To quote Friday's P & C, "The committee administering the fund has given out more money than the fund earned for the past six years. In the future, the district's finance department will notify the board chair of the amount available to be awarded."
Umm. In the future? And the Board weren't notified previously how much was available? What kind of crazy system is that?
Needless to say, the taxpayers will foot the bill for this foolishness, which member Brian Moody called "over-funding" of "worthy and legitimate causes." Moody himself is an accountant, but he didn't notice that a fund that contained $150,000 gave out $50,000 in one year, seriously depleting its principal. Fortunately, member David Engelman pointed out the discrepancy, or as he has said, "what $150,000 investment makes $50,000 in one year?"
Truth to tell, board members used the fund as a personal charity for favored groups, some undoubtedly deserving, and some, like the one run by Nancy Cook, an apparent conflict of interest. Two CCSD board members, unnamed in the article (but one is Hillery Douglas) and a third from the District 20 constituent board make the recommendations to the full CCSD board each year.
As the P & C points out, "The fund isn't supposed to fall below its principal amount, but that happened this year after the board doled out too many grants. The fund has earned an average of $500 in monthly interest for the past four years, but at that rate, the fund would take more than seven years to rebuild itself to the principal amount."
Where IS Al Parish when we need him?
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In addition to Hillery Douglas the 2nd county board member on the committee this year was Toya Green. The designated Dist. 20 constituent board representative was Chris Ellis. The truth be told, Chris Ellis was not privy to a separate meeting held between Hillery Douglas and Toya Green when the funds were divided up. Chris Ellis was also left out of another secret meeting of the when the other two discovered they had over spent the fund. Only then was Chris Ellis made aware of the situation and he balked. Mr. Ellis accurately reported the whole affair to the Dist. 20 board chairman, Marvin Stewart. Marvin Stewart rightly was one of the whistle blowers. Is anyone going to raise a ruckous over Nancy Cook lining her pockets with this?
Speaking about a lack of basic math skills, didn't Nancy McGinley say that Don Kennedy was an outstanding accountant? I hope this isn't a typical example of his abilities. If so, there's no telling what's in CCSD's wallet.
What's that sound, you say, as more heads change at CCSD's helm? Do we hear the thunder of an advancing hoard of barbarians? Oh, damn, we don't have a Capital One card.
How did Nancy Cook "line her pockets"? Did she work for a charity for children that received funds?
It seems that the downtown Charleston constituent board is the only one paying attention to the corruption on the County Board. Why are the other Constituent boards so quiet about this mess?
With county board vice-chairman Hillery Douglas chairing the committee he could see to it that the charity that employs Nancy Cook and that she directs recieves some of the funds. The Derthick fund is supposed to spread the funds around among programs in the community so no charity is supposed to receive funding two years in a row. Nancy Cook's group received funding last year but changed its name before this year's funds were awarded. Hillery knew this but made excuses when it was pointed out.
Both Hillery and Nancy should be gone from this board. They have done nothing for North Charleston schools and they have been a drag on the entire county. Both their seats will be up for the election next year.
Another sad example. CCSD is too big. It's not managable.
It's time to talk de-consolidation. CCSD is too big. The Derthick Fund has become a cookie jar for certain board members. Marvin Stewart had to remind them that it was primarily to benefit youth programs that served District 20 students. Lot of good that did. It's just another example of the mess of pottage we got in exchange after the county schools were consolidated.
Cook designed this committee with her personal intentions sad to say. What the biggest shocker in all of this, is Brian Moody's comments to replenish the fund saying it goes to good charities. He says he is a conservative, but, that appears to be only every four years from October 1st until election day and then he goes back to being a strong Chamber person. It is so sad his Daddy won't let him speak for himself.
Nancy is no longer the Director of the Womens Shelter apparently North Charleston caught on to her self serving ways. They don't call her Nancy Crook for nothing.
If this Derthick fund was set up for downtown children how did they get away with this for so long? The Post and Courier reporter has never mentioned this.
They would have continued to get away with it if the D20 Constituent Board hadn't been so all over them. And they would probably like to have the D20 Board go away so they can get back to business as usual on such things as...
...admitting children of their friends to Buist.
...selling off valuable surplus school property real cheap to their friends.
...awarding high dollar outsourced service contracts to their friends.
...wringing their hands over failing schools and blaming teachers and parents instead of just fixing the problems.
