LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

Ruston, Louisiana

REGULAR SESSION

Tuesday, September 4, 2001   6:00 p.m.

The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, September 4, 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, Ms. Jo Tatum, and  President David Wright.

No Board Member was absent.

President David Wright called the meeting to order and Mr. Shadoin gave the invocation.  Mr. Wright led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag and welcomed members of the press, official staff, and special guests.                                   

Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Ms. Tatum, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda with an addendum adding two items of New Business.

Upon a motion by Mr. Abrahm, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on August 7, 2001 as printed.

Mr. Wright announced that this was the time specified for a public hearing for the proposed 01-02 budget.  Opportunity was given for anyone present to express comments or questions regarding the budget.

Hearing no comments or questions, Mr. Wright announced that this was also the time specified for a public hearing for proposed millage rates for tax year 2001. Opportunity was given for anyone present to express comments or questions regarding millage rates.  Because there were no comments or questions, he asked Ms. Duke to proceed and present her Request to the Board.

Juanita Duke, Business Manager, reminded Board members that each year schools are allocated funds from the 1979 sales tax fund for library supplement ($1.75), classroom supplies ($3.00), office supplies and equipment repair/purchase ($3.00), student services ($3.00), and debate and speech ($1.50).  These funds are distributed on a per pupil basis and sent directly to the schools to be disbursed by the principal.  Ms. Duke recommended sending the per pupil allotments shown above which are the same as 00-01 amounts.  Also to be included in the checks are $100 per kindergarten teacher and monies for those schools which have a band.  The total to be disbursed to the schools would be $93,387.

Upon a motion by Dr. Beasley, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to approve the annual school allocation of funds for 01-02 from the 1979 sales tax as outlined by Ms. Duke.

The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were discussed after Assistant Superintendent Ronnie Suggs presented 1.-3. and School Food Service Supervisor Brenda Theodos presented 4.-6.:

1.         Resignation of the following:

Elizabeth Smalley, special education aide at Glen View, effective August 10, 2001.

Doris Moore, special education aide at Ruston Elementary, effective August 8, 2001.

Eldred Hardison, social studies/coach at Ruston High, effective August 10, 2001.

            Karen Stout, science teacher at Ruston High, effective August 6, 2001.

Michelle Northcott, teacher at Ruston Junior High, effective August 15, 2001.

David Jones, vocational agriculture teacher at Secondary Alternative, effective August 22, 2001.

2.         Point of Reference (Transfer) effective August 27, 2001 of Selena Tuggle, from special education aide at I. A. Lewis to special education teacher at I. A. Lewis.

3.         Employment, effective August 14, 2001 unless otherwise stated, of the following:

Rachel Gipson, special education teacher at Cypress Springs, effective August 13, 2001 replacing Deborah Carter who was granted leave without pay.

            Laucetta McMurry, Title I tutor at Cypress Springs, in a new position.

Mary Johnson, special education aide at Glen View, replacing Elizabeth Smalley who resigned.

Frances Elliott, special education aide at Hillcrest, effective August 30, 2001 in a new position.

Michelle Shipley, science teacher at Ruston High effective August 13, 2001, replacing Karen Stout who resigned.

Elizabeth Thompson, teacher at Ruston Junior High effective August 22, 2001, replacing Michelle Northcott who resigned.

Victoria Cherry, Even Start aide at Secondary Alternative, in a new position.

Jeremy Dutton, vocational agriculture teacher at Secondary Alternative effective August 23, 2001, replacing David Jones who resigned.

4.         Resignation of Mary Holcombe, school food service technician at Ruston Elementary, effective July 25, 2001.

5.         Points of Reference (Transfers) of the following school food service personnel effective July 30, 2001 unless otherwise specified:

Debbie Ware into a new field manager position at Ruston High.

Pam Moon into a new field manager position at Hico.

Robert Curry, technician at Cypress Spring, transferred to Grambling High effective August 13, 2001.

