Board approves revised meeting-procedures policy after debate and failed tabling motion

The Greenville County Schools Board of Trustees on Dec. 10 approved revisions to board policy BCBA (meeting procedures and place) after a contested debate and two roll-call votes.

Board member Mister Cochran objected to advancing the policy change in December, arguing it left the public little time to review the proposed modifications. “To ram this change through without giving them a reasonable opportunity to consider the change and express their views is just kinda reprehensible to me,” Cochran said during the discussion and moved to table the item until January.

Dr. Presley, speaking in clarification, said members could reverse a board decision at a later meeting and that some requested information had been added to the recommendation, including a proposed change to allow electronic sign-up for public comment prior to the customary pre-meeting sign-in. “That would give you an opportunity if you want to reverse that decision since it would not go into effect until the February board meeting,” Dr. Presley said.

Mister Cochran’s motion to table failed on a roll call. The board then returned to the original motion recommending approval of the BCBA revisions; on the final roll call the policy passed 6–2 with one member recusing. The transcript records the recusal (Miss Britt) and the roll-call votes naming members and their votes; the chair announced “The motion carries.”

Trustees also approved a slate of administrative items by voice vote: the consent calendar (items 2.01–2.03); continuous-improvement plans for multiple underperforming schools; and several indefinite-quantity contracts to provide civil engineering, land surveying, roofing consulting and building-envelope consulting services for the district. The board also approved a physical-education exemption for one Malden Middle School student.

The BCBA revision as approved is scheduled to be effective Feb. 1, 2025, as stated in the motion. The board treated the monthly financial report as information only and adjourned at 7:49 p.m.

Votes at a glance

• Policy BCBA revision (5.02): Approved by roll call, 6–2 (one recusal); effective 02/01/2025. • Consent calendar (2.01–2.03): Approved by voice vote. • Continuous-improvement plans for underperforming schools (5.03): Approved by voice vote. • Indefinite-quantity contracts (5.04–5.07): Approved by voice votes (civil engineering, land surveying, roofing consulting, building-envelope consulting). • Physical-education exemption for one Malden Middle School student (5.08): Approved by voice vote.