By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal

goliver@upstatetoday.com

PICKENS — By a vote of 5-1, the Pickens County School Board approved third and final reading last week of its proposed $114.9 million budget for fiscal year 2017.

The budget, which went into effect Friday and continue through June 30, 2017, includes a step increase for certified positions on the teacher pay scale and the addition of a 23rd-year step to the teacher pay scale, effective for all teachers with 23 or more years of experience.

Also included is a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment for certified teachers on the teacher pay scale, a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment for classified and administrative staff and an increase in the bus driver minimum salary schedule of 3.2 percent plus one year of service step.

There is also a 2 percent increase for nurses in addition to one year of experience step and a new assistant principal salary scale, with starting pay of $65,000 for elementary assistant principals, $70,000 for middle school and $75,000 regardless of degrees or years of experience, with assistant principals eligible for cost-of-living adjustments in future years but not steps, and assistant principals who currently make more than they would under the new pay scale maintaining their current salary.

Also featured is a base student cost of $2,350 and school and school supply allocations adjusted to the budget committee recommending a “new normal” schedule that is 75 percent of the old schedule.

The budget includes a superintendent contingency of $100,000, board contingency of $100,000 and $1.7 million use of fund balance for transfer to the capital projects fund.

The new budget, based upon the Senate version of the state appropriations bill, also does not feature a tax increase.

School District of Pickens County superintendent Danny Merck said “a ton of people” contributed to crafting the 2017 fiscal year budget. Merck said he is pleased to see the budget include salary increases for employees and administrators.

“The teacher shortage is real,” Merck said. “It is coming upon us quickly, and school districts are bracing for it quickly. Science and math, social studies, special ed, business and art — these areas over the next 10 years are going to be hard to find. Our philosophy of getting the best and keeping the brightest — you better be ready for it.

Last year, we made a commitment — from being 48th out of 82 school districts (in the state) to 25th, and your pool increases dramatically when you invest in your teachers.”

Merck added that he feels a fund balance of 19 percent is sufficient.

“We’re in a very healthy spot coming into this school year — healthy enough to weather a recession or anything else,” he said. “You don’t want to go much higher because you’re not funding your most valuable resource — your teachers. In this budget, teachers are good, there is a balanced budget and no tax increase. There’s a lot of time and effort that went into this”

Board chairman Judy Edwards and trustees Brian Swords, Henry Wilson, Phillip Bowers and Dr. Herb Cooper voted in favor of the budget, while trustee Alex Saitta voted in opposition. Bowers said he likes how the board is coming together to address needs in the school district.

“A year and a half ago, when I came on the school board to now, it’s incredible what we’ve been able to do,” Bowers said. “We’ve got to keep our eye on the ball.”

In addition to the fact that the budget includes no tax increase, Bowers said he especially likes the way the budget provides a camera on every school bus, something that, in his words, “has been needed for some time.” The trustee said he feels increasing bus driver salaries is long overdue.

“Greenville County bumped theirs up to $17 an hour, while ours is $12 an hour,” he said. “We’ve got a long way to go, but we are chipping away.

“This is a very good budget, and I’m glad we are able to work together — or at least the majority of us.”

Saitta said he opposed the budget for a variety of reasons.

“This budget eliminates another 10 classroom teaching positions and raises class sizes,” Saitta said. “I think that will be 65 teaching positions over three years and harmful to academic performance in the long run. There is also too much of the district’s savings being spent — $1.7 million. Given that, the $200,000 contingency is too low and likely will be spent the first four months. If revenue growth stops, the district will be in a financial bind.”

Saitta said the budget also contains a variety of extra pay raises, something he feels, though well intended, is too many at one time.

Wilson said that while he would have preferred that A.R. Lewis Elementary and Holly Springs Elementary remained open rather than merged into existing schools, he likes the commitment to virtual education.

“(The budget has) an inordinate amount of things in it that are good,” Wilson said.

Merck said $150,000 of this year’s budget will be allocated for the development of a new virtual learning academy. The superintendent said district staff will spend the 2016-17 school year creating the program, with the goal of accepting enrollment in 2017-18.

Included in the virtual learning academy are a combination of online and classroom instruction for students, flexibility for students to attend classes either at home or in the traditional classroom, choices for parents regarding which and how many classes the students will attend physically at school and virtually online, and proficiency-based advancement.

The program will be designed to serve middle and high school students but may be expanded to the elementary level in future years.

Assistant superintendent Sharon Huff and director of instructional technology Barbara Nesbitt said the school board’s commitment to virtual education will benefit the district.

