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Tag: R2

  • R2 board suspends public comment

    SCSBA Recommends Districts Not Accept FOIA Requests During Pandemic

    COLUMBIA – In an effort to curtail the spread of COVID-19, the Richland Two school district has followed the lead of other government agencies by streaming meetings electronically.

    No member of the public may attend meetings in person nor participate in public comments. They can listen to audio on the district’s website.

    By a 6-1 vote, the Richland Two board voted Tuesday night to suspend policy BEDH, which spells out the district’s public participation policy. Board trustee Lindsay Agostini opposed the measure.

    In a related vote, the board also voted to cancel the April 7 meeting, citing a lack of business to address. That vote passed unanimously.

    Agostini said she voted against suspending policy BEDH, fearing it would prevent parents with students facing expulsion hearings from addressing the board.

    “While not frequent, on more than one occasion we’ve had parents come and address the board in public participation,” she said. “As long as we’re having a board meeting and talking about appeals, I can’t support this.”

    Trustee Amelia McKie said suspending the policy doesn’t prevent parents or the community from communicating concerns to the board. She said it’s imperative to make meetings “more skeletal” to protect district staff, students and the public from COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus.

    Initially, the board agenda only stated that the board planned to vote to take action on policy BEDH, without any explanation. Board agendas typically include supporting documentation further explaining the measure being voted on.

    After The Voice brought this to Richland Two’s attention, the district amended the agenda to state that the board planned to suspend policy BEDH.

    The decision to suspend public participation came at the recommendation of the SCSBA, according to the revised agenda. On its website, the SCSBA recommends “temporarily eliminating public comment” periods as a way to curtail COVID-19.

    “If your board policy allows for public comment, the board should make a motion and approve temporary suspension of the associated policy… until the COVID-19 threat has ended,” the SCSBA site states.

    Jay Bender, a media law attorney with the S.C. Press Association, of which The Voice is a member, said there’s no law requiring local governments to provide a public comment period. Public bodies are only required to allow the public to speak at meetings where there’s a public hearing, such as during budget passage.

    The S.C. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) also allows public bodies to conduct business electronically. Streaming can be by video or audio; the law only states such meetings be broadcast electronically.

    “It would be better if they could stream it,” Bender said.

    Richland Two’s audio streaming encountered some hiccups Tuesday evening.

    “The school board association has never thought anything should be public. They are run by superintendents whose goal is to keep all unfavorable news about schools out of the press.”

    Jay Bender, Media Attorney

    The Voice attended the meeting remotely and experienced occasional interruptions in audio. Sometimes audio volume fluctuated and other times, audio cut out altogether.

    During a discussion of cancelling the April 7 board meeting, Agostini reported that she couldn’t hear Superintendent Dr. Baron Davis’ explanation of the measure.

    “That was a very bad echo. I didn’t hear a word that was said,” she said.

    Other board members reported not being able to hear portions of the meeting.

    Richland County resident Gus Philpott, a frequent critic of the board, vehemently objects to suspending public input. He also takes exception with virtual meetings as well as board members participating remotely versus in person.

    “There is no need to suspend BEDH. If the Board is successful at prohibiting the public from attending the meeting, there won’t be anyone to speak, will there?” Philpott wrote in an email to board members.

    “Please consider how very serious it is to attempt to silence the public,” Philpott continued. “You might benefit by re-reading the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which refers to abridging the freedom of speech.”

    The South Carolina School Board Association (SCSBA) also recommend that school districts not accept any FOIA requests submitted during the coronavirus crisis and de-prioritize requests filed prior to Gov. Henry McMaster’s state of emergency declaration.

    Bender disputed the legality of those suggestions.

     “The law establishes deadlines and I don’t think the governor or anybody else can suspend the law,” Bender said. “The school board association has never thought anything should be public. They are run by superintendents whose goal is to keep all unfavorable news about schools out of the press.”

  • R2 board names new officers

    Manning

    COLUMBIA – Richland Two’s board of trustees has new leadership.

    James Manning is now chairman, taking over for Amelia McKie, who remains a voting member.

    Teresa Holmes was named vice chairman and Cheryl Caution-Parker became secretary, according to votes taken at the June 25 meeting.

    Manning and Caution-Parker were unanimously voted into their new positions. The board voted 4-1 to make Holmes vice chair, with McKie and Caution-Parker abstaining. James Shadd cast the lone dissenting vote.

    Holmes

    McKie had nominated Shadd for vice chair, but that vote failed 4-3, with McKie, Caution-Parker and Shadd voting in the minority. Shadd declined a separate nomination to serve as secretary.

    Manning said he’s appreciative of the support the board displayed in nominating him as chairman. His goals include successfully managing the school’s building program, improving school safety and boosting student achievement.

    “I want to continue to focus on those things, to make sure that we do the best we can,” he said.

