The appeal: Did Spearman overstep her boundaries? Sumter school board hopes state board approves plan, lifts fiscal emergency BY BRUCE MILLS hearing at the state De- member Sumter school board
[email protected] partment of Education voted to reopen Mayewood Middle SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019 $1.75 headquarters in down- School, which was not part of the Did the state superintendent of town Columbia. district’s previously submitted SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 education have the right by law to Officials from the plan from May 2018 that estab- declare a “fiscal emergency” in state Department of lished benchmarks for increasing Sumter School District, even when Education, school its fund balance. SPEARMAN the board of trustees failed to com- board and the law firm After overspending its budget by ply with its own financial recovery representing the dis- $6.2 million in fiscal 2016, the dis- plan? trict and its trustees spoke last trict’s general fund balance slipped That’s the argument before the week on the upcoming hearing. to $106,449. In 2017, the state depart- 4 SECTIONS, 28 PAGES | VOL. 124, NO. 121 17-member state Board of Education On Feb. 27, state Superintendent ment placed the district on “fiscal on Tuesday afternoon when the dis- Molly Spearman made the emer- trict has its fiscal emergency appeal gency declaration after the nine- SEE APPEAL, PAGE A10 Chamber honors of the CBD oil laws confuse sellers, ‘At least me, I never thought of myself as fortunate enough to be standing in those shoes customers to be honored among these privileged people.’ A9 CARY COKER, After winning Business Person of the Year SPORTS Lots of photos from the T-Ball Jamboree B1 DEATHS, B6 Stacy Windell Rhodes James Clark Emma L.