“We have talked about students having choice in time, place and pace and talked to Dr. Merck about flexible learning,” Huff said. “We look to extend opportunities at the secondary level and elementary — expanding at all levels.

“We need to be competitive and get out there and do something that will be beneficial to our families and communities. Virtual (learning) is a creative opportunity.”

Nesbitt cited examples of students who had to drop out of traditional school and enter online and how students, including one who helps out on a family farm, could benefit from the more modern method of learning.

“We want to take advantage of school offerings online,” Nesbitt said, adding, “Schools may look very different 25 to 30 years from now.”

—

goliver@upstatetoday.com | (864) 973-6687

Follow on Twitter @JournalGO

By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

COUNTY — The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office deputy who shot a burglary suspect last month has returned to duty.

According to a news release from chief deputy Creed Hashe, sheriff Rick Clark returned deputy Michael McClatchy to full active duty last Wednesday following completion of an internal review.

The shooting occurred at a home on Latham Road in Easley on Sunday, June 26.

According to the release, McClatchy arrived at the home within 12 minutes after a 911 call reporting a suspicious male walking around homes on Latham Road.

The sheriff’s office then received another 911 call from a “frightened and upset homeowner” who said that an unknown male was knocking on her doors and windows and attempting to pry open windows, according to the release.

The man then broke through a rear door, the release said. The homeowner hid inside a bathroom while staying on the line with the 911 operator.

McClatchy then responded to the home, arriving within minutes of the second 911 call.

The dispatcher told the deputy that the man was still inside the residence, not far from where the homeowner was hiding.

The homeowner told the dispatcher she believed the man was removing weapons from the home’s gun safe.

According to the release, McClatchy saw evidence of forced entry at the rear entrance of the home and also saw “numerous weapons” placed at that entry point.

McClatchy then entered the home, locating the suspect, later identified as Franklin Reed Styles, 18, inside the home.

According to the release, Styles was allegedly armed, holding a rifle in one hand and a handgun in the other.

McClatchy gave Styles verbal commands to put down the weapons, the release said. The suspect then allegedly pointed the handgun at the deputy, who then discharged his own weapon, according to police.

Styles was struck at least once. He was being treated at a local hospital, Hashe said last week. Once released, he will be transported to the Pickens County Detention Center, where he will be detained on multiple charges, including first-degree burglary and pointing and presenting a firearm.

Following the shooting, Clark directed his agency’s internal affairs unit, the Office of Professional Standards, to investigate the incident.

McClatchy was placed on administrative leave with pay during the investigation.

That investigation was independent of the ongoing criminal investigation of the incident by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the release said.

Clark reviewed the investigation’s findings last week before ordering McClatchy to be returned to duty.

“I concur with the findings that Deputy Mike McClatchy was justified and within policy in his decision to discharge his service weapon for the protection of his own life,” Clark said in the release. “Furthermore, the deputy should be commended, for he made the decision to enter the residence without backup, knowing that an intruder was inside. He made this decision out of concern for the safety of the female homeowner.

“Deputy McClatchy’s quick response and decisions under extreme pressure may very well have saved an innocent victim’s life.”

According to a release from SLED after it began its own investigation, the incident was the 24th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2016 and the first this year involving a Pickens County deputy. In 2015, there were 48 officer-involved shootings in South Carolina. None of those involved the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office.

By Greg Oliver
Courtesy The Journal

goliver@upstatetoday.com

COUNTY — For the first time in 38 years, Larry Martin won’t be going to Columbia come January to serve in the state legislature.

First elected to the S.C. House of Representatives in 1979 and to the State Senate in 1992, Martin saw his bid for another four-year term end last week when challenger Rex Rice defeated him in a runoff election. Rice, a former House member, received 6,010 votes to Martin’s 5,076.

“It is what it is,” Martin said following the vote. “You have to respect the voters’ wishes, and I do. But I would be less than truthful if I said I wasn’t disappointed. I would also be less than truthful if I said I wasn’t surprised, as voters are saying they’re mad and don’t want their elected leaders to be in office any longer.”

Martin said he is appreciative to his company for allowing him to serve in Columbia for nearly four decades, and especially to his family for the time spent away from home through the years.

“They expect a little payback from me, and I’m glad to do that,” Martin said, adding that he doesn’t envision himself seeking elected office again. “It’s clearly time for other folks, and I think it’s time to enjoy my family and transition into the next phase. I’ve got a sweet, loving family and much to be proud of.”

Martin admitted he will miss representing his constituents in Columbia. While serving, Martin said he tried to bring “a business, common-sense perspective to things.”

