Timmonsville School District Four Fighting To Keep It’s School District Under Local Control

The fight for the soul of Timmonsville School District Four has heated up over the last few days. With the South Caroline Department of Education issuing a media notice stating they will not be communicating with Dr. Gary L. Burgress, Sr. “Please be advised Superintendent Spearman will only communicate with you via email on any matters with regard to the school district or the board. Neither Superintendent Spearman, nor anyone else at the South Carolina Department of Education, will speak to Gary Burgess on any district or board matters,” stated the memo.

The Florence County School District Four Board of Trustees voted to request, during their board meeting on June 22, 2021, the following information from the South Carolina State Department of Education by email or USPS mail to TEC, 304 Kemper Street, Timmonsville, SC 29161.

The Florence School District Four elected board is requesting the following information:

1. Monthly reports of how local dollars are spent.
2. When local dollars will be in the control of the Board via the current arrangement with the department (it makes sense for the department to help manage the district's finances)?
3. Monthly reports of finances dating back to March 2016.
4. A report of when the local budget hearings were publicized and held prior to budget approval for 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 fiscal years.
5. Who controls FSD4 athletic fields?
6. Where is the money going that is generated from the use of those fields by the public?
7. How much did Florence 4 receive from the CARES Act Funds?
8. How is the CARES Act money being used and what are the plans for its use?
9. How much did Florence 4 receive from the ESSER Funds?

10.How are the ESSER Funds being used and what are the plans for its use?

11. How much money did Florence County School District One request from the The State Consolidation Fund to consolidate with Florence Four? If so, how much and for what specific purpose?

12. The State Consolidation Fund- has any of that money been allocated to Florence County School District One for Florence Four? If so, how much and for what specific purpose?

13. Is the contract between Florence One and the department, for Florence One to manage Florence Fours finances, still active? If not, why not?

14. When will the Board, former and current members, be issued their per diem stipend from the time you seized control of the district until the present?

15. Has Ryan Brown requested Facebook release our picture/logo that he falsely claimed the department was the rightful owner?