LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

Ruston, Louisiana

REGULAR SESSION

Tuesday, January 9, 2001 6:00 p.m.

The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, January 9, 2001, at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Lincoln Parish School Board Office, 410 South Farmerville Street, Ruston, Louisiana.  Members present were Mr. Billy Abrahm, Mr. Otha Anders, Dr. Marty Beasley, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Joe Mitcham, Mr. Rob Shadoin, and Ms. Jo Tatum.

Mr. David Wright was absent.

In the absence of President Wright, Vice President Shadoin called the meeting to order. Mr. Abrahm gave the invocation and Mr. Shadoin led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.

Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda with an addendum containing one item of New Business.

Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on December 5, 2000 as distributed.

Election of officers for 2001 was the next agenda item to be considered and the floor was opened for nominations.

Mr. Mack made a motion to keep the 2000 officers in the same positions for 2001:  David Wright as President and Rob Shadoin as Vice President.  Ms. Harrison seconded the motion.

Mr. Kessler nominated Mr. Shadoin for President because of Mr. Wright's health concerns and other responsibilities.

Mr. Shadoin withdrew his name from the Presidential nomination but expressed his willingness to serve as Vice President and step up to President if Mr. Wright should ever feel unable to continue in that capacity.

Mr. Kessler was happy to withdraw his nomination with that understanding.

Superintendent Gerald Cobb took over as moderator.

Dr. Cobb asked those in favor of the Mack/Harrison motion to say "aye" and those opposed saying "nay."  The Board unanimously voted for David Wright to continue as President and Rob Shadoin to continue as Vice President for 2001.

Dr. Cobb congratulated Mr. Shadoin on his selection as Vice President.  Mr. Shadoin thanked the Board for the honor of serving with them and for them.

Mr. Shadoin resumed his vice-presidential duties and became the moderator again.

The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were discussed after Ronnie Suggs, Assistant Superintendent, presented item 1.-3. and Charles Owens, Director of Auxiliary Services, presented 4.:

                        1.    Resignation of the following teachers:

                                Kristie Richardson, special education at the Methodist Children's Home, effective December 31, 2000.

                                Donna Cobb, Ruston Elementary, effective December 31, 2000.

                                Jan Schrader, science at Ruston High, effective January 12, 2001.

                        2.    Leave without pay for the remainder of the 00-01 school year requested by Annie Jones, home economics teacher at Choudrant High, to be effective approximately April 20, 2001.

3.    Employment of the following teachers:

                                Emily Akins, effective February 7, 2001, at Glen View Elementary replacing Laurie Scott who was granted a sabbatical leave.

                                Jennifer Blake, effective January 3, 2001, as special education at Methodist Children's Home replacing Kristie Richardson who resigned.

                                Tara Reynolds, effective January 3, 2001, at Ruston Elementary replacing Donna Cobb who resigned.

                                April Winstead, effective January 16, 2001, as science at Ruston High replacing Jan Schrader who resigned.

                                Dana Boockoff, effective November 16, 2000, as special education aide at Simsboro, replacing Jane Atchison who transferred.

4.    Employment of Evelyn Jones as itinerant bus aide effective December 5, 2000 replacing Estelle Outley who retired.

Upon a motion by Dr. Beasley, seconded by Ms. Tatum, the Board unanimously voted to follow the administration's personnel recommendations.

Juanita Duke, Business Manager, reported that December 31, 2000 sales tax collections were up 21% compared to the same month last year.  She believes that the increase is primarily because of uncollected taxes in December 1999 which were received in January 2000.  Because of this, she predicts a decrease in January 2001 sales tax collections compared to January 2000.  Total year-to-date collections are up 7.19%.  Collected in the '67 and '79 fund was $291,459 and $174,875 was generated in the '93 and '00 funds.  No monies were recovered by audits in the month of December and she reiterated that the audit monies are not listed as revenue in budget preparation.

Superintendent Cobb reviewed background information on renovating and resurfacing of the Ruston High School track.  At the October 18, 2000 meeting the Board voted to advertise for bids to resurface the track with a black polyurethane running surface at a projected cost of $70,000.  It was not known at that time whether a new asphalt base would also need to be installed; therefore, no projected cost was estimated.  After removal of the existing latex running surface, representatives from three track resurfacing companies and school board and police jury personnel inspected the base and all agreed that a 1½" asphalt overlay would be needed to properly install a new running surface.  Three bids were received and opened at 12:01 p.m. on Thursday, January 4, 2001 and results were as follows: Track Masters, Inc. (Mansfield, TX) $61,220 for polyurethane surface and $27,900 for asphalt for a total of $89,120; Southwestern Recreational Industries (Leander, TX) $83,200 for polyurethane surface and $39,700 for asphalt for a total of $122,900; and No Fault Tennis & Track (Baton Rouge, LA) $72,750 for polyurethane surface and $34,500 for asphalt for a total of $107,250.  Dr. Cobb asked for acceptance of the lowest bid, $89,120 from Track Masters, Inc.  He reported that they could begin the project around January 15, 2001 which meets the projected time lines.

