Restaurant owner will oppose incumbent for District 4 seat

News traveled fast when Blacksburg resident Roy Hale signed up Friday morning for the District 4 school board race.

Hours after paying the $200 filing fee, Hale did a phone interview with The Ledger about his decision to run against incumbent school board chairman Donnie Lee Smith.

Hale previously ran for the school board in 2000. He worked for 31 years at The Timken Company's Gaffney Roller Bearing Plant and currently operates the Crystal Sea Fish Camp in Blacksburg.

"I just think we need change," Hale said. "I'm a real concerned citizen. I want a better life for our children. I want them to be able to get good jobs and get the best education possible."

Hale was the only candidate to file Friday before the noon deadline for the August 12 school board elections. He will face Smith in one of only two contested school board races.

Jamie Martin, Joe Craig and Marie Waters will run in District 6 to replace school trustee Sandra Greene. Greene had served three terms on the school board since 1988, but has announced she will not run for re-election.

Cheryll Smith is running unopposed for the District 8 seat formerly held by Ola Copeland, who died last fall.

A 1971 Gaffney High graduate, Smith worked at Timken for 13 years and has spent time as a substitute teacher in county schools.

Incumbent school board members Willie Crosby and Billy Blackwell have no opposition in their bids for re-election to the District 2 and District 9 seats, respectively. Crosby is seeking his fourth term while Blackwell is running for a second term on the school board.

Cherokee County school board members are paid $5,000 annually.

Cherokee is one of 52 school districts in South Carolina where school board members receive compensation. There are 33 districts where school trustees are not paid for their service.

Board pay does not include money budgeted by districts for board development, travel and other related expenses.