School Board Votes Down Raises For Board Members

More than 100 concerned citizens packed the Charleston County School Board meeting room Monday night.

On the agenda were a controversial proposal to increase board members' compensation from $25 per meeting to $15,000, and an equally controversial vote on whether to move forward with the architectural design work on the Wando Middle College project. 

The pay raise vote came at the end of the night and failed 5-3 with board Vice-chair, Rev. Chris Collins, Elizabeth Kandrac and Elizabeth Moffly voting in favor of the proposal.

Moffly took the position that "you get what you pay for," in terms of representation on the board, and that the lack of adequate compensation keeps many people from running for positions on the board. She pointed out that the Charleston County School District is one of the largest in the state with one of the largest budgets in the state, and that when the general fund operating costs and capital project costs are added together the members of the board are responsible for the oversight of nearly $1 billion in tax payer funds.

"One hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars isn't a great deal to pay for that oversight," she said.

Collins also brought up concerns about the lack of compensation turing quality candidates away, and framed the compensation plan as a way to compensate board members for their time and wear and tear on thier vehicles as they travel all over the district for various meetings and functions.

Board member Craig Ascue cautioned against the move saying if the board decided to pursue a pay raise it should be put to voters as a referendum.

Board Chair Chris Fraser, after a long meeting, cut off debate on the measure and moved to deny the request as Moffly and Collins tried to pull the measure from the table to rework the language in the board's Policy Committee. The subsequent vote killed the proposal.

Former Board member Mary Ann Taylor did not attend the meeting, as she resigned over the compensation proposal. In a letter to media outlets explaining her departure Taylor cited the policy.

"I have decided to resign from the Charleston County School Board," she wrote. "The vast majority of the Board has no interest in doing what’s best for the children of Charleston County, only in promoting their own personal interests. As a lifelong classroom teacher holding a principal’s certification, I can no longer be a part of a Board committed to helping themselves rather than educating our children.”

“The last straw for me was an offensive proposal to give ourselves a $15,000 salary," she continued. "It’s disgusting that we are even debating giving ourselves a huge raise instead of addressing real issues that need our attention. The children and the taxpayers of Charleston County deserve better.”

Earlier in the meeting the board voted to move forward with the architectural design process for Wando Middle College in a 6-2 vote with Moffly and Kandrac opposed.

Most of the crowd that attended came to support the Middle College program at Wando, something that was a part of last year's 1-cent sales tax referendum that passed with the support of approximately 2/3 of voters.

Moffly said she opposed the construction of the Middle College career and technology center at Wando because of overcrowding at the Mount Pleasant high school. She said Mount Pleasant has been promised a second high school since the mid 90s and time and again it has failed to materialize.

Collins also voiced concerns about crowding at the school, but supported moving forward with the architectural work.

The board also heard from more than two dozen audience members supporting the plan including several that played a large role in building voter support for the penny sales tax designed to fund the project. The audience turned into a sea of waving red signs reading "Career and Technology Academy Please Vote Yes NOW!" while members addressed the board.