Chesterfield County School Board Chairman James Sweeney, left, presents one of the board's "newest" members, William Watson, with a 20 year service pin. Watson served on the board on and off for more than 19 years, beginning in 1980. He was re-elected to represent District 7 last June, totaling 20 years.

slideshow

According to Alan W. Thompson, CPA, lead auditor for Thompson, Scott, Price, Adams & Co., P. A., the audit report given to board members for the Chesterfield County School District last Monday evening revealed the “kind of trend-line everyone loves to see; a positive trend-line.”

The biggest challenge facing the school district’s budget, he said, is waiting to see each year how state and federal funding pans out. And for that, he shook his head and said, “I don’t have an answer.”

In the breakdown of General Fund Revenues for the year ending June 30, 2012, the school district’s income included $14,550,131 from local property taxes; $417,743 from the South Carolina State Forestry Commission’s sale of pine straw; $29,405,531 from the state of South Carolina; and $111,684 in federal funding.

The majority of the money was spent on instruction, $27,530,959. Support services tallied $18,961,920.

Chesterfield County Superintendent Harrison Goodwin told board members the agenda, and other reports, may not be printed in time for the next board meeting, Feb. 11; as the district office will be experiencing a CSI SmartFusion software upgrade that week.

The board voted unanimously to grant a request from the Sandhill Telephone Cooperative for permission to put up a tower on one acre of property located at the edge of the property line at Chesterfield Ruby Middle School. The tower, Goodwin said, will be completely fenced in and should not interfere with any activities at the school.

The school board will meet again Monday, Feb. 11, at Cheraw High School at 4:30 p.m.

— Staff Writer Karen Kissiah can be reached at 843-537-5261, or by email at kkissiah@civitasmedia.com.