Sandra Hewitt, clerk at Grambling High, transferred to Ruston Junior High effective August 13, 2001.

Sharon Younse transferred from technician at Glen View to manager at Ruston High.

Lynell Bryant, four hour technician at Hico, transferred to full time technician at Hico effective August 13, 2001.

Valorie Cooper, four hour technician at Hico, transferred to full time technician at Hico effective August 13, 2001.

Elaine Becks, manager at Grambling High, transferred to manager/clerk.

Teresa Kay, clerk at Hico, transferred to manager/clerk.

6.         Employment of the following school food service personnel effective August 13, 2001:

Ollie Dunn, technician at Cypress Springs, replacing Robert Curry who transferred.

Betty Colvin, technician at Dubach High, replacing Hattie Graham who retired.

Rainey Hatter, technician at Glen View, replacing Sharon Younse who transferred.

Marilyn Moore, technician at Grambling, replacing by Thelma Dyas who retired.

Debra Jordan, technician at Hillcrest, replacing Beatrice Woods who retired.            

Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to approve the personnel recommendations.

Career Night has been scheduled for Wednesday, September 19, 2001 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Ruston Junior High School according to Barbara Kirkland, Supervisor of Career and Technical Education.  Parish juniors, seniors, and their parents are invited to attend.  Representatives from more than 30 colleges and universities from Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi; Louisiana technical colleges; beauty schools; financial institutions; and all branches of the armed services will be available to meet with those interested in attending the various schools.  Information on scholarships, financial aid, ACT requirements, and admission policies will also be presented.  This annual event is coordinated by Ms. Kirkland and the parish high school guidance counselors.  No Board action was required but it was noted that this is an outstanding source of valuable information.

It was a very smooth opening of school again this year with the usual adjustments being made, Ronnie Suggs reported.  Some changes were made to bus routes. The parish is experiencing no classroom overcrowding and is fully staffed academically. Although the official student count is not taken until October 1, he estimated that the parish will have 6,593 students, a loss of about 50 students from the previous year.

Sales tax collections for August 2001 were up 38.95% over the same month last year and 19.66% year-to-date, according to Ms. Duke.  She credited a Willamette project in Simsboro with the large increase.  In the 1967 and 1979 sales tax fund $394,918 was collected, with $236,992 being collected in the 1993 and 2000 funds.  She said that $5,709 was recovered by audits during the month which reduces the total audit collections 47.36% below year-to-date collections for August 2000.

The Finance Committee meet just prior to the 6:00 meeting of the Board and Chairman, Joe Mitcham, turned the floor over to Ms Duke.  She shared the following:

The first Finance Committee agenda item was the presentation of the beginning budget for review, discussion, and vote as the official budget for 01-02.  She provided a budget summary and information she felt was necessary and reminded all that a budget is a conservative guideline and is not set in stone, especially since Minimum Foundation Program revenues are not known until January.  The proposed budget included total revenues projected for the 01-02 fiscal year from local, state and federal sources for the General Fund and Special Revenue Funds of $41,773,566, estimated expenditures from the same funds are $42,911,696, for a deficiency of $1,138,130.  She projected an ending fund balance of $6,937,968 since the beginning fund balance was $8,076,098.

After questions and comments, Mr. Mitcham said the unanimous recommendation from the Finance Committee was to adopt the proposed 01-02 proposed budget.  Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted by roll call to adopt the proposed 01-02 budget as presented.

The final Finance Committee agenda item was the adoption of millage rates for the tax year 2001. Ms. Duke reminded all that the Board is required to levy millages for Ad Valorem taxes for maintenance and operating taxes as well as for paying principle and interest on outstanding school district bonds.  She said that after reviewing the school district’s debt service millages, Grant Schlueter, bond attorney with Foley & Judell, recommended that the rates remain the same as those set in the prior year.  A schedule of those rates and also summarizing the total millages of each of each school district were presented. She recommended that the board approve a resolution setting the millage rates at the same rates as last year.

Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Dr. Beasley, the Board unanimously voted by poll vote to approve the resolution setting millages for 2001 at the same rates as previously levied for 2000 as follows:

            I.          Parish wide

                        A.        4.99 Mills Constitutional Tax

                        B.        5.14 Mills Special Repair & Equipment Tax

                        C.        5.14 Mills Special Maintenance & Operation Tax

                        D.        12.09 Mills Parish wide Maintenance & Operation Tax

                        E.        10.00 Mills Parish wide Maintenance & Operation Tax

             II.         District Taxes - For Bond and Interest Fund

                        A.        17.00 Mills Ruston School District #1

                        B.        18.20 Mills Simsboro School District #3

                        C.          -0-   Mills Dubach School District #5

                        D.        28.00 Mills Choudrant School District #6

            III.         District Taxes - Maintenance and Operation

                        A.         3.01 Mills Ruston School District #1

                        B.         3.19 Mills Simsboro School District #3

                        C.         3.33 Mills Dubach School District #5

Voting by roll call for the above motion were:  Billy Abrahm, Otha Anders, Lisa Best, Dr. Marty Beasley, Curtis Dowling, Mattie Harrison, Jim Kessler, George Mack, Joe Mitcham, Rob Shadoin, Jo Tatum, and David Wright.

Voting against the motion:  None

Absent and not voting: None 

It was mentioned that a pay raise should be considered for Board members.

President Wright suggested that the Board ask the Finance Committee to look into the possibility and if feasible, to bring it back to the Board for a vote.  By acclamation the Board approved the suggestion.

Because of recently passed legislation, Superintendent Gerald Cobb presented four policies which need revision: School Year (AE), School Day (AF), Sick Leave (GBRIB), and Compulsory School Attendance Ages (JBA) and one new policy for addition to the manual: Student Transfer and Withdrawal (JBCD).  He asked members to study the policies until action could be taken at the October 2, 2001 meeting of the Board.

Dr. Cobb reiterated that the parish had lost $323,655 in reward money for local taxing efforts in this year’s Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) allocation because of action taken by BESE and the Legislature.  He would like to join with the six other systems who are not to receive the proper amount of funds and, hopefully, the LSBA in order to pursue full payment of MFP funds due.  He submitted a resolution seeking recovery of the funds and asked for approval.

Upon a motion by Mr. Shadoin, seconded by Ms. Tatum, the Board unanimously voted to approve the following:

RESOLUTION

            THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the Lincoln Parish School Board urges the Louisiana School Boards Association to do everything in its power, including court action to see that the FOUR MILLION FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHTY DOLLARS ($4,526,780) for teacher pay raises due under the MFP Formula are restored.

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Honorable Governor Mike Foster, members of BESE, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the House Appropriation Committee.  

A small frame house and two mobile homes were on the property the Board purchased at the corner of Rose Street and Highway 80 in Simsboro, according to Charles Owens, Director of Auxiliary Services.  Although it was agreed that the seller would remove the structures by June 20, 2001 or the board at its option would have them demolished or declared as surplus, the seller has made no attempt to remove the structures or to contact the administration regarding the matter.  Mr. Owens recommended that the structures be declared as surplus property and disposed of through the bid process.

Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Ms. Tatum, the Board unanimously voted to declare the three structures on the land in Simsboro as surplus property and to dispose of them through the bid process.

Mr. Mitcham indicated that the Reapportionment Committee met earlier in the day and that nine of the twelve wards must be reapportioned to stay within the legal margins. He presented an Ordinance challenging the incorrect count in wards 2A and 2B of the Census 2000.  He requested the Board’s approval.

Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the Ordinance challenging the Census 2000.

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

1)         He has a video tape copy of the recent Legislative Review Session held in Baton Rouge available for perusal .

            2)         An Open House schedule was in packets.

After brief comments, the meeting was adjourned at 7:31 p.m.

________________________________________________________________

Gerald W. Cobb, Secretary                         David Wright, President