EDITOR’S NOTE: The responses from candidates in districts 1 and 5 were published in the Friday, August 6 edition. Today, candidates for the District 7 trustee seat respond.

With the school board elections Tuesday, The Gaffney Ledger asked all school board candidates facing opposition to answer six questions. The questions were written by Ledger staff writer Scott Powell to focus on some key issues the Cherokee County School Board is expected to face in the coming year.

Here are the questions and their responses.

Question 1: The Cherokee County School District cut $6 million in expenses to balance the school budget this year. Next year's budget shortfall is projected to approach $10 million.

What areas of the school budget can be further cut? Do you think the state needs to provide more money for the education system in South Carolina in order to provide a quality education?

Question 2: Superintendent Dr. Bill James retired from the Cherokee County School District in early March after nine years. With the district set to hire a new school superintendent, do you think the change in school leadership will be a positive in helping the school district move forward?

Question 3: What qualifications and experience do you think is needed for the school district to get a good superintendent for Cherokee County? Do you think the next superintendent should come from inside or outside the school district?

Question 4: County schools face the challenge of achieving at high levels on test scores to meet state and federal accountability requirements. Do you think the school district has been effective in meeting those requirements? What do you think needs to be done in the school district to improve student achievement?

Question 5: What is your education background? What experience, skills, and knowledge do you have which would make you an asset on the school board?

Question 6: The Cherokee County School District has started a preliminary investigative audit to look at how money has been spent in recent years. There is often a perception in the public that candidates run for the school board with a personal agenda. Do you think it's wrong for the school district to do personal business with the family members, friends and relatives of district employees and board members? What are your thoughts on what can be done to address this issue?

District 7

Lindley Auton, incumbent

1) Re-align administrator salaries with districts demographically similar to CCSD. Audit prior use and determine what is working, what isn’t and make common sense adjustments. Halt employee travel and use technology, already in place, to access information needed, and eliminate all “perks” for everyone. The state does not need to help us keep growing our budget, since our student population has not significantly increased. We need to sharpen our pencils, like we do in the private sector, and learn to make the most of what we have.

2) We have gained tremendous employee and public confidence, with the present administration because of fairness in hiring by qualifications and merit, and dispensing with threats and intimidation. The public is now allowed to ask questions and get answers.

3) Reputable, trustworthy character is the most important attribute necessary for good leadership. If the best candidate is already on our payroll, that is a plus, but we should insure that we have the best, non-political leadership, for moving our school district in a positive direction.

4) I do believe that our district has been as effective as possible in reaching requirements, considering leadership and provisions, but I think we have a long way to go to reach our potential. If testing dollars could be converted into actual performance driven educator incentives, on a per student basis, I believe with the teachers that we have, we could be off the charts!

5) My education background is in Interior Design. My experience and work history make me knowledgeable in building construction and maintenance, and operating a budget.

6) I am one of the trustees who has had the spot light for my husband’s company doing business with the school district. When I came on the board eight years ago my husband’s company had done some of the CCSD painting, and does painting in districts all over the state. I asked him not to do business with this district, until I was in a MPG Committee meeting, in which a $75,000 estimate was going to be approved, without taking bids. I knew from experience, in the same field that the estimate was extremely excessive. I called my husband, on speaker phone, in front of everyone, without telling him the amount of the estimate, and asked him to give a ballpark estimate, as he does this type of work frequently. His sight unseen estimate was “between $25- 30,000.” That was publicly stated. He was asked to bid, by the administration, and he submitted a written bid, as is and should be required. When the board voted, I asked that the record show that Scott Auton Painting Company is owned by my husband and that I did not vote on that bid. His company provided a professional job at a fair price. Our invoice amount was $24,450, saving the district over $50,000 on that one job. We did bid on other jobs. Some were awarded to him, and some were not. I do not know who he bid against. It is not my place to know the bidding of competitors. Scott Auton provided written bids each time he was asked to bid, with the exception of jobs that he chose not to bid.

