Delve a Bit Deeper Financial Consultant’S Workflow
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At tax time, home offices can pay off C1 SUMTER LITTLE THEATRE ‘Leading Ladies’ offers more than mere comedy A3 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 $1.50 School attorney gives details of Delve a bit deeper financial consultant’s workflow BY BRUCE MILLS explanation. You got to make District procurement audit highlights 5 findings [email protected] sure you’re fixing it for this year, and then you have to BY BRUCE MILLS MORE ONLINE cated in its procurement man- The consultant hired by make your plans on how to [email protected] ual. In her examination, Sumter School Board to run efficiently next year.” Read the full procurement audit Poston found two procure- guide the district through its The audit report from last A separate audit of pur- report at theitem.com. ments that were listed as sole debt crisis has a detailed fiscal year, released in De- chase processes of Sumter source procurements but nei- three-step pro- cember, showed the district School District found the dis- ther had adequate sole-source cess that he’s over-spent by $6.2 million last trict didn’t follow its own pro- financial statements last fall determinations. The two pro- working fiscal year and had an ending curement policy, according to that showed the district over- curements were for $37,225.98 through to get general fund balance on June an independent accountant’s spent by $6.2 million in the fis- and $27,780, respectively. the district back 30, 2016, of $106,449 — a criti- report. Among her findings in cal year ending June 30, 2016. When contacted Friday, on solid ground, cally low level, according to her procurement audit last The Sumter Item did not be- Poston said the district had a says the board’s auditor Robin Poston. fall, auditor Robin Poston come aware of the procure- new person in charge of pro- attorney. Allan began his work with found two sole source pro- ment audit until last week but curements and that individual HALLIGAN Looking at the the district Jan. 10 and basi- curements that didn’t have ad- found it on the district’s web- wasn’t aware she needed to process as a cally five weeks into his post equate documentation to pro- site. Public school districts are maintain files on sole-source “three-year period under re- he’s expected to provide his vide justification for sole- required by the state to have procurements. Poston was view” with different topics analysis of the root causes of source determination and procurement audits once provided the two sole sources fitting into the individual how the district overspent by “numerous instances” of ap- every three years, and Sum- by district staff, since separate years is the best way to illus- $6 million on Monday at the proved “emergency procure- ter’s audit last fall was for the filing wasn’t maintained. In trate consultant Scott Allan’s board’s regularly scheduled ments” that should have been time frame July 1, 2013, her recommendations, Poston work, according to attorney meeting. solicited during a longer time through June 30, 2016. said the district needed to pro- William “Bick” Halligan. According to Allan, he’s frame for the most competi- Regarding sole source docu- vide justification as to why “It’s a complicated task, specifically looking at areas tive pricing. mentation, Poston’s findings only one source of required but the goals are stated pret- that caused the district to go Poston, of Harper, Poston & revealed the district didn’t ty simply,” Halligan said. Moree, P.A., also conducted maintain a listing of sole “You got to know what hap- the district’s annual audit of source procurements as indi- SEE AUDIT, PAGE A10 pened last year — that’s the SEE ATTORNEY, PAGE A10 Caine says the Air Force made him a better man Colonel to retire at end of March after 30 years BY JIM HILLEY operations for the Ninth tered the Air Force in 1987 [email protected] Air Force and as vice com- after graduating from the mander. Georgia Institute of Tech- Maj. Gen. Scott Zobrist Zobrist said the Air Force nology with a degree in said 10 minutes of words will lose 30 years of experi- electrical engineering. could not do justice to the ence, but it will continue While in the Air Force, he career of Col. Scott Caine. thanks to all the work had assignments around the Zobrist, commander of Caine has done. U.S. and at Osan Air Force the Ninth Air Force, was “He has an amazing his- Base, Korea, and Spangda- the presiding officer at a tory and has done some in- hlem, Germany, where