“I believe I’ve been able to do that but hope I came out of it with my integrity intact,” Martin said. “I was there when some pretty serious stuff broke out on the House side called ‘lost trust,’ and that sort of tarnished us all with the stench of the ethics issues that developed as a result.

“Having served all these years, there has never been a question of my motivation for serving and my personal integrity of trying to uphold the confidence people hold in me. Growing up, you didn’t want to do something to embarrass your family and, consequently, you didn’t want to go to Columbia and embarrass the people who sent you there and who you represented.”

Rice said he appreciates those who stood behind him and made the runoff victory possible.

“What’s neat to me is that we have a great team of folks over here, and they’ve stepped up and helped us accomplish a goal, a pretty tough goal,” Rice said. “It’s not me — it’s the team, the people on the ground, my wife and daughters and guidance from above. I don’t know how many people said they were praying for me, and I mean sincerely praying.”

Rice said his supporters knocked on doors and he worked hard to be accessible to the public throughout the campaign.

“I stood out for a long time, waving to people and standing in 95-degree heat,” he said. “(Voters) probably thought if this guy was standing out in 95-degree heat, he was worth voting for.”

Although they formerly served together on the Pickens County Legislative Delegation, Rice also challenged Martin for the Senate seat in 2012 as a petition candidate. Rice lost that election, but last week’s runoff saw a much different result.

“I think Larry has done a great job in the county, but the voters decided it was time for him to move on,” Rice said. “I believe the Lord puts us where he wants, and I believe this is where he wants me at this time. I want to thank the people of Pickens County for giving me the chance to work for them.”

Rice is no stranger to the state legislature, having formerly served in the State House of Representatives from 1994-2010.

However, this will mark Rice’s first foray into the Senate. Although he hasn’t served in Columbia for several years, Rice said his familiarity with the legislature and the process involved will create less of a learning curve than it might for someone elected for the first time.

“Without a doubt, I know where the bathrooms are,” Rice joked. “It takes about two years to find the bathrooms.”

Turning serious, Rice added, “I know about the rules, the process and have a lot of friends down there. There are a lot of folks I know.”

Rice said he already has several goals on his list.

“We need to improve our road safety,” Rice said. “I know we got a start on it with funding this year.”

Another goal Rice has is to work closely with Pickens County Council — which will also feature three newly elected members come January after last week’s runoffs — in the area of economic development.

“We need to figure out how to create new jobs,” he said. “When we put the Pickens County (Commerce) Park in years ago, that got us started, but I don’t think we’ve achieved as much as we need to.”

By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

EASLEY — The City of Easley’s 2016-2017 budget focuses on employees, quality-of-life improvements and equipment needs.

City administrator Stephen Steese gave a presentation on the proposed budget prior to council’s final budget vote on June 13.

The budget totals $16,618,450 and includes a general fund budget of $13,243,950. Overall, the budget represents a 6.91 percent decrease over the 2015-2016 budget and a general fund budget decrease of 0.4 percent as compared to the 2015-2016 operating budget.

“It is a balanced budget, as required by state statute,” Steese said.

The general fund budget is “what we use for our daily operations,” Steese said.

The budget includes a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment for all city employees, he said.

It also reduces out-of-pocket health insurance costs for employees while increasing benefits. For the third year, the city will offer gym discounts for city employees as part of its wellness program.

The budget creates three new positions — two in the police department and a stormwater engineer.

“Even with these additional positions, the city is still below the level of personnel prior to the Great Recession,” Steese wrote in his executive summary.

Equipment needs addressed by the budget include five new vehicles for the police department, two fire vehicles and a new brush truck.

“On the expenditure side, you’ll see that the vast majority goes to public safety,” Steese told council.

The budget includes $50,000 for demolition of substandard residential and commercial properties.

“This is a continuation of what we’ve done for about four or five years now,” Steese said.

“In addition, this budget includes $200,000 for parks and recreation projects that city council will decide on how to spend on parks and recreation/quality-of-life issues and projects during the fiscal year,” Steese wrote. “We have received bids from consultants to update our parks and recreation master plan for the city. These funds are help to use for any recommendations from this study that council wants to move forward with in FY 16-17.”

The budget also includes funding for the Nalley Brown Nature Preserve, which will be created on land donated to the city. The budget recommends using $150,000 in fund balance in the city’s hospitality fund to begin the development of the park.

“These funds would be used to create an entrance and parking area and begin the development of natural trails,” Steese wrote in his executive summary.

He added that the trails would be similar to the Cottonwood Nature Trails in Spartanburg.

