By Henry E. Green
Abbeville County School District Superintendent Dr. Mason Gary announced his resignation Tuesday night at the Abbeville County School District Board of Trustees meeting.
Dr. Gary read a statement in which he said he would be stepping down in June, a statement in which he praised the District team with which he worked to accomplish a number of good things, including increasing the District’s fund balance, and having the District receive a high rating from an accreditation organization, for example.
The District ranks among the top in the state in terms of academics, he indicated.
“There’s still much good work to do,” he said.
The District is poised to make construction upgrades at Dixie and Abbeville high schools and the Career Center a reality.
School board chairman Tim Rhodes expressed his appreciation for Dr. Gary’s service, and wished him well in his retirement.
Also Tuesday night, the Abbeville County School District passed first reading on a proposed budget for 2023-24 Tuesday night, a budget for which a 10 mill tax increase is proposed.
In a budget workshop before the meeting, District finance director Adam Cann said that the state is proposing a step increase for teachers, pay increases for school bus drivers, a one percent increase in the employer’s (the District’s) portion of retirement expenditures, and an increase in the employer’s (District’s) portion of health insurance.
To help meet these increases, a 10 mill increase is being suggested, as well as taking some money from the District’s fund balance.
The trustees also formed a committee including board members Charles Angel, David Brooks and Brad Evans to study the proposed budget and make recommendations between first and second readings.
Also Tuesday night, Ginni Kirk from the firm of Thompson Turner told the board that preparations for construction are expected to begin in early June at Abbeville and Dixie high schools.
In other matters, the trustees approved a District and school renewal plan, and followed the District administration’s recommendation in approving three induction contracts and one “annual II” contract.
Also Tuesday night, the District honored a number of people during the Gold Star Highlights segment.
Following the budget workshop, the board went into executive session, and then came back into open session for Gold Star Highlights, and then went back into executive session. This time the executive session lasted about an hour and a half, and the board discussed the Superintendent’s contract, and other contractual matters.
Also, Thursday night, a new school board member, Stephen Scott, was sworn in at the beginning of a special school board meeting which took place mostly in executive session.