BAMBERG - New Seat 2 Trustee Gill Hackney was sworn into office during a short meeting of the Bamberg County School District 1 Board of Trustees Monday night.

Hackney was the only candidate to file for the position vacated by former Ehrhardt area trustee Sherri Seigler, who resigned in August after she moved outside the district.

State law held that Hackney could be certified for the position without going through an election if no other candidates presented themselves by a mandated deadline.

District Superintendent Phyllis Schwarting said Hackney, a Barnwell teacher who was certified on Oct. 9, will finish out Seigler's term which ends in April 2011.

Also during the meeting, Schwarting reported that further cuts of slightly more than 10 percent in Education Improvement Act funds are anticipated in the next several weeks.

"We don't yet know the exact dollar amount into which these cuts will translate," Schwarting said. "Sometimes the state Education Department will give us the flexibility to cut money in any of the existing 20-30 EIA funds that will affect us the least. We will probably have to revise the budget sometime after the first of the year to accommodate this next round of cuts, and there still remains the possibility that even more could be forthcoming."

Schwarting also reported that she received a letter from the mayor of Ehrhardt that requested the board reconsider its terms for deeding Ehrhardt Elementary School to the town. The board agreed to reopen negotiations with Ehrhardt officials regarding disposal of the facility. Schwarting said the district's attorneys are proceeding with discussions and the matter will be handled over the next few months.

In other business:

* The board approved a three-year plan for submission to the state that spells out how the district will provide services to children in grades 3-8 who meet state criteria identifying gifted and talented children.

* It was noted that the Bamberg-Ehrhardt High Red Raider Regiment marching band won the state Class 1-A championship last weekend.

* Schwarting reported that a math teacher resigned at the high school. The board held a 30-minute executive session in which employment recommendations were heard, but no action was taken in open session.

T&D Staff Writer Phil Sarata can be reached by e-mail at psarata@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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