Bill 3447

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               3447
Ratification Number:       301
Act Number                 556
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Relating to the Marlboro County Board of
                           Education

(A556, R301, H3447)

AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 256 OF 1981, RELATING TO THE MARLBORO COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE RESULTS OF NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS WHEREIN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ARE ELECTED SHALL BE DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NONPARTISAN PLURALITY METHOD, TO PROVIDE FOR A MONTHLY PER DIEM ALLOWANCE FOR MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF EACH ADMINISTRATIVE AREA, TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE COUNTY BOARD MAY BE CALLED, AND TO PROVIDE FOR STAGGERED TERMS FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY BOARD ELECTED IN 1982.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Election determined by nonpartisan plurality method

Section 1. Section 6 of Act 256 of 1981 is amended by adding at the end:

"The results of the election shall be determined in accordance with the nonpartisan plurality method prescribed by Section 1 of Act 81 of 1977 and designated as Section 5-15-61 of the 1976 Code in the 1980 Cumulative Supplement." The section when amended shall read:

"Section 6. One member of the Marlboro County Board of Education shall be elected from each of the six single-member election districts established in Section 5 of this act and in addition the chairman shall be the seventh member of the board and shall be elected from the School District at large by the qualified electors of the School District. The office of chairman shall be a separate office and any person desiring to run for chairman shall specifically file and run for such office. Members of the board elected from each of the single-member election districts shall be residents of that district and shall be elected by the qualified electors of such districts. All persons desiring to qualify as a candidate and be elected to the board from a specific district or as chairman shall file written notice of such candidacy with the county election commission at least thirty days before the date set for the election but not earlier than sixty days prior to the election. This notice of candidacy shall be a sworn statement and shall include the candidate's name, age, voting precinct, single-member election district in which such candidate resides, period of residence in such election district and such other information as the county election commission shall require.

The county commissioners of election shall conduct and supervise all elections for members of the board in the manner governed by the election laws of this State mutatis mutandi. The commissioners shall prepare the necessary ballots, appoint managers for the voting precincts and do all things necessary to carry out such elections, including the counting of ballots and declaring the results thereof. The commissioners shall advertise the date of such election sixty days preceding the election in a newspaper of general circulation published in Marlboro County and shall publish a second notice two weeks thereafter. The cost of the election shall be borne by Marlboro County.

The results of the election shall be determined in accordance with the nonpartisan plurality method prescribed by Section 1 of Act 81 of 1977 and designated as Section 5-15-61 of the 1976 Code in the 1980 Cumulative Supplement."

Terms--per diem

Section 2. Section 13 of Act 256 of 1981 is amended by adding at the end:

"The members of the board of trustees of each administrative area shall receive a monthly per diem allowance of thirty-five dollars for all months in which the board of which they are a member holds a meeting or meetings." The section when amended shall read:

"Section 13. In each of the administrative areas of the School District, there shall be a board of school trustees of five members. The members of the board of school trustees from each administrative area shall be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Marlboro County Board of Education for terms of three years each and until their successors are appointed and qualify. Any vacancy shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by appointment in the same manner of original appointment.

The present members of the board of school trustees from each administrative area who were appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Marlboro County Legislative Delegation shall continue to serve until their present terms expire at which time their successors shall be appointed in the manner specified by this section.

The members of the board of trustees of each administrative area shall receive a monthly per diem allowance of thirty-five dollars for all months in which the board of which they are a member holds a meeting or meetings."

Meetings

Section 3. Section 7 of Act 256 of 1981 is amended by inserting after "chairman" on line three "or upon the call of any three members thereof". The section when amended shall read:

"Section 7. The board shall hold regular monthly meetings upon the call of the chairman and shall hold special meetings at such other times as may be necessary, also upon call of the chairman or Upon the call of any three members thereof. The board shall elect a vice-chairman, a secretary and such other officers as it deems necessary, which officers shall hold office for a term of one year and until their successors are elected by the board. The board may designate the county superintendent of education as assistant secretary of the board. Members of the board shall receive a per diem allowance and a mileage expense for each meeting of the board at the same rate that members of state boards, commissions and committees receive. In addition, the chairman shall receive additional compensation of one hundred fifty dollars per month."

Terms

Section 4. Pursuant to the provisions of Section 4 of Act 256 of 1981, the Marlboro County Board of Education having met on February 4, 1982, and having determined the initial terms to be served by those six members of the board of education to be elected from single-member election districts in the 1982 general election, those initial terms hereby are declared:

District 1 ................... four years

District 2 ................... two years

District 3 ................... two years

District 4 ................... two years

District 5 ................... four years

District 6 ................... four years.

Time effective

Section 5. This act shall take effect upon the approval by the Governor.