Sumter County, SC (WLTX) At Monday night's school board meeting, Sumter County School Board took no action on the proposed plan to get the district out of a $6.2 million deficit except to hire Scott Allen as a financial management consultant.
Superintendent, Dr. Frank Baker tells News 19 that the Board got his plan a few weeks ago, after they received an audit showing that the district had a 6.2 million dollar deficit. That plan included eliminating overtime, cutting back the use of substitutes, a hiring freeze, reallocation of staff when someone leaves a position, along with cutting the supply budget. The plan also included a freezing of travel and conference attendance unless it was paid for by federal funds. The board took no action on the plan that will only save approximately $3.4 million. Baker also told News 19 that the proposed plan only extends through the Spring Semester. Community members say they heard that the plan included the closing of schools, but Dr. Baker did not tell News 19 that was included in the plan.
During Monday night's meeting, five community members made comment asking "How the money disappeared?" and asking the board to find the person(s) responsible. Former Board Chair, Keith Schultz, told the crowd that his board left the district with over $4million in excess and that the money from land sales was put into the general opperating fund and apparently even that was used up too. Board Chair Rev. Daryl F. McGhaney said the board would suspend their training and travel. But Board Member Ralph Canty, Sr. spoke up and told the Board Chair it was not within his power to unilaterally make that decision. He said he didn't disagree, he just felt to proceed properly the board would need to vote on such a decision.
Ruby Miller tells News 19, she just retired home to Sumter after working for the Federal Government and when she saw the huge deficit, she wanted answers. She says, "I want to know what happened so it doesn't happen again, second, I want to know what is the action plan. What is the plan what are the shortcomings, what are the deficiencies, how its going to affect our students, how its gonna affect our supplies, our teachers, our administrators. How are you going to provide for our children with this kind of problem. How quick are you gonna be able to handle this? Can you get funding from any place else? Is there any place else that might be able to help you? We got a series problem here."
Parent, Hemby Smith, says he doesn't think there is any intentional wrong doing, but he is interested in the solution. He says, "I don't believe its been taken or used inappropriately. What I do believe is that we do need to keep better track of our funding. I am sure they will find out where it is actually at and what its been spent on. I feel sure it will have been spent on something it was supposed to have been spent on. Although we just weren't monitoring it close enough, that's all."
During the board meeting the Board signed an ethics oath. Several community members told News 19, they hope they live up to it.
After coming out of Executive Session, the board unanimously approved Scott Allen from School Support Incorprated to provide financial management consulting services to the district. Mr Allen will report directly to the board of trustees and begin work immediately. His salary is $1,000/day for each day he works in the District. He is tasked at looking for other ways the District can get out of the deficit.