Yes, they are probably right. Constituent Boards are a pain in CCSD's neck. Exposing the Derthick Fund misuse is just the latest example.
Crook, ahem, Cook better hope the democrats will show their support of her next year because at the Republican stump today, it is quite obvious that they have had enough of her lying, cheating ways.
As a Democrat I'm tired of people like Hillery Douglas, Nancy Cook and Toya Green packaging themselves as "friends of education" and "voices of the people". They are just self serving political hacks who have done nothing to advance public education or serve the people they are supposed to represent. The behavior of each would be a joke or a cartoon if it wasn't so sad. They have seriously hurt the cause for public education in Charleston.
Forget the R & D tags for this school board. Party labels only confuse voters and give crooks cover they should be allowed to have. The questions for each of the 9 county school board members should be "Have you represented the people who elected you honestly?" and "What have you done to improve access to an excellent quality public education for every child in Charleston County?"
Anyone who chooses to run for a seat on the school board next year should have to answer the same questions. To hell with party labels. Give me honest individuals who can stand on a personal record of honest public service. I want them with no ties to corrupt political machines or bosses.
Party labels only confuse voters and give crooks cover they should NOT be allowed to have.
What is the name of Nancy Cook's charity? And isn't this a conflict of interest?
Since she recognized that it was a conflict of interest, she didn't vote on the dispersal. As if THAT would solve the problem!
Follow the money trail. A thorough audit would be even better. Word is that Nancy Cook was let go from one charity only to reappear as part of the management of another one.
Here are a couple of questions to ask. Did did the county board chairman (Nancy Crook, I mean Cook) fill out a request for Derthick funds to be decided by her vice-chairman's committee (Hillery Trustless, I mean Douglas)? Did she submit the request for a gift on behalf of one charity, then, once let go from that one, carry the same application over to another charity?
There's no telling. This really should be cleared up before she's a school board candidate again. North Charleston can't be happy with her either. She's got her fingers into so many different pies...and made a mess of most of them.
6:18, don't worry North Charleston is finished doing business. I also urge you all to write your Veteran Services Board and ask them why she is allowed to run her Lowcountry Counseling business out of the same location that your tax dollars give her to run the organization for the Vets. Sound a little criminal to me wouldn't you think by paying her rent on her counseling business with tax dollars. I mailed my letter today. I urge you all to write yours tomorrow. Let's put Ms. Crook in jail where she belongs
So this is news to you folks? Why?
Don't you read the paper?
http://archives.postandcourier.com/cgi-bin/swish.cgi?query=+Lawrence+Derthick+Jr.+Memorial+&submit=Search%21&.cgifields=dr_o&.cgifields=metaname&.cgifields=reverse
http://archives.postandcourier.com/archive/arch07/0807/arc08104902605.shtml
http://archives.postandcourier.com/archive/arch07/1007/arc10125212189.shtml
http://archives.postandcourier.com/archive/arch07/0507/arc05174483443.shtml
Anyone who knows the name of Nancy Cook's non-profit can establish an account at www.guidestar.com and obtain financial information from this charities watchdog group. For a samll fee, a person can even obtain more information.
It might be interesting to know whether Cook received money from the City, the County, or the Budget and Control Board from the recent orgies of spedning of our hard-earned tax money by the city, county, and state governments.
Here's a suggestion for everyone in the next election for anything--do not vote for anyone who diverted our taxes to "non-profits." Let the "on-profits" sink or swim on their own accord, not based on their connections.
Note that I say put "non-profit" in quotations. It's obscene what theses groups pay some of their CEO's and their family members. For example, look at what the C of C Foundation pays to Coach Kresse and his wife.
Jon Butzon's Charleston Education Network (CEN) has received nearly
$600,000 in "contributions" since 2001 and until recently at no charge used The Citadel for his office, PO Box and support services. He receives a personal annual salery of $65,000. And what exactly does he do for our public schools?
Though no one's been able to get a breakdow of where these funds are coming from (individuals, private businesses or the Chamber of Commerce), it did show in CEN's federal returns from last year that at least $3,000 of their revenues for 2006 were from "government contributions". Did this money come from a slush fund belonging to Mayor Riley or one belonging to the County School Supertintendent?
Butzon's organization did give a grand total of $1,000 in scholarship support last year to a worthy student or two...at least that's what it appears to be.
I wonder what part of the Derthick fund check Nancy Cook's organization received went to her salary.
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