“These are natural flow trails that also label plants, trees and shrubs along the trail,” Steese wrote. “This would be the start of the project and would provide the spine to expand on in future years.”

Other quality-of-life issues addressed by the budget include $110,000 for special events and fireworks throughout the year, $50,000 for the completion of a parking lot in the downtown area and $25,000 to fund loans in the community development program.

The city’s hospitality fund continues an upward trend, Steese wrote.

“We should also see an increase in revenue from removing the discount for early payers,” he wrote. “This should provide over $30,000 in additional revenue. Between increased volumes in tournaments, an improving economy and more restaurants opening, we hope the growth continues.”

The city continues to retire outstanding debt.

“This is a good position to be in financially,” Steese said, adding the city has leverage for any larger projects if needed.

Following a public hearing on the budget, council voted unanimously to adopt it.

The budget is available to view online at the city’s website, cityofeasley.com.

By Greg Oliver

Courtesy the Journal

goliver@upstatetoday.com

COUNTY — Clif Alexander has spent all 31 years of his education career as a teacher, assistant principal and principal at Six Mile Elementary. However, that is now changing, as Alexander is leaving the only school he has ever known professionally.

But while Alexander will no longer be at Six Mile, he will remain in the School District of Pickens County. The school district announced last week that Alexander was approved for one of two interim positions in the school district, as he will be interim assistant superintendent of administration in the absence of former Pickens High School principal Marion Lawson.

Lawson, named to that capacity earlier this year, suffered a severe stroke May 30 and has taken an indefinite leave of absence as he undergoes physical therapy to recover. The district announced late Monday that Alexander would serve in a part-time capacity in his new role until Sept. 6, at which time he will become full-time in the interim position.

Alexander said he has mixed emotions.

“Serving at Six Mile Elementary for three decades has been such a blessing — it will definitely be hard to leave,” Alexander said. “I have had so many personal connections to this special place, which is part of my hometown — especially the people and my youngest daughter, who still attends there.”

While Alexander is leaving Six Mile Elementary, his successor will be a name familiar to those affiliated with the school. Melissa Terry, a longtime Clemson Elementary teacher and assistant principal who has served in recent years as principal of A.R. Lewis Elementary, will become part-time interim principal at Six Mile Elementary until Sept. 6. After that time, Terry will become the full-time interim principal.

Terry, who has also served as assistant principal at East End Elementary during her career, was recently appointed the transitional principal overseeing the Pickens-area elementary school merger.

Ironically, Terry’s husband, Troy, served as principal of Six Mile Elementary for four years, when Alexander was elevated from the classroom to assistant principal.

Superintendent Danny Merck said the district “is blessed to have so many capable people on our team who can help us bridge the gap during Mr. Lawson’s absence.”

“We’re hoping for a full recovery from him, and I’m very confident that Mr. Alexander and Mrs. Terry will do an excellent job of leading our principals and Six Mile Elementary School, respectively, in the coming months,” Merck said.

goliver@upstatetoday.com | (864) 973-6687

Follow on Twitter @JournalGO

LIBERTY — Liberty High School has named former Seneca High School head football coach and assistant athletic director Brett Turner as its new director of athletics.

The news was made official last week via a news release from Liberty principal Josh Oxendine.

“Coach Turner brings a wealth of experience to Liberty High School,” Oxendine said. “We are excited to have someone leading our athletic program with the knowledge of high school athletics that he has as well as his passion for developing young people.”

As head football coach of the Bobcats in 2016, Turner led Seneca to a 12-1 record, the Bobcats’ first Western 3A championship since 1996, and a spot in the third round of the Class 3A playoffs.

Before becoming head coach of the gridiron program, Turner had been on staff at Seneca since 2009, serving as the co-defensive coordinator as well as the defensive line coach.

During his time as head coach at Pickens High School from 2004 to 2008, Turner compiled a 29-26 record and orchestrated four playoff appearances.

“This is a great opportunity for our student-athletes and our community,” Oxendine said. “Having someone with great character and integrity in charge of our athletic department will continue to build a strong culture at Liberty High School.”

Turner, who is associate pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, is a 1992 graduate of Presbyterian College.

By now, most folks have heard the term “Brexit.” Many have been left with many more questions than answers in the aftermath of the historic decision.

What is it?

Brexit was the vote last week by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. While this one sentence is true, it’s a little like saying “the South lost the Civil War” — true, but there is a whole lot more to the story.