    Caution-Parker

    One board issue that’s arisen lately is public participation at meetings. In recent months, some residents have complained that the former chair altered the order in which speakers registered to muffle public criticisms.

    Manning said he plans to follow board policy.

    “Public input, like everything else, is managed through our policies,” he said. “I do think that’s something we need to take a look at, but ultimately the board chair should not have any undue influence in that process.”

    The board officer turnover comes at a controversial time for the Richland Two board, with one member owing nearly $51,000 in ethics fines and another facing a criminal disorderly conduct charge.

    In July 2018, the S.C. Ethics Commission fined McKie $41,000 for various campaign violations.

    The most current ethics commission’s debtor list available online, which is dated Jan. 3, 2019, still lists McKie’s fine at $41,000.

    However, documents obtained by The Voice state that the fine increases to $50,750 if McKie misses certain deadlines.

    Documents state that McKie was supposed to pay the first $20,000 by Dec. 31 and the remaining balance by June 30.

    An Ethics Commission representative said via email Monday that there has been no change in McKie’s status.

    Richland County resident Gus Philpott, a frequent critic of the board, said he’s looking forward to seeing positive changes with new board leadership at the helm.

    However, it still doesn’t change his belief that McKie and Holmes should step down from the board.

    Philpott maintains that McKie and Holmes aren’t legally allowed to serve because neither filed Statements of Economic interest forms until after taking the oath of office. State law prohibits elected officials from taking the oath when SEI forms haven’t been filed.

    “They are, in my opinion, not legal board members,” Philpott said. “Teresa Holmes was nominated for the position of vice chair and was elected. My contention is since she is not a board member, she cannot serve as an officer.”

    Asked about Philpott’s comments, McKie provided the following response:

    “One of the most sacred aspects of our American democracy is that every citizen is entitled to his/her own opinion, regardless of the accuracy of the same. The day that ceases to be is the day we no longer embody a democracy.”

    Holmes said she doesn’t plan to step down, and disputes that she’s not legally qualified to serve on the board.

    “There is no reason that he should continue to say that,” Holmes said. “He knows that that’s not true.”

    Elkins-Johnson is also facing legal difficulties.

    In January, the Richland County Sheriff’s Office charged her with disorderly conduct following an altercation occurring after a board meeting.

    According to a police report, the suspect shouted obscenities and threatened relatives of a state senator and the board chair.

    The Richland County Public Index lists a tentative court date of July 22, though the case has been continued several times.

  • Agostini: Board chair plays favorites with speakers

    COLUMBIA – Amid budget discussions, policy revision votes and a slew of special recognitions, one board member’s critique of the Richland Two chairwoman’s job performance punctuated a more-than-four-hour meeting.

    The drama began at about the 38-minute mark of the May 14 meeting when board member Lindsay Agostini called attention to “inconsistent” enforcement of the board’s public participation policy.

    Agostini

    Agostini accused McKie of giving preferential treatment to some speakers while shutting down others.

    “At a Feb. 12 meeting, we denied a participant. The chair stated they had missed the signups. The chair stated we are going to strictly adhere to board policy going forward because we are going to be as ethical and policy abiding as we possibly can,” Agostini began.

    The speaker in question had, at a previous meeting, called for McKie to step down, saying that McKie was not legally seated due to having failed to file a statement of economic interest form which is required by law before an elected school board member can be sworn into office.

    “However, on March 26, a different community member came to speak who admittedly showed up too late to sign up on the list, and the forms had been pulled,” she continued. “When I expressed concern to our board chair in an email, she responded by saying she chose to allow latitude to allow the person to speak.”

    McKie said she had started cracking down on public participation after she felt some speakers failed to display proper decorum.

    “When our meetings became out of order, when they became a three-ring circus, and people used my graciousness and latitude for personal gain and for insult, I chose to abide by public policy,” McKie said. “I don’t make any apologies for that. I’m happy to abide by public policy.”

    McKie has come under fire in recent months, largely over a litany of violations of state ethics laws.

    The S.C. Ethics Commission recently fined her $51,750 for failing to file various ethics forms. There have also been calls for her to step down from the board.

    As public participation began last Tuesday night, the evening’s only speaker sided with Agostini and called for greater transparency from the board.

    Columbia resident James Mobley, who ran unsuccessfully for the board in the past, also called upon the board to extend public participation from three to five minutes.

    “You have hurt Ms. Agostini and I’m sad about that,” Mobley said. “I believe that she deserves an apology. Unity should be a driving factor on this board.”

    Later, during the board member comment period, Agostini again raised the issue of inconsistent adherence to district policies. Then she turned to McKie’s ethics issues.

    Agostini didn’t directly mention McKie by name, though she referenced a story in The Voice that stated McKie hadn’t filed her April 2019 quarterly campaign disclosure report as of May 7. It was due April 10.

