New Superintendent

Mathis Resigns, Livingston Hired

By Dr. Arlene S.  Puryear
Saluda County School
District One Board Chair

             
  We are saddened to announce that Superintendent Dr. David Mathis informed the Saluda County School District One Board of Trustees at our meeting last evening that he wished to resign effective September 1, 2017. 
  He has been offered a position at the State Department of Education as Director of Early Learning and Literacy. 
  The Board has been extremely pleased with the outstanding leadership Dr. Mathis has provided to the District for the past nine years, and we will certainly miss his leadership in our District.  Importantly, Dr. Mathis has worked tirelessly to keep the focus on increasing student achievement, building an outstanding faculty and staff and providing numerous learning opportunities for our students to succeed.      
  As a Board, we also recognized that we needed to take steps immediately to identify a successor for Dr. Mathis so the District may continue with its progress and ensure a smooth transition in its leadership.  Faced with this prospect, the Board considered various options for conducting a superintendent search. 
  During our considerations, we discussed various circumstances, the understanding of which is essential for an appreciation of the decision, which we announced Monday evening.      It is well known that currently there is a great shortage of capable school administrators, including school superintendents, both in South Carolina and across the nation.  Further, the process of employing superintendents is extremely difficult, time-consuming, expensive, and potentially disruptive.  We believe it is in Saluda’s best interests to avoid these deterrents in determining our path forward.        The Saluda Board decided upon a strategy that we believe will be successful and lead to the result desired, i.e., the employment of an outstanding, experienced administrator, in our District, with minimum disruption and expense.  As a Board, we quickly realized that we are fortunate to have such an administrator already in our District. 
  It became clear to us that Assistant Superintendent Dr. Harvey Livingston is an excellent candidate to become the District’s next Superintendent.  Through his twenty years in our system, he has worked in a variety of capacities, including as teacher, Head Football Coach/Athlete Director, principal of Saluda High and Hollywood Elementary Schools and his current job as Assistant Superintendent, which has provided an array of experience working with human resources, public relations, student services and transportation.  Quite simply, he is the ideal candidate as he is fully versed in all areas of District operations and will be able to keep the District on the path of excellence.     
  It was the consensus of our Board that Dr. Livingston is the right person at the right time for Saluda.  Dr. Livingston has a highly successful track record with our District and is highly regarded in our District and community.  Dr. Livingston has been an integral member of the District’s administrative team for many years and is fully aware of, part of, and supportive of the exciting direction in which our system is heading - not to mention the upward momentum we are seeing with test scores and the graduation rate.
  During our meeting on August 7th, Dr. Livingston informed our Board that should we extend him the offer of the position of Superintendent, he would be honored to accept.  Accordingly, Dr. Livingston will be Superintendent-Elect until September 1, 2017, at which time     he will become Superintendent.  Dr. Livingston and Dr. Mathis will work together between now and the end of August 2017 to ensure a smooth transition.      
  We believe that our approach has enabled us to secure the employment of an outstanding administrator who can continue the current progress of the District with a seamless transition, is already completely familiar with our District’s operations and its staff, and is highly regarded in the State as an outstanding academic leader.  We are delighted to announce that Dr. Livingston will be our next Superintendent.

Late County Council Chairman Don Hancock’s chair was marked by a black ribbon at Monday’s Council meeting. (Standard-Sentinel photo)

