Crestwood project, next year's budget before board's Finance Committee on Wednesday night
Meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at district office
Updates on the Crestwood High School football stadium/athletic complex and the Fiscal Year 2026 budget will be before Sumter school board's Finance Committee on Wednesday night.
An update on the Mayewood Middle School concessions stand/bathrooms project that began more than a year ago and monthly financial reports also highlight the meeting agenda that was posted earlier this week by a Sumter School District staff member.
At the full school board's last meeting on May 19, the trustees voted 7-2 to approve an additional $4.8 million allocation to complete the Crestwood stadium project, which now has reached an estimated $9.5 million. District administration initially said the project would cost $3.5 million in May 2024 at the groundbreaking.
The Sumter Item discovered last week that on May 20 state Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver formally requested that the South Carolina Office of the Inspector General conduct a "thorough review or investigation" into the Crestwood project and whether the district followed required financial protocols in the work. Weaver's correspondence followed the Inspector General's office raising concerns to her on the project's procurement and total funding in an April 28 letter.
Regarding the fiscal 2026 budget, the district must have next year's budget finalized and approved by the full board and Sumter County Council by June 30.
The school board's Finance Committee is led by Area 4 Trustee Tarah Johnson, who is the chairwoman, and fellow board members Brian Alston, Bonnie Disney and the Rev. Ralph Canty. Subcommittee members from the public include Mitchell Williams and former trustee Barbara Jackson. Ex-officio members are Superintendent William Wright Jr. and district Chief Financial Officer Shatika Spearman.
Wednesday's meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the district office, 1345 Wilson Hall Road, and is open to the public.
For those not physically attending, the district continues to broadcast all board-related meetings live on YouTube.
Anyone wanting to attend the meeting virtually can do so via YouTube Sumter School District Board Meeting and the district's Facebook page, @SumterSCSchools.
The full board's next regularly scheduled meeting will be Monday, June 9, at 6 p.m. at the district office. That meeting will include public participation.