Following a few questions, upon a motion by Mr. Abrahm, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to accept the $89,120 bid from Track Masters, Inc. to renovate asphalt and install polyurethane running surface on the track at Ruston High School.

Governor Mike Foster has designated Wednesday, January 24, 2001 as School Nurse Day in the State of Louisiana, as indicated by a proclamation which Dr. Cobb shared with the Board.  Because Lincoln Parish is very fortunate to have two wonderful nurses, Mary Schelldorf and Sonja Cardwell, he asked the Board to adopt a proclamation designating the same date as School Nurse Day in Lincoln Parish.

Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the proclamation designating Wednesday, January 24, 2001, as School Nurse Day in Lincoln Parish.

Ronnie Suggs shared facts about the parish's drivers education program which is offered as a service to parents and is not required by the state or federal government.  Five instructors provide 30 hours of classroom instruction, 6 hours of driving, and 6 hours of observing in vehicles to 275-300 students from all parish schools in fall, spring, and summer classes.  In 1995 the fee increased from $110 to $135 in order for the program to continue to be almost self-sufficient.  Instructors have not had a raise in pay since 1995 and are currently making $8.33 per hour for the driving portion of the program. The administration would like to increase that to about $10.00 per hour.  A review of driver education monies from 1996 to present shows that the average annual revenue to be $38,460 and average annual expenditures to be $49,992, resulting in an average yearly loss of $11,531.  Vehicles have been rented from Ryan Chevrolet in Monroe for the past several years at an extremely good rate of about $6 per day per vehicle.  Approximately 12,000 miles are put on each car each year.  Unfortunately around the first of December, Mr. Suggs was informed by Ryan Chevrolet that they would no longer be able to continue this program because of their increased costs.  He began exploring options for acquiring vehicles.  He suggested two options for acquiring four mid-size vehicles: buying them using the bid process with a delivery date of about forty-five days from this date or purchasing utilizing state contract pricing with a delivery date of about one hundred days.  Utilizing the bid process the vehicles will cost about $1800 more per vehicle but they would be received about two months earlier than they would be if purchased with state contract prices.  Because of time constraints with a spring class that usually starts in February, he recommended that the Board approve the first option, to advertise for bids for four mid-size vehicles with a delivery date of not more than forty-five days and for the staff to accept the lowest bid meeting specifications.  Ms. Duke has acquired a very attractive lease/purchase option from Bank One to fund the four vehicles over a period of five years with an interest rate of 5.95%.  At that time, Mr. Suggs estimated that the vehicles would have about 60,000 miles, the parish would own them outright, and vehicles' expenses would go down.  They could then be replaced on a rotating basis and one large expenditure would not be necessary.  He estimated that an increase in the driver education fee from $135 per student to $165 per student would take care of increased vehicle costs, fund the small raise for the instructors, and begin to reduce the yearly deficit in the program.  This increase would go into effect for the upcoming spring class.  He proposed that the revenue and expenditures in the program be re-evaluated at this time next year to determine if the fee of $165 would need to be adjusted up or down to continue making the program self-efficient.  He revealed fees  of $125 to $160 being charged by surrounding parishes that offer driver education and said that one independent contractor in the area charges $185 per student.  Mr. Suggs concluded by asking  the Board to authorize the Superintendent to enter into a lease/purchase agreement with Bank One for the purpose of purchasing the vehicles for the driver education program. 

Following a brief discussion, upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Mr. Anders, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to advertise for bids for the purchase of for four mid-size driver education vehicles with a delivery date of not more than forty-five days, for the staff to accept the lowest bid meeting specifications, and for the Superintendent to enter into a lease/purchase agreement with Bank One for the purpose of purchasing the vehicles.

In a Report of the Superintendent, Dr. Cobb said:

                        Committee Assignment Preference forms for 2001 were included in packets and should be completed and returned.

                       The next meeting of the Board scheduled for Wednesday, January 24, at noon at Ruston Elementary School has been moved up one day to Tuesday, January 23, at noon at Ruston Elementary School.

                       Resolutions sent out by the Louisiana School Boards Association which are to be considered at the upcoming convention were placed in packets along with convention registration information.

After brief comments, upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Ms. Best, the meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m.

___________________________________     ________________________________

Gerald W. Cobb, Secretary                                     David Wright, President