Who’s running for open Richland 1 school board seat? A former councilman, among others
A former teacher, a real estate agent, a retired county councilman and an expert in international law have filed to run for the vacant seat on the Richland 1 school board.
Voters will choose a new board member for the at-large district in a special election Oct. 26. Voters throughout the school district, which runs from north of Columbia through the capital city to Lower Richland, will be eligible to vote.
Board member Yolanda Anderson resigned her seat on Aug. 2 because of a move outside the district.
Jim Manning is looking to return to public office just a year after he retired from Richland County Council, where he had represented the Northeast region as a Democrat for 22 years. Manning stepped down to focus on work for community organizations with his consulting firm, Gray Hair Solutions.
Manning said he was approached to run because of his experience in local government, out of concern the low-profile race at an odd time might not attract a major candidate.
“With my years of experience, and my knowledge from working with the district in the area, I felt I could fill out the remaining year or so of the term,” Manning said.
He told The State he particularly wants to get the district through the current COVID-19 pandemic. Manning said he would only serve the remainder of Anderson’s term, which runs until the end of 2022.
Other candidates are seeking office for the first time. Leslie Harvel is a former attorney and educator who previously spent time abroad teaching in China and Ethiopia. Unable to travel abroad during the pandemic, Harvel is currently teaching an online legal ethics course for Concordia University for Chinese students.
Harvel said she was inspired to run as the mother of a Richland 1 teacher. “I was urged to run as someone who has a voice and a heart for teachers, as someone who has been in a classroom,” she said. “They feel they’re underrepresented.”
Robert Lominack also has connections to teachers in the district. He taught at Dreher High School for seven years, and is the parent of two children who attended school in the district. He’s also practiced law and currently serves as the executive director of an education non-profit.
“Now more than ever, I think it is critical that we find ways to strengthen our support for students, their families, and their teachers,” Lominack said in an email announcement of his candidacy. “I look forward to using my classroom and advocacy experience to collaborate with our communities for the benefit of every Richland One school.”
Hamilton Jacobs is a real estate agent with Keller Williams who has worked for over a decade in property management. He is a graduate of Eau Claire High School who now lives in southeast Columbia with his wife and four children.
Jacobs is the founder and CEO of the Bridge Over, an outreach and mentorship program focused on young people from underserved areas. He also coaches a local AAU basketball team. His father, Michael Jacobs, is pastor of Calvary Holiness Church of God in Cayce.
“He believes that through his strong connection with the community and love for children he can help continue to guide the students of district one to success,” says a press release on Jacobs’ candidacy. “He believes that by being a liaison between the community and the school board he can effectively communicate the needs of the students, staff, and the parents.”
Financial analyst Kim La had also filed to run in the special election, but she told The State she would withdraw her candidacy and instead prepare to run for a full term next year.
This story was originally published August 30, 2021 at 12:36 PM.
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