Simply following proper bidding procedures and ethics laws, sealed written bids and public bid openings, insure fairness and best use of funds. I don’t think preferential treatment or discriminatory treatment should affect a family member of a trustee or administrator, with adherence to proper procedure, in hiring and promoting practices and in job bidding, as long as posting and notification is impartial. Everyone should play by the same rules, and the pot shouldn’t call the kettle black.

District 7

Challenger Alan McEntire

1. All areas of the budget need to be analyzed to determine any expenses that can be cut from the budget. Programs need to be reviewed to see if they are effective in promoting student performance. I don’t look for the state to contribute any more funding to our district at this time, the stimulus money is no longer available to help balance the budget. All areas of government are looking for ways to cut expenses, the state, as well as our district.

2. I think that as a trustee we need to always be looking forward to guarantee the best for our students. We need to look at successful districts, that are compatible with our demographics, and evaluate ways to make Cherokee County a better district for our children.

3. The Superintendent’s job needs to be posted and all qualified applicants need to apply. We need to seek the most qualified and outstanding superintendent our district can find. Their leadership needs to guide our district toward the future and prepare our students for what is ahead of them.

4. Some schools within our district have been effective in meeting the requirements of “no child left behind.” We need to look at early intervention to put students on the right track from the beginning. We need to analyze staff that is on hand to effectively target students to optimize their growth.

5. I am a graduate of the Cherokee County School District. I have spent twenty one years operating my own business in this county. I bring with me business experience, contractor experience, and the daily operations of how to run a successful business during hard economic times.

6. If proper bid procedure is followed, then it should eliminate any question of shady business within the district. Maybe we need to address the issue of putting in place a checks and balance system that would help eliminate abuse of the system.

District 7

Challenger Marcia Duncan

1. The budget shortfalls have occurred because the school district is a public entity dependent on taxes. We could start with a salary cut across the board. (Example — Teachers 1.5 percent, 2 percent district office staff, and 3 percent school board members.) The largest salary cut should be school board members since they serve the public. We should form a 40 member committee representing a cross section of the community and teachers to look at the different areas of the budget so we can get their input and suggestions on how we can live within our means.

2. Any change in the school and district leadership brings about positive and uncomfortable changes.

3. We should get the very best superintendent that goes through the application process, whether that person comes from inside or outside the school district. Based on past experience, the best superintendent comes from a 100 mile radius of where the school district is located because they understand the cultures of the community where they live.

The new superintendent must have taught in school for at least 10 years and must live in Cherokee County. Their children should be required to attend county schools. They should be given no longer than a 2 year contract so we have a chance to see if they are a good fit for the school district.

4. Every single teacher does his/her best every day in preparing for tests and evaluation. Evidently, that’s not enough. Cherokee County needs something more and so do teachers. Students in Cherokee County schools will make the right test score as long their basic needs are not being made.

5. Education background — B.A. in French and Psychology, Gardner- Webb University (1973), Masters at Teaching in French from USC Columbia (1978), Educational Specialist (1983), Doctorate of Philosophy, Educational Administration and Supervision from USC Columbia (1991.)

Education Experience — Teacher for seven years in Shelby, Chesnee and Cherokee County. Assistant principal and Principal at Ewing Middle from 1988-2002. Associate Superintendent for Instruction and Accountability 2003-2006 in Greenville County Schools.

I have done extensive work in diversity and poverty through my involvement with organizations such as the Urban League and the Ruby Payne Program: Children of Poverty. I am the president of the Literacy Association and have been active in community organizations such as the Rotary Club and Boys and Girls Club.

I promise to always listen, to be transparent and use my past experience and education in dealing with the issues brought to our school board.

6. When you represent the school district and children at any level, you should always present yourself in a manner where there is no question of impropriety on our part. We must hold each other to the highest standards. There should never, ever be any nepotism. In these severe economic times, every single employer is hungry for work. We do not need to go outside Cherokee County to award a contract.