    According to Ethics Commission filings, McKie filed the form May 8, the day after The Voice notified her about the tardy filing.

    Agostini stated the missed ethics deadline came on the heels of the board adopting a policy demanding punctuality from staff when submitting reports and assignments.

    “Once again we’ve heard from the media of another missed deadline for campaign disclosure reports after being assured in January that it wouldn’t happen again,” Agostini said. “When do we start walking the walk and hold ourselves to the same standards we put in place for others?”

    McKie was visibly frustrated with what she called “accusations” and “personal attacks,” though she never addressed anyone by name.

    “I have a bevy of comments to share but in the respect of your time I won’t do so,” McKie said. “I won’t dignify certain accusations tonight that haven’t been asked of others.

    “You can’t pick and choose who’s acceptable to hurt and who’s not,” McKie continued. “At a board meeting or any facility, nobody should be hurt. Nobody should be injured; nobody should be castigated.”

    Other board members, most of whom have also missed ethics filings, and some of whom have paid fines, avoided addressing Agostini’s comments. Most declined to say anything at all.

    Board member Cheryl Caution-Parker was the only other trustee to speak. She didn’t directly address any issues from the meeting.

    “I do have something to say, but I’m not going to say it, but it’s on the tip of my tongue,” Caution-Parker said. “I’m sure a lot of you out there know what I want to say.”

  • Altered bond doc slips past R2 board

    COLUMBIA – When the Richland Two school board trustees’ former secretary declined to sign documents asserting that Board Chairwoman Amelia McKie is legally allowed to serve on the board, two trustees say the board was not notified the documents were modified to include phrasing dismissive of McKie’s ethics controversy.

    “I was not aware of the addition of the extra line in the bond documents,” trustee James Manning said. “I really don’t have a response to the legitimacy [issue]. I’m spending all my research looking into why that [the paragraph] is there and why we need it, so I’ll be looking at that.”

    Lindsay Agostini, the former board secretary, said her attorney advised her not to sign the documents. She thinks the document revisions should have been brought to the board’s attention.

    “We weren’t briefed as a board,” she said. “I do believe, with the modifications, I think it would’ve been important for the board to be briefed, either individually or as a group.”

    District Superintendent Dr. Baron Davis couldn’t be reached for comment.

    At issue are clauses added to documents relating to the district’s $468.4 million building program. Richland Two voters recently approved a bond referendum that raises taxes to finance construction.

    Added to the bond documents was the following statement:

    “The School District is aware that members of the public have called for the resignation of the current Board Chair because of fines owed by the Board Chair to the South Carolina State Ethics Commission because the Board Chair did not have on file a current Statement of Economic Interest prior to being sworn in to a second term as a member of the Board,” the document states.

    “The School District is not aware of any litigation, regulatory effort, or official proceeding challenging the Board Chair’s right and title to serve as a Board member of Board Chair,” the document continues.

    Agostini repeated her call for McKie to step down as chair, but hasn’t called for McKie’s outright resignation as some members of the public have.

    Manning said he doesn’t question McKie’s eligibility to serve.

    “Our legal counsel has told us based on the current law and previous attorney general opinions, the board really has no purview over whether Ms. McKie is a legitimate board member or not,” he said. “That is beyond board control.”

    Manning thinks state law should more clearly state whether public officials who fail to file ethics forms are legally allowed to serve.

    Section 8-13-1110 of state law says no public official “may take the oath of office or enter upon his official responsibilities” unless a Statement of Economics Interest form is filed.

    Section 8-13-1520 further states that ethics law violations are misdemeanors punishable by up to a year in prison, a $5,000 fine or both.

     

  • Residents push back against R2’s $468.4M bond as excessive

    BLYTHEWOOD – Before Richland 2 voters decide whether or not to approve a tax increase to pay for $468.4 million in various school projects, school officials are heavily promoting the referendum.

    One stop on the district’s information tour occurred Monday in Blythewood before a small crowd at Doko Manor. The public forum featured presentations from district staff and a question and answer session, which at times saw some residents questioning the referendum as excessive.

    Scheduled to appear on the Nov. 6 ballot, the referendum would increase taxes by about 10 mils. The last bond referendum, valued at $306 million, was approved in 2008.

    District officials say a typical homeowner living in a $167,000 home would pay an extra $65 a year in taxes. Taxes would also go up for cars, boats and other taxable property.

    If approved, construction projects could begin building as early as summer 2019, district documents state.

    At a public forum Monday in Blythewood, district officials said the intent was to present residents with facts.

    “This is about facts. We are not here in a persuasive manner,” said Superintendent Baron Davis. “We aren’t here to ask you to vote a specific way, but to give you facts. We are here in an educational capacity to address any misconceptions that may exist.”

