Trustees Take Action on 2 Items Board Authorizes Issuing Bond for Capital Projects, Considers Revising Purchasing Policies
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GRIDIRON 2017: The high school football season preview section inside D1-D6 USA TODAY Vehicle rampage in Spain kills 13, wounds 100s C1 FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents Trustees take action on 2 items Board authorizes issuing bond for capital projects, considers revising purchasing policies BY BRUCE MILLS lution is the most-common mecha- be borrowed. That total is basically the The procurement audit was the dis- [email protected] nism for school districts in the state to same amount that the district bor- trict’s first since Sumter School Dis- annually fund capital projects and rowed last year, Griner said. tricts 2 and 17 consolidated in 2011. In addition to clarifying its settle- then pay back the money, according to Also, on Monday the board unani- According to officials, the consolidat- ment agreement with former Superin- Sumter School District Chief Finan- mously approved a motion to consider ed district had a two-year grace period tendent Frank Baker, Sumter School cial Officer Chris Griner. The district recommendations — or suggestions — before a procurement audit was neces- District’s Board of Trustees took ac- is expected to enter a pool with other from its advisory finance committee sary. The procurement audit that was tion on two items after returning from school districts in the state to draw for potential revisions to its procure- completed represented the three-year executive session behind closed doors down the interest rate on the short- ment, or purchasing, policies. The fi- period of 2013-16. The finance commit- Monday at its regular monthly meet- term borrowing. nance committee made those procure- tee’s recommendations include con- ing. The bond is not to exceed $20,280,000, ment policy recommendations at its ducting a procurement audit annually, First, the school board unanimously according to the written resolution, but June 20 meeting. The committee’s rec- rather than every three years as re- adopted a resolution to authorize issu- includes a 10 percent buffer of about ommendations came after an audit of quired by law. ing the sale of a bond to fund capital $1.8 million that’s not expected to be purchase processes in December The school board’s next meeting projects for technology and mainte- borrowed, according to Mike Gallagher found the district didn’t follow its own will be its monthly work session nance/operations for the upcoming with Compass Municipal Advisors. An procurement policy, according to an scheduled for Aug. 28 at the district of- school year. The 8 percent bond reso- estimated $18.4 million is expected to independent accountant’s report. fice, 1345 Wilson Hall Road. Some Southern comfort BRUCE MILLS / THE SUMTER ITEM Simpson Hardware and Sports Store Manager Jeremy Ohl looks through solar eclipse T-shirts that he still has available on Thursday at the Wesmark Boulevard re- tailer. Retailers, hotels busy for Monday’s total solar eclipse PHOTOS BY ADRIENNE SARVIS / THE SUMTER ITEM BY BRUCE MILLS Sixteen blankets, made by 14-year-old Erika Daunheimer of Girl Scout Troop 2243, were presented to Brookdale Se- [email protected] nior Living Solutions last Thursday. Daunheimer made the blankets to keep the residents warm during the winter. Local businesses and hotels have capitalized on sales in preparation for Monday’s total solar Local Girl Scout gives homemade blankets to elderly eclipse, according to various officials. After visiting and calling various Sumter re- BY ADRIENNE SARVIS tailers Thursday, it’s apparent that it’s virtually [email protected] impossible to still purchase a pair of solar eclipse glasses for viewing the sun on Monday after- On Thursday, residents of noon. Brookdale Senior Living Solu- At Bi-Lo on Wedgefield Road, Store Manager tions received 16 blankets from a Melissa Grubbs said the grocer received a box of local Girl Scout who wanted to glasses last week and were sold out within 24 make sure they stay bundled up hours. this winter. Jeremy Ohl, store manager at Simpson Hard- Erika Daunheimer, 14, of Girl ware and Sports, 40 W. Wesmark Blvd., said his Scout Troop 2243, presented the store is also sold out of the special specs. blankets she made to a few of the He also doesn’t expect to receive any new ship- residents after speaking with ments before Monday. them and calling out bingo num- “Impossible to get in,” Ohl said Thursday. bers. Even Walmart on Broad Street didn’t have any Daunheimer said making the glasses remaining Thursday, according to a de- blankets also gives her the oppor- partment manager. tunity to earn her Silver Star