he ceremony Friday at Shaw credible stuff,” he said. was a flight commander Air Force Base honoring Zobrist also spoke highly during the Bosnia conflict. Caine, who will retire at the of Caine’s wife of 31 years, Caine has logged more end of March. Pam, and his children, Eliz- than 3,400 flying hours in- “He has been a guiding abeth, Scott Jr. and Mark. cluding combat missions in light, a north star,” Zobrist “The family serves in a support of operations Deny said of Caine. different way and make Flight, Decisive Endeavor, Caine will retire after sacrifices other people Deliberate Guard and JIM HILLEY / THE SUMTER ITEM serving 30 years in the Air don’t understand,” Zobrist Col. Scott “Citizen” Caine, vice commander of the Ninth Air Force, receives a cere- Force including five years said. monial flag during his retirement at a ceremony Friday at Shaw Air Force Base. at Shaw, first as director of Scott “Citizen” Caine en- SEE CAINE, PAGE A11 General sessions court handles most drug and forgery cases BY ADRIENNE SARVIS There are 16 circuit courts in South cases pend- Trial week usually starts with the se- [email protected] Carolina that encompass two or more Know your courts ing so the lection of one or two juries on Monday counties. solicitor’s for the one or two jury trials scheduled If you find yourself on trial for forg- Criminal and civil court trials in office tries at the beginning of the week, he said. ery or drug charges you will most like- Sumter, Lee, Clarendon and Williams- to move as The judge will typically take about one ly be in a courtroom at Sumter County burg counties are handled by the Third many hour to qualify the jurors to make sure Judicial Center on North Harvin Street Judicial Circuit Court. cases as they are suited for trial, he said. in general sessions court. Third Circuit Solicitor Ernest “Chip” possible A typical general sessions trial court- General sessions, also known as Finney III said there is one week each during the room will consist of one judge, the criminal court, is one part of the cir- month of general sessions trials in one week of jury trials each month. judge’s law clerk, a court reporter, one cuit court, said Sumter County Clerk Sumter, Clarendon and Lee counties. He said the court schedule is set by staff member from the clerk of court of Court Jamie Campbell. The other He did not specify trial weeks for Wil- South Carolina Court Administration office, legal teams for the state and de- part of circuit court is court of com- liamsburg County. in Columbia, with input from the solic- fendant, the jury, a victim’s advocate, mon pleas, he said. He said two judges come in during itor’s office. at least two sheriff’s deputies and three Crimes committed against state laws trial weeks to help quickly move, or The court normally closes five to 10 are tried in circuit courts, which repre- close, cases. criminal trial and plea cases during sent different regions of the state. Finney said there are about 3,000 jury trial weeks, he said. SEE COURT, PAGE A8 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, A13 WEATHER, A14 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Arnic J. Washington Norma Maple Eva Magazine WARM WINTER DAY 4 SECTIONS, 32 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Hugh Humphries Jr. Robert J. Artus Loyd A. Young VOL. 122, NO. 86 Classifieds: 774-1234 Windy and warm. Business C1 Moses Canty Charlotte H. Mitchell Athlee Helton and Tonight, partly cloudy. Delivery: 774-1258 George S. Felder Jr. Chaenetta Potts Marie V. Hill Classifieds C8 News and James E. Brailsford William Jones Clarence F. Van Vechten III HIGH 82, LOW 46 Opinion A12 Sports: 774-1226 Marie Eaddy Stocks C4 Outdoors C7 A2 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS No injuries in 3 house fires in 3 days Clarendon County Council meets Monday BY ADRIENNE SARVIS The structure and contents, valued 1,000-square-foot house in the 300 block [email protected] at approximately $225,000, were deter- of Green Swamp Road. Clarendon County Council mined to be a total loss. According to an incident report, the will meet at 6 p.m. Monday in Two houses were destroyed and a On Thursday, firefighters received a house was 90 percent involved when fire Council Chambers in the Clar- third was heavily damaged during call about a house fire in the 2200 block units arrived on scene at 5:36 a.m. Fire- endon County Administration three separate fires on Wednesday, of Stanley Road at 5:12 p.m. fighters had the blaze under control by Building, 411 Sunset Drive, Thursday and Friday.