    Davis said safety and security are the main drivers of the referendum. Richland 2 schools face additional infrastructure needs, including schools needing sufficient learning spaces, he said.

    “We have some immediate needs that have to be addressed in our school district,” Davis said. “There really is only one way to address these needs, and that’s through a bond. It will require us to borrow a significant amount of money to accomplish these things.”

    Other areas the referendum addresses include two new football stadiums, new buses and enhanced bus security and a Fine Arts center in the Sandhills area, about 12 miles from Blythewood.

    Residents at Monday’s forum, however, raised concerns about costs.

    “Why not design three separate schools – elementary, middle and high school? If you need to add, add,” resident Herb Wofford stated. “We can stop all of these million-dollar architectural fees, save some money and put it on something else. What in here is not absolutely necessary to educate our children? How much fluff is in there?”

    The crowd applauded.

    Another parent raised concerns that Blythewood projects, particularly those involving the fine arts, were receiving less priority than other projects in the district.

    “As a Blythewood parent, I don’t understand why those are under the third tier of things,” she said. “We need more space for our band. Why are we not expanding those facilities that we need for fine arts?”

    “This is all about patting ourselves on the back and putting a name on the building,” resident Rhonda Meisner said. “This needs to be student-centric, not facility-centric.”

    One resident asked what would happen if the bond fails.

    “We’ll continue to do what we’ve always been doing, to provide our students with a premier education with what we have,” Davis replied.

    Dr. Harry Miley, the district’s chief financial officer, said 98 percent of the district’s $250 million plus operating budget goes primarily to salaries and benefits, leaving little to address infrastructure.

    “A referendum really is our only option,” Miley said.

    The $468.4M bond referendum will be requested of voters in two parts.

    Question 1: Can the district borrow $381,952,000 for:

    Safety and security ($288.1M) include secure entrances, replacing Bethel-Hanberry Elementary, Forrest Lake Elementary and E. L. Wright Middle, applying film on windows, adding security cameras and reducing use of portables.

    Academic spaces ($61.5M) include creating collaborative learning spaces, and spaces for magnet programs.

    Transportation ($7M) includes 60 new buses, bus and transportation hub security, facility improvements.

    Technology ($25M) will go to infrastructure improvements and sustainability.

    Miscellaneous costs, including unspecified improvements, costs of land, engineering fees and legal costs.

    Question 2: If question 1 is approved by voters, can the district borrow an additional $86,454,000 for:

    Athletics/Arts ($86.5M) include two new football stadium so BHS and Spring Valley won’t have to share stadiums, performing arts center at Sandhills, new field houses.

    Davis urged residents to go to www.richland2.org/bond for more information about the bond.

  • Second Report Links Board Member to Coach

    Melinda Anderson

    BLYTHEWOOD – A second incident report from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department surfaced late last week, again linking Richland 2 School Board member Melinda Anderson to Westwood High School head football coach Rodney Summers.

    The report covers an incident of “intimidation” that took place on Oct. 30 at a Westwood High School football practice. According to the report, Anderson dispatched 69-year-old Clero Evans, of Rockingham Road in Columbia, to the football field to watch practice. Summers told deputies he felt threatened by Evans’s presence, the report states, and requested an official report for the record. Evans reportedly told deputies he had been sent by Anderson, and “after a verbal altercation” between Evans and Jason Nussbaum, the team’s trainer, Evans left the scene.

    “It was more like a conversation,” Nussbaum later told The Voice. “Eventually, the guy left when told to. We had great support from everybody, and we put it in the hands of the school board where it belongs.  We are here just to play ball.”

    Summers declined to comment, as he gets his Redhawks ready for this week’s road trip to Greer. Nussbaum, however, called the incident “disappointing.”

    “We were just looking out for our kids’ safety, as it were,” Nussbaum said. “We had a stranger in our presence. We didn’t know who he was, so we took the steps we would take with anybody.”

    Anderson, who in an Oct. 7 incident reportedly threatened the life of Summers, “was told to have no contact with coach Summers or his staff,” the most recent report states.

    According to the Oct. 7 report, Anderson was in a meeting at Westwood High School on Oct. 7 with Acting Superintendent Debbie Hamm and the District’s Human Resources Officer, Roosevelt Garrick Jr., to discuss the treatment of her grandson by Summers. Hamm, who filed the report, told the Sheriff’s Department that during the meeting Anderson said, “I’m so angry I just want to kill the coach, and I have a gun.” Summers was not present at the meeting.

    Anderson has since denied she made that statement, and last week told The Voice the alleged incident was nothing more than “some foolishness cooked up by certain administrators.”

    The Board issued a statement last week indicating that they had addressed the issue and that threats and harassment would not be tolerated. No charges were filed in either incident.

    Attempts to reach Anderson for comment on this most recent report were unsuccessful at press time.