Rankin: Let school board move on with recommendation
August 28, 2009 by admin
An Horry County legislator is calling on Gov. Mark Sanford to support the Horry County School Board in its decision to recommend Neil James to fill a vacant seat on the board.
In a letter obtained by WMBF News, Sen. Luke Rankin (R-Horry County) asks the governor to support the nomination of Neil James to the position. James was nominated after former board member, Chris Shannon, was indicted on charges of felony breach of trust and fraudulent intent.
The crime, officials say, were grounds for removal from the school board.
Horry County School Board officials allowed others to apply for Shannon’s vacant District 10 seat and were able to narrow the candidate pool down to three individuals.
Following the recommendation of James to the governor, Rankin believes others have been contacting Sanford regarding the appointment of a second individual to the position. That person, Rankin claims, did not filter through the board’s selection process.
“Your choosing to do otherwise would be one of the most unfortunate acts of putting political patronage above merit you could embrace, which would totally circumvent the work of those who’ve been elected to serve,” Rankin wrote in a letter to Sanford.
Should James be chosen to fill Shannon’s unexpired term, he would serve until 2010.
