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Joe Helms

Flint Hill & SILFAB

Sitting on the sidelines wasn’t an option.

The vote I am asked about most, explained in full.

The groundbreaking ceremony for Flint Hill Elementary. Two excavators flank a pair of Fort Mill School District signs reading "Fort Mill Elementary #12", with ceremonial shovels and hard hats in the foreground and a speaker at a podium.
01The Achievement

This should have been the biggest achievement this district has ever had.

Paid off and debt free the first day a child walked in.

Growth paying for growth. Flint Hill Elementary opened last year debt-free. Flint Hill Middle opened this year with significantly less debt than originally anticipated. Most districts borrow for decades. We delivered two new schools while keeping debt to a minimum.

02What Was Done To It

A brand-new school should have been a celebration. Instead, the controversy next door cast a shadow over it.

  • I spoke out about the location.
  • I raised my concerns.
  • I stood with concerned parents and neighbors.
03The Vote

I voted no.

Not because I opposed Flint Hill, but because I believed unanswered concerns surrounding the neighboring facility deserved more consideration before students were assigned there.

“Even when an issue falls outside the School Board’s direct authority, I believe a trustee can and should use his voice when the interests of our students and community are at stake.”

This page reflects my personal views and actions as a Fort Mill School Board trustee. References to official actions and events are based on publicly available records. The Fort Mill School Board does not control commercial zoning, permitting, or environmental regulation.

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