Sumter school board to meet with attorneys Monday in called meeting

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Sumter School District's Board of Trustees will have a special-called meeting on Monday night to discuss its current appeal process with attorneys. Most of the meeting will be behind closed doors in executive session.

A district spokeswoman distributed an agenda Friday afternoon.

After opening remarks, the full board will go into closed session with lawyers from Columbia-based White and Story LLC, which is helping district administration and the trustees in its appeal to the state Board of Education of state Superintendent Molly Spearman's "fiscal emergency" declaration. Spearman made the declaration in late February after the board voted to reopen Mayewood Middle School next year and administration couldn't present financial scenarios to the state Department of Education that showed how the district could afford it and still build its fund balance to a required level under a new state law.

A day after Spearman's declaration, the board voted 7-2 to appeal to the state board.

The board's goal in its appeal response will be to present a new financial recovery plan that includes reopening Mayewood while also achieving one month's operating expenditures in the fund balance by next year.

Board Chairman the Rev. Ralph Canty has said that new plan will involve budget cuts to include personnel. Interim Superintendent Debbie Hamm has said she anticipates those personnel cuts will be able to be achieved through attrition.

That appeal hearing is set for April 9 in Columbia.

According to Monday's agenda, the board may take some action after it returns to open session.

Like all board-related meetings, the meeting is open to the public.

The special called meeting starts at 6 p.m. and will be at the district office, 1345 Wilson Hall Road.