Planning a new District 5 elementary school is not without dissent.
In this case, one board member is questioning the judgment and fairness of the board chairman.
The Amicks Ferry Road school is to open August 2021.
What it will cost has not been revealed.
It will be the 13th elementary school in the district.
The additional space will help with overcrowding in the Chapin area, said board chairman Robert Gantt.
There is no “official estimated cost” yet, Gantt said.
The board will discuss the budget during an upcoming meeting.
Board member Ken Loveless voiced his frustration with the planning process in a letter to the media.
Loveless has a background in architecture.
He is president of Loveless Commercial Contracting, a member of the Clemson Architectural Foundation, and former chairman of the Town of Chapin Architectural Review Board.
Loveless said he didn’t feel board members got a fair chance to question the architect and design team.
He said a public information meeting last month didn’t give the community an opportunity to speak.
“A sampling of filtered questions submitted in writing both prior to and at the session is not a discussion but rather more related to an orchestrated lecture,” Loveless wrote in the letter. “Interested citizens should ask: What makes those in power so afraid of the public?”
Gantt responded that the community had the chance to talk to the designers face-to-face at the meeting.
“As a follow up, members of the public had the opportunity to also submit questions and comments in writing at the public meeting,” Gantt added.
Some common themes will be used to create the school web site’s Frequently Asked Questions document.
While there aren’t plans for an additional public information meeting, Gantt said one could be scheduled “should the need arise.”
Loveless said he believes the public has already lost trust in District 5 leadership “as a result of the recent election.”
“My experiences during my brief tenure on the board have done little to dispel the opinion that the public should be concerned,” Loveless added.