County Council Holds

Poignant Meeting

 
Monday, Saluda County Council held its first meeting since the death of County Council Chairman Don Hancock.
  Vice-Chairman Gwen Shealy broke into tears when she said Chairman Hancock will be specially remembered at the September meeting.
  “We are very sad,” Councilman Frank Daniel said, “but we must go on.”
  Hancock was a proponent of economic development and Council took several steps in that direction at the August meeting.
  Second reading was given to an ordinance entering into  a contract for a fixed base operator, Saluda Sky Aviation, LLC, at the Saluda County Airport.
  First reading was given to an ordinance amending the Multi-County Industrial Park agreement between Saluda and Aiken County. Development Consultant Ed Parler said the agreement is needed to include recent development projects in the county.
  Council passed a resolution putting in the place the application of a fee in lieu of ad valorem taxes for a $45 million project known as Project PBM. An ordinance requiring three readings is the next step.
  Council agreed to apply for a grant that would run a waterline to the above mentioned Project PBM. The $740,000 project would install 11,600 feet of waterline on Duncan Road.
  Parler said the grant would be for $500,000 and the 25 percent match would be paid by the Aiken Edgefield Saluda Partnership with assistance from the electric cooperatives.
  Parler said residents on Duncan Road would benefit from the installation of fire hydrants, plus they can tap on to the county water if they should so choose. He said once the waterline line is completed, the county would deed the project to the Water and Sewer Authority.
  “In other words, this is a no lose situation for the county,” Councilman D.J. Miller said.
  Council took the first step that will lead to returning the Brooks and Roston Park to the community.
  First reading to an ordinance was approved to quit claim the property deeded to the Saluda County Recreation Association, Inc., in 1970 by Willette P. Satterwhite and Melverda Hook, to the Saluda Recreation District for a total purchase price of $5.00 and correction of a deed.
  Council approved adoption of standard operating procedures for EMS with year revisions, and modifying testing provisions of the Saluda County Abuse Policy and Procedures.
  Council approved Daniel’s appointments of Courtney A. Priester to the Saluda Nursing Center Board, and Margaret A. Nicholson to the Planning Commission.
  Shealy’s reappointment of Wayne Matthews to the Airport Commission was also approved.

Chairman Dies

Saluda County Council
Chairman Don Hancock Dies

  Saluda County Council Chairman Don Hancock, 64, died Tues., Aug. 2, after a more than year long battle with cancer.
  Hancock was in his second term chairman, having first been elected in 2010.
  When he announced for re-election in 2015, he said:
  “I believe our county has made tremendous strides in the past few years.  Our county has established and strengthened ties to organizations external to our county such as our Legislative Delegation, the SC Department of Commerce, our utility providers (SCE&G, Aiken Electric Co-Op, Mid-Carolina Electric Co-Op), the Upper Savannah Council of Governments among others.  The council has also strengthened relationships internal to the county such as the Saluda County Water and Sewer Authority, Saluda County Schools, Saluda County Transportation Commission, as well as the municipalities.”
  Hancock last public meeting appearance was in June. It was at that meeting first reading was given to an ordinance that will pave the way for a 650-acre solar farm in the county that will result in an $115 million investment.
  He praised the work of the current and immediate past councils for making the investment possible. He added that more development activity could be announced in the next few months.
  Two smaller solar farms were built during his term, and Roya Foods opened in the old Milliken Plant. Council also made the EMS a county department, separate from Saluda Nursing Center, last year.
  Hancock grew up in Saluda County, the son of the late Ernest and Helen Hancock. His family owned and operated Hancock Poultry Co. on the Ridge Spring Highway.
  After graduating in  1970 from Saluda High School, he went on to  Georgia Southern University  where in finished in 1974.  In addition, he held a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Tennessee and a Masters in Business Administration from the College of William and Mary. 
  He retired from Lucent Technologies in 2001 after a career in Project Management. 
  He was commissioned at 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine in 1975 and remained on active duty until 1982. He retired as a Colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves in 2005.  Hancock was called back to active duty after the attacks on September 11, 2001, and served in Iraq from January to July 2005.  
  Hancock was active in the  Saluda County Chamber of Commerce, Saluda Lions Club, American Legion Post 65, and  the Boy Scouts, where he served as a scoutmaster.  He was a member of Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church.
  Hancock was recently elected chairman of the Upper Savannah Council of Governments Board of Directors.
  Hancock was the second county council chairman to die in office since the turn of the century. H. Bernard Horne died  Jan. 14, 2004, at Providence Hospital, following a long battle with heart disease.  Sadly ironic is the fact Horne and Hancock were step-brothers.
  Horne was succeeded by his son, Hardee, who Hancock followed.
  A special election will be held to fill Hancock’s unexpired term.
  Hancock is survived by his sisters Charlyn Staubes of Saluda and Ann Coker of Greenwood, nieces and nephews, and his step-mother, Geneva Hancock.
  Services were held Sunday at Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Church, with burial in West Travis Park Cemetery.

DR. MATHIS RESIGNS

  Dr. David Mathis has resigned as Saluda County Schools superintendent to accept a position with the State Department of Education.
  Monday, the school board named Dr. Harvey Living-ston was the new superin-tendent.
  More on this next week.