Let me explain. Culminating with World War II, for the past few hundred years the countries of Europe periodically chose up sides and killed each other with frightening regularity. After 70 million people died in World War II, the politicians of Europe decided that they did not want to do this again and they began a long process of tying the counties of Europe together with even increasing economic, social and political agreements. Over time, these agreements created the European Union or EU.

The theory was that if the countries were so closely connected, then another war would be impossible. This process continued and expanded until today the European Union is made up of 28 countries with a population of over 500 million. They essentially have open borders, free trade and exchange of good and (with the exception of UK and eight other countries) a common currency called the Euro.

What happened?

Over the years, many people in Europe (and especially in the UK) became increasingly resentful of the political elites and the EU government in Brussels “telling us what to do.” Think about all the bad things that Donald Trump says about Washington and substitute the word “Brussels” and that pretty much sums up how lots of people feel about the EU.

In time this gave rise to a new political party, the UK Independence Party (or UKIP for short) who fiercely opposed immigration and most everything that the EU did. UKIP largely drew their support from segments of the Conservative Party (think Republican Party) voters who were white, older, non-urban, lower education and lower income (think Trump voters). Supporters of the “stay” campaign were more racially diverse, young, urban, well educated, higher income voters.

Although he personally supported the EU membership and led the campaign to stay, UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative Party has been deeply divided on the EU issue for years. So, in 2013 in hopes of placating the right wing of his party and stopping the defections of his party’s voters to UKIP, Cameron promised an up or down national referendum on staying in the EU.

In the last year or so came the immigration crisis that swamped Europe (sound familiar) and increasingly people became fed up and said it’s time to leave the EU. Last week all these anti-EU chickens came home to roost, and by a margin of 52%, UK voters decided to leave. To most observers, it was a shock.

Why does it matter?

Well, let’s start with what happened the day after the vote — stock markets in the U.S. and pretty much everywhere else in the world, took a huge nose dive. No, not a nose dive, they fell off a cliff. The Dow dropped 610 points or 3.4% and the other markets in the U.S. and around the world were about the same or worse. In the first few days after the vote, over $2 trillion in wealth evaporated in the global stock markets.

If there is one thing that businesses, from global corporations to the corner store, dislike it’s uncertainty and right now everything is uncertain. The question everyone is asking is “what now?” and the truth is that no one knows.

In the short terms at least, most of what is being discussed is mostly bad. Not “board up the house get your gun and head for the hills” bad but, still not good. What we will have to do is all that we can do — wait and see.

Why does it matter to S.C.?

It matters a lot to South Carolina; arguably it matters more to South Carolina than to any other state.

Yes, really. South Carolina has more direct foreign investment per capita than any other state and of the eight countries with the most investment in South Carolina six of them are in the EU. It’s about the 1,200+ facilities of international business that are located in our state and the tens of thousands of jobs of South Carolinians who work in these places.

Does this mean that lots of these folks will immediately lose their jobs? No, probably not, but the Brexit vote will have an impact. Don’t expect to see any UK or EU companies announce any new large investments or expansions in South Carolina any time soon i.e. see business uncertainty above.

Why does it matter to YOU?

Well first, check your 401k or stock account today and see how far it dropped — and it did drop, the only question is by how much and for how long. The same thing applies to your pension fund at your company and the state retirement fund that covers 200,000 South Carolinians.

If you work at any of the 1,200 foreign owned facilities — talk with your boss. Some will try and tell you otherwise, but no one really knows what the short, medium or long term impact will be — but I’m pretty sure ‘no impact’ is not the right answers.

What can you do?

In one sense, there is not a lot any of us can do on the individual level. The global forces at work are beyond any of our individual control. This sense of helplessness against “them” is a big part of the frustration that fueled the anti-EU (and Trump) vote.

These feelings — on the part of UKIP and Trump voters — are real, justified and valid and critics should not dismiss them as otherwise. People are afraid, uncertain and have much to worry about.

But, there is something that we can do: we cannot give in to the voices of those demagogic politicians that blindly rant against “them” — the immigrants, the Muslims, the media and the political establishment. Yes, there is a lot to be frustrated about (with Washington, Columbia or Brussels) but the answer is not to be found in simplistic sound bites and appeals to our fears and prejudices.

The American writer H.L. Mencken famously said, “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” And so it is.

We need political leaders — in Washington, Columbia and elsewhere — who understand this, people who understand that the world is complex and that there are many big issues involved and the answers are not clear, simple or easy.

We need leaders who have the honesty and integrity to tell us these straight truths.

Phil Noble is a businessman in Charleston and President of the S.C. New Democrats, an independent reform group founded by former Gov. Richard Riley to bring change and reform. He can be reached at phil@philnoble.com

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