By Betsy Finklea
Finances and budgets were discussed at the Dillon County Board of Education meeting on Tuesday morning.
Dillon County Board of Education Chairman Richard Schafer said he has been on the county school board for 29 years, and he had never seen a bank statement. He said he doesn’t need a bank statement to run the school system. He said that the bank statement is just a “moment in time” and doesn’t show accounts receivable, expenditures, etc.
He said any check is available for the board to look at at any time. He said they cannot get the money out without a check or transfer. The board receives financial information every month. He said that the county board, Dillon District Three, Dillon District Four, and ATEC all have auditors. The audit report tells one everything, he said.
Schafer said the board had no problems. He said they have never had a bad audit in 29 years and received a clean opinion every year.
Schafer said the schools deal with local money and take in a massive amount of federal and state money. He said 98 percent of this money passes through to the districts.
Schafer said everyone who works for the school system are state employees. He said the State of South Carolina sets what school teachers and professionals are paid. The legislature tells them how much to fund per pupil.
He said the only money they have control over is local money.
Schafer also discussed Act 388. He said it stops the board from raising taxes. He said all that can be done is a cost of living which is set for them. He said the auditor gives them the CPI (Consumer Price Index). He said that they go up what she says that amount is. It is controlled by the S.C. Legislature. Schafer said they can go up for debt service and there are measures that can be taken if they find themselves in a bad financial situation.
Schafer said the county board’s main responsibility is the financial wellness of the school system. “We control the finances for the Dillon County School System,” Schafer said.
He brought up the situation with the possibility that the schools were no longer going to receive the local option sales tax funds. He said they planned to move forward with the budgets at this time and not operate outside of the normal scenario. He said they will adjust the budgets if needed.
The Dillon District Three, Dillon District Four, Dillon County Technology Center, and Dillon County Board of Education budgets were approved. All budgets were balanced.
Schafer said the Local Option Sales Tax matter was still up for discussion. The school has received a portion for approximately 20 years. They received $319,000 last year. This money is pledged to the repayment of the school debt for the new county school buildings.
In other action, the board:
—appointed Kwame Henngan to the Latta School Board to replace Linda James who resigned.
—approved the City of Dillon’s presentation from last month regarding the tax relief program in the historic district.