Palm Charter outlines new bylaws, transition plan and election schedule

Palm Charter High School representatives told the Horry County Schools Board of Trustees during a work session that the charter adopted new bylaws Dec. 16, 2024, and has begun a staged transition to a nine-member board with a mix of elected and appointed seats.

The update came from Tyler Turner, who identified himself as outside general counsel for Palm Charter High School. Turner said the board’s new bylaws were enacted using the procedures required by the South Carolina Nonprofit Act and in compliance with the South Carolina Charter Schools Act of 1996. “They adopted new bylaws and they utilized the procedures required by the South Carolina nonprofit act,” Turner said. He also told trustees Palm’s bylaws “talk about the general powers, responsibilities, and duties of the board” and “the process for calling regular, special, and emergency meetings.”

Turner described the board makeup the bylaws establish: nine directors, with five elected and four appointed. “The Charter Schools Act requires that at least 50% of the Board members be elected,” Turner said, and Palm’s distribution complies with that requirement. Directors will serve two-year terms, the maximum permitted by the Charter Schools Act, and Palm will hold spring elections with new terms beginning July 1 to align with the fiscal year.

Turner explained the school’s transition plan to increase the board from seven to nine members. To address uncertainty about which current seats were expiring, the board adopted a temporary provision to turn over all seven existing seats during the first six months of the year, immediately appoint two additional members to reach nine, and then complete the remaining turnover later in the spring so the full nine-member board is seated July 1. Turner said the South Carolina Public Charter School Alliance is administering the current election.

Trustees pressed for procedural details. Trustee James asked who selects the appointed members; Turner replied that “the sitting members of the board will select the appointed members.” When asked whether officers such as chair are chosen by a public vote, Ray Hicks — introduced as chairman of Palm Charter’s board — said he was elected chair by other board members. “I was voted as as chair,” Hicks said.

Trustee Christina Williams asked Turner about his recent involvement and whether the bylaws had been publicly posted. Turner said some attorney-client communications remain private but that the bylaws themselves had been posted. “The bylaws ... have been posted on their website and discussed in public meetings as well,” he said, and added that Palm would provide copies of the bylaws to trustees on request.

Turner noted Palm’s bylaws recognize the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act in meeting notices and recordkeeping. He also described the schedule the bylaws set for staggered turnover: in even years five seats will turn over (three elected, two appointed) and in odd years four seats will turn over (two elected, two appointed) to avoid having all seats change in one year.

No formal action by the Horry County Schools board was recorded on the item. Palm representatives were invited to remain for the budget portion of the work session or to leave after their presentation.

Palm officials said they would answer follow-up questions and provide copies of the adopted bylaws to trustees and the public.