HEALTH: Drugs score big wins against lung, prostate, breast cancers A6 OPINION Germany is a partner for S.C. business TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents A8 Clarendon 1 Board questions Baker district faces about millage request leadership upheaval BY JIM HILLEY [email protected] The Clarendon County School Dis- trict 1 Board of Trustees met Monday night and heard several speakers ex- press concern about the lack of infor- mation the board has released about its decision to terminate principals in the district. At the board’s meeting April 3, the board voted 6-2 not to accept Superin- tendent Rose Wilder’s recommenda- tion of principals for the 2017-18 school year. The board also refused to accept her recommendation to offer employment to the director of food service, director of maintenance and director of technology. During public participation, Bea- trice Rivers, president of the Claren- don Education Association, told the board she was shocked by the way the board was “disrespectful” to Wilder. Rivers spoke about the recog- nition the district has received for its successes. “You have discarded everything those people did; they should be com- mended, not terminated,” she said. “The leadership team along with the teachers have created an atmosphere for achievement.” Eliza Reed told the board the dis- trict has succeeded beyond expecta- tions. “You can’t fix what’s not broken,” she said. “I want to know what is bro- ken.” PHOTOS BY RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM According to Robert McFadden, Sumter School District Superintendent Frank Baker listens Monday night as school board trustee Johnny Hilton asks about Bak- president of the Scotts Branch Alum- er’s decision to ask Sumter County Council for a mill levy rate increase. ni Association, the board has not even made clear which principals are being terminated. 2018 budget passes third and final reading on 4-2 vote “We don’t see the need for whatever action this board has taken,” he said. BY BRUCE MILLS “The people you are targeting have [email protected] made great strides in this district. The community needs an explanation.” Two Sumter School District Board Not everyone was against the dis- of Trustees members voiced opposi- missal of part of the schools’ leader- tion with the district superintendent ship. Monday night for recently going be- Latasha Ragin said she complained fore county council requesting a mill- on several occasions about her chil- age increase, without first consulting dren being bullied, and nothing was the board. done about it. Trustees Johnny Hilton and the Mikela Spencer said she has been Rev. Ralph Canty confronted Superin- to her child’s school “more days than tendent Frank Baker on the matter not.” Monday at the board’s regularly “I always left unsatisfied,” she said. scheduled monthly meeting at the At left, Sumter School District Board of Trustees member Lucille McQuilla told the “I trust the board; you’ve got my sup- district office. board she had attended the Sumter County Council meeting last year when council port.” Two weeks ago, on May 23, Baker asked Baker to make an annual plea for a mill levy increase. At right, the Rev. Ralph South Carolina state Sen. Kevin went before Sumter County Council, Canty Sr. listens to a financial consultant during Monday’s meeting. Johnson also addressed the board. requesting a two-mill increase for the “I have had a lot of concerns ex- school district for next fiscal year be- proaching the county to raise taxes. final reading to the board Monday pressed to me,” he said. ginning July 1. That request was de- “I was shocked when I read in the night is funded at last year’s millage He said he has met with many edu- nied by county council that night. newspaper that you had gone before amount of 160.1 mills, according to cators in the state and throughout Hilton and Canty told Baker on county council and requested a mill- Baker and Allan. the county, and what comes up about Monday night they were disappointed age increase,” Hilton said. “And, I Baker explained that under Act 388, the district has always been positive. with him for not consulting with the think, some others on the board were which contains state law for local What some people have been saying board beforehand, and they were surprised as well because none of us funding of school districts, districts about the decision of the board has under the assumption the school dis- knew about it.” can request a millage increase equiv- him concerned, he said. trict would not seek a millage increase Baker clarified that the millage in- alent to a county’s growth rate in tax Johnson said he may have some for next