Relay for Life Schedule of Events

6:00 pm    Opening ceremonies
6:15 pm    Joye Hutto
6:45 pm    SHS Cheerleaders
7:00 pm    Christy Mills Dance school
7:30 pm    Jensen  Music
8:00 pm    Amick Grove Puppet and Drama Team
8:30 pm    Backwoods Brothers
9:00 pm    Luminaria Lighting and Silent walk
9:30 pm    Joy Ride with Jimmy Holocombe
10:30 pm    Closing Ceremony / Closing Prayer

Saluda Recognized

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - The Town of Saluda received a Municipal Achievement Award for its Solar Saluda project fromthe S.C. Municipal Association. Pictured, L to R, are Councilman Doug Butler, Mayor Amelia Herlong, Councilman Obie Combs and Administrator Tom Brooks.

Municipal Association of South Carolina
honors Saluda with Achievement Award

  The Town of Saluda received a Municipal Achievement Award for its Solar Saluda project. Officials accepted the award during the Municipal Association of South Carolina’s Annual Meeting on July 22. The city won in the 1,001 – 5,000 population category. Thirty-two cities and towns submitted their projects and initiatives.
  Saluda officials knew electric rates would keep going up, so they decided to undergo an energy audit and take control of their future power bills by installing solar panels. In fact, the town installed enough panels to completely offset energy consumption at Town Hall.
  Officials got started on the project by first seeking guidance from the S.C. Energy Office. Through the Energy Office, the town received a ConserFund loan to pay for the project. This loan allowed the town to borrow at a very low interest rate to install the panels and to retrofit Town Hall with energy-efficient light bulbs. The town also worked closely with SCE&G and the company’s renewable energy team.
  The town, one of the first municipalities in South Carolina to install solar panels, now receives a credit on each power bill for the energy it puts back on the power grid.
  At the end of the year, the power company sends the town a check for any power it generated in excess of what it consumed. The town has a 10-year contract to sell power generated at Saluda Town Hall to SCE&G. But since the project will pay for itself after 3 ½ years, town officials expect to be making money for 6 ½ years.
  Looking to the future, Saluda officials plan to monitor funds generated by the project and decide whether to install additional solar panels at the police department and other town facilities.
  Several businesses in Saluda are watching the town’s solar success to see if they, too, should install solar panels. And town officials are working with schools to teach students about the benefits of alternative energy.
  “Other cities and towns can analyze the Saluda Solar project to determine if they should construct a similar project to lower costs,” said Miriam Hair, executive director for the Municipal Association.
  These winning entries represent innovative projects undertaken by Municipal Association member cities and towns. More information and a video about the project are available on the Association’s website www.masc.sc (keyword: Achievement Awards). 
  The Municipal Association of South Carolina initiated the Achievement Awards in 1987 to recognize and encourage innovations and excellence in local government.

BOOK DONATION - Mrs. Joan Talley of Columbia, SC (center) donated over 3,000 used children’s books to Saluda County Schools.  Mrs. Talley has been collecting children’s books for over a year and donates them to rural school districts where she feels there is a need.  Through her generous gift and time spent, she truly demonstrates her commitment to the importance of students and to the field of education.  Saluda County Schools extends a sincere thank you to Mrs. Talley for her generous gift and to Dr. Randall Gary, Superintendent of Lexington 3 for recommending us.  Pictured left to right:  Superintendent Dr. David Mathis, Mrs. Talley, and Dr. Abbey Duggins, Director of Curriculum and Instruction.

NOTICE

One of the main computers at the newspaper crashed last week, and becasue of this, several items, like the “Ridge Spring News,” some ads and stories, and the below announcement from the Saluda CPW did not get in the paper. We apologize to all concerned.

Hydrant Testing In Saluda Could

Cause Temporarily Discolored Water

  The Saluda Commission of Public Works is currently in the process of testing and flushing fire hydrants in the Town Water System.
  There is a possibility that the flushing will cause discoloration in the water in the areas adjacent to where the hydrants are being tested. lt is unlikely that the tap water would become unsafe for consumption, but if the possibility arises, customers in the affected area will be notified immediately.
  The hydrant flushing and testing is required by the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
  Please contact the Saluda CPW at 864-445-2090 if any discolored wateris noticed at your residence.