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Votes at a glance: Richland 1 board approves contracts, personnel actions and first reading of FY26 budget
Summary
At its April 29 meeting the board approved multiple procurement and personnel actions, including Scholastic summer curriculum purchase, CA Johnson camera system, a multi-year campus-monitoring contract, leaves of absence and the first reading of the FY26 general-fund budget. Vote tallies and key details are listed.
The Richland County School District One Board of School Commissioners took the following formal actions at its April 29 meeting. Summaries include the motion text as recorded in meeting materials, movers/seconders where noted in the transcript, and final vote tallies.
1) Consent agenda (minutes and March 2025 financial report) - Motion: "I move that we approve the consent agenda as presented." (mover: Commissioner Devine; seconder recorded) - Outcome: Approved unanimously. - Notes: Consent items were minutes of the March 25 regular meeting and the March 2025 financial report.
2) Contract — Scholastic Lit Camp summer reading literacy program (Scholastic Inc.) - Motion: Administration requested approval to purchase Scholastic Lit Camp summer curriculum in the total amount $259,752. - Mover/Seconder: Motion by Commissioner Bishop; seconded by Commissioner Devine. - Vote: Approved unanimously. - Notes: Staff stated the purchase is exempt under district procurement code as copyrighted educational materials; the materials were described as supporting third-grade summer/school programs (materials listed in vendor purchase order reflect grade bands, but district said purchase will serve third‑grade summer program implementation).
3) Contract — Security camera equipment and installation at CA Johnson High School (A3 Communications) - Motion: Award contract for a new Avigilon video surveillance system, estimated cost $358,405.56, anticipated completion August 2025. - Mover/Seconder: Motion by Commissioner Bishop; seconded by Commissioner Clyburn. - Vote: Approved unanimously. - Notes: Contract will install ~25 cameras, servers, switches and cabling as part of a phased capital project for the CA Johnson cluster.
4) Contract — Campus monitoring/security services (Walden Security) - Motion: Award a multi-year contract to Walden Security for 24/7 campus monitoring/security services districtwide, total contract value $5,653,764.48 over initial term and renewal options. - Mover/Seconder: Motion by Commissioner Moore; seconded by Commissioner Clyburn. - Vote: Approved 6–1 (one commissioner opposed). - Notes: District ran a sealed RFP process; Walden Security was the highest-ranked responsive and responsible offer. Discussion covered differences between current outsourced overnight/site coverage and school security associates who staff daytime shifts.
5) Personnel — Leaves of absence without pay (group of employees) - Motion: Administration recommended approval of specified leaves of absence without pay pursuant to policies GCC/GDC for the 2024–25 school year for named employees. - Outcome: Approved; vote recorded as carried with 6 yays and 1 member not present for the vote.
6) Administrative hire — Coordinator, McKinney‑Vento (student support services) - Motion: Administration recommended hiring employee R.A. to the position of coordinator of McKinney‑Vento in Student Support Services for 2024–25. - Vote: Approved 4–2–1 (four yeas, two noes, one not present). - Notes: The motion carried after discussion; roll-call details in meeting minutes.
7) Personnel — Hiring of 15 teachers for 2025–26 - Motion: Administration recommended hiring the listed 15 teachers for the 2025–26 school year. - Vote: Approved (motion carried with 6 yays and 1 not present).
8) Fiscal year 2025–26 general fund budget — first reading - Motion: Administration recommended first-reading approval of the FY26 general fund budget of $422,865,928, based on current house projections and a projected mill-cap increase under Act 388 calculations. - Mover/Seconder: Motion by Commissioner Devine; seconded by Commissioner Bishop. - Vote: Motion passed unanimously on first reading. - Notes: The budget included an increase to the teacher salary minimum (to $48,000 as a baseline then an adjustment to reflect a new minimum of $51,102 after a 2% schedule adjustment), a step increase for teachers, a 2% bus-driver schedule increase, employer benefit adjustments and program personnel requests. Administration said final state and county revenue totals will be used to adjust second and third readings.
These votes were drawn from motions made during the meeting and the verbal vote calls recorded by the chair; full roll-call tallies and supporting documents are available in the district minutes and procurement records.