year. Both cited previous dis- crease request was not needed to base. Sumter County’s growth rate of meetings concerning consolidation of cussions among board members and fund next year’s budget. The most re- 1.27 percent equaled two additional the three Clarendon County school Baker that the district’s philosophy cent draft budget proposal — pre- mills. districts. was that it was trying to get its own fi- pared by financial consultant Scott nancial house in order before ap- Allan — and presented in third and SEE BOARD, PAGE A4 SEE CLARENDON, PAGE A4 Normally busy peach orchards mostly empty after ‘tough winter’ BY JIM HILLEY “We had a tough winter,” said Matt their crop when temperatures dropped To the south, Georgia also lost the [email protected] Cornwell, a marketing specialist for into the low 20s in March, he said. majority of its peach crop, but Corn- the South Carolina Peach Council. “It “These things happen in nature,” well said some Georgia farmers were Normally, South Carolina peach was a warmer winter than we normal- Cornwell said. able to get some early crop harvested growers would be busy packing and ly have, so the peach trees were Some peach farmers may have some and shipped. shipping peaches this time of the year, blooming early and were susceptible late-season varieties that might pro- South Carolina Commissioner of but fickle weather destroyed at least to an early frost.” duce some crop by July and August, 85 percent of the state’s peach crop. Farmers probably lost 85 percent of he said. SEE PEACHES, PAGE A4 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE John H. Nix Mae Cummings RAINY TODAY 2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES the .com VOL. 122, NO. 167 Letider P. Wise Walter Sanders Variable clouds with Charlie Garris Jr. Willmea P. Franklin heavy showers; mostly cloudy Classifieds B6 Sports B1 Johnnie Mae Ray with showers tonight Comics A9 Television B5 Devin D. Chatman HIGH 80, LOW 65 Opinion A8 A2 | TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL & STATE BRIEFS FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS Bishopville City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. today Bishopville City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. today in the Colclough Building, 109 E. Church St., Bishopville. Council will consider the first reading of the budget for fiscal year 2017-18. Vickie Williams will give an update on the Lee County long- term recovery effort, and Jeff Varn will present concerns about the Council Street area. Council will hear reports from committees, the city ad- ministrator and police chief and take public comments. For more information, call (803) 484-5948. PHOTOS BY ADRIENNE SARVIS / THE SUMTER ITEM Law enforcement officers with Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark speak with community members Numerous projects on during the Coffee with Cops event at Starbucks on Friday. SUATS agenda on Friday Sumter Urban Area Trans- portation Study Policy Commit- Local law enforcement shown tee will meet at 10 a.m. Friday on the fourth floor City Council Chambers of the Sumter Opera House, 21 N. Main St. The committee will take ac- appreciation at Coffee with Cops tion on the following: approval of the use of planning funds of BY ADRIENNE SARVIS advocate for law enforcement officers, $231,626 for the Unified Plan- [email protected] and Friday was an opportunity for him ning Work Program for fiscal to use his job to say thank you. year 2017-18; approval of UPWP Members of the community had an He said Norelle Iyer of NLI Massage for fiscal year 2017-19; and ap- opportunity to speak with local officers and Treatment had the same interest proval of the Transportation and express their appreciation during and asked to partner with Starbucks to Improvement Program for fis- the Coffee with Cops event at Starbucks offer free massages. cal year 2017-18. on Friday. Officers were also provided free coffee Among the updates to be dis- Robert Barwick, Starbucks store man- and snacks during their visit. cussed will be the Pinewood ager and coffee master, said many of Sumter County Sheriff's Office Deputy Road/McCrays Mill Road proj- Sumter's city and county officers are Jennifer Mays said she could not re- ect, the North Main Street and regulars. member going to a social event like Cof- Manning Avenue Corridor proj- He said events like Coffee with Cops fee with Cops in the past. This is a much ect, Manning Avenue Bridge have been held throughout the country more relaxed setting to interact with the Rehabilitation project and other for the public to get to know the officers public, she said. "It's pretty nice of penny sales tax projects.