Most retailers were selling the glasses for less Award. In order to earn a Silver than $5 a pair, according to officials. Star Award, a Girl Scout must Simpson did have some solar eclipse T-shirts identify an issue within her com- still for sale as of midday Thursday. munity and find a way to solve it, Grubbs at Bi-Lo said she was out of T-shirts she said. last weekend and only had a few hats remaining Daunheimer said she got the Thursday. idea to make the blankets after On Guignard Drive, Galloway and Moseley had she and her family visited the as- a special promotion to give away 1,000 pairs of sisted living facility on Memorial glasses to people who register for a drawing to Day and learned that some of the win a free sun pendant, valued at $1,200, accord- residents need a little extra ing to President Danny Chandler. He was out of warmth during the winter. glasses by late morning Thursday, but Chandler She made six blankets with said people can still come in and register for the military themes and 10 other pendant drawing. blankets of various colors and Chandler said the pendant, made in house, is patterns. The blankets will re- 14-carat gold and has 24 diamonds. He said he main at the facility for all of the thinks the promotion is a good way for the jewel- residents to use. er to be a part of the community, promote a fine The Shaw Air Force Base Ser- piece of jewelry and get people into the store. geant’s Association donated “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event, and we thought funds to support Erika’s project Erika Daunheimer, 14, stands with a blanket she made for the residents at we should tie into it somehow,” Chandler said. Brookdale Senior Living Solutions last Thursday. Daunheimer presented 16 blankets to the residents after learning that they may need some extra lay- SEE COMFORT, PAGE A11 ers during the winter. SEE ECLIPSE, PAGE A11 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B6 WEATHER, A12 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Donald H. Smith James Houck SWELTERING 4 SECTIONS, 34 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Lenard J. Blakely Doretha White VOL. 122, NO. 219 Classifieds: 774-1200 Hot with a chance of Cole B. Jenkins Clarence Singleton an afternoon thunderstorm. Classifieds B7-B10 Delivery: 774-1258 Charles I. Lowery Eloise G. Riel News and Sports: 774-1226 Tonight, warm and humid Comics C6 with a stray storm. Opinion A10 HIGH 97, LOW 77 Television C4-C5 A2 | FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Safeguarding Supporting Lemira yourself from phone scams BY ADRIENNE SARVIS [email protected] Local law enforcement agencies are reminding residents to be aware of the telltale signs of a phone scam and how to prevent a loved one from fall- ing victim to one of those deceitful calls. Phone scammers mostly target the elderly, said Ken Bell, public informa- tion officer for Sumter County Sher- iff’s Office. Scammers usually ask people to purchase prepaid cards and give them the card information over the phone, Bell said. An older scam that has started re- surfacing is when a scammer will call claiming to be a grandchild who is in trouble, he said. The caller will then hand the phone over to another person pretending to be a law enforcement officer who will say that the grandchild will be taken to jail unless money is paid, he said. Law enforcement officers would never ask for money over the phone nor tell anyone to purchase a prepaid card, Bell said. “That’s not the way we operate,” he said. A deputy will be sent to your house IVY MOORE / THE SUMTER ITEM if there is an emergency, he said. Lemira Elementary School Principal Vanessa Canty, center, accepts school supplies and a financial contribution for students from The scary thing is that some of Union Station AME Church of Sumter. From left, Union Station members are Trustee Machell McElveen, Secretary Theresa Hatch- these scammers do their research er, the Rev. Dr. Phil Flowers, pastor, and Gloria Neal Showers of the church’s public relations office. Union Station has adopted and look up people’s names and in- Lemira for the school year. In addition to school supplies, the church donated 100 rain ponchos, which Canty said she was “glad formation online, he said. to get because so many of our students walk to school every day, and they walk far. Some have come to school soaked.” She Bell recommends asking for more noted that Lemira is the only school in Sumter School District that is “full uniform.” Union Station plans to continue its donations information from the caller to verify throughout the school year. his or her identity. He said people should also set up a code word with close family members to make sure it is really them calling asking for help.