unopposed candidate is District 3’s James Bibbs. Incumbents Sallie Cooks, Scott Chitty, and Brad Covar will all face challenges from veterans as well as a newcomer this November. In District 6 current School Board Chairwoman Sallie Cooks will face former School Board member Kenneth Collier. Mrs. Cooks is finishing her second term and said one of her main goals, if re-elected, is to impose drug testing for school board members. “If you make the rules and policies for employees, you should be willing to do the same thing,” Mrs. Cooks said. Mrs. Cooks said that she hoped people would look “at the seat” and not so much the person. “We’re running for a seat, and if your plan is better for the kids - that is what you should look at, if it’s not, you shouldn’t be running.” Mrs. Cooks said that she has taken several courses on education leadership during her tenure. “The research is out there and shows us what can be done.” Her challenger, Kenneth Collier, said he is running to see that the decisions made by the school board are based on what is best for the children so that their educational opportunities are the finest available. “I really want to do what is best for our children,” Mr. Collier said noting he has his own children in the public school system. Mr. Collier also stressed the importance of the new school district lines. “It is so important for voters to understand the district lines have changed drastically.” District 6 used to encompass the Bettis Academy area but now runs from Sweetwater Road to Brightharp Road. Another important reminder Mr. Collier cited was informing voters who may be voting a straight party line ticket, “If a voter goes in and votes a straight ticket, they will not vote for the school board.” In District 7 one term school board member Scott Chitty has to defend his seat against newcomer Chris Hoffmann this November. Mr. Chitty, who is the current vice-chairman of the school board, is a former Fox Creek High School board member and his stated goals for the district are to: “maintain highly qualified teachers and staff, Be an accurate voice for the children and their families, Support all forms of education, and to be a good steward of the funds and facilities entrusted to us.” Mr. Hoffmann said he was seeking to represent the Merriwether School Board District, “because I want to be a part of the process of the decision making in the education of our children.” Mr. Hoffmann, a former educator, said he and his wife have five children in all levels of local public schools and he is a strong supporter of public education and intends on making it better if elected. “I am running so we can have an excellent education opportunity for all children in Edgefield County,” Mr. Hoffmann said. The longest serving member on the school board, Brad Covar, is facing a challenge from David Franklin, also a former Fox Creek High School leader. Mr. Franklin said at the time he announced his bid for the seat that his main platform is accountability. That accountability, he said, would reach from the school board, administration, and all the way down to the parents and students. Mr. Covar said he was seeking a fourth term on the Edgefield County School Board because, "I want to continue to provide responsible management of our financial resources so that we may provide our children with the best education possible with the funding our county can afford." "I want to see our children continue to improve on standardized tests, graduate from high school, and be prepared for college/tech school or the job market. The school board must be able to work with the superintendent to establish district goals and approve a game plan for reaching those goals. My financial background as a certified public accountant and prior experience with planning/goal setting for the district are certainly helpful in performing the duties of a board member. However, being in touch with teachers, students, parents, and the general public provides a board member with most of the tools and information needed to serve effectively. My wife, Genna, is a teacher in the district and two of our three children are students in the district. Our oldest daughter graduated from Strom Thurmond in 2006" Mr. Covar stated his office and home are located in downtown Edgefield making him very accessible to constituents, adding, "Our district needs to continue to provide the safest environment possible for our students and employees. The board has provided funding for communication and security improvements and should continue to do more when possible." The only unchallenged seat, that of District 3, is James Bibbs who is seeking his second term of office. In the four years Mr. Bibbs has been on the school board he still, according to the Edgefield County School District website, has no goals or visions for the district. He has, however, led all other school board members on spending when it comes to attending every possible conference and often upgrading his accommodations to suites at the taxpayer’s expense. ©
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