Career Center needs proper ventilation, air conditioning

Dear Sumter School District officials and Sumter School District's Board of Trustees, Sumter County administration, Sumter County Council members and the Sumter County legislative delegation members:

I toured the Sumter Career and Technology Center with its Director Dr. Shirree Miller on [Jan. 29] afternoon. The tour was very informative. However, the first thing that I noticed when entering the facility and during the stated tour was the low to cold temperature in the halls, rooms and offices.

The Sumter Career and Technology Center has several buildings and classrooms which are void of heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. This lack of proper heating and cooling at the facility has been going on for years.

Students, instructors, administrators and support staff must wear several layers of clothing and heavy jackets in the classrooms, hallways and throughout the school due to the uncomfortable cold temperature conditions within the school. During warm times of the year, the doors of the classroom have to be opened in order to enable fresh air circulation and also to reduce the temperature in the rooms and laboratories.

Proper ventilation is a dire necessity for environmental and good health purposes. This is especially true when there is the presence of fumes in the environment. Some fumes are expected in industrial occupations, of course, and because of this fact, special focus and attention must be given to the air flow and movement from within the classrooms, hallways and buildings.

The Sumter Career and Technology Center is a great facility which provides a unique and high-quality academic institution which since its origin in 1993 has been an attribute to students, their families, communities and to society not only in Sumter County, but also far beyond. Its legacy continues and is magnified each time a graduate emerges with certification and marketable skills.

The Sumter Career and Technology Center is a great asset to Sumter County, South Carolina, and must be protected and preserved for future generations to come.

Your prompt attention to this urgent matter and follow-up correspondences would be greatly appreciated.

BRENDA C. WILLIAMS, MD

Sumter