LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, January 8, 2002 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, January 8, 2002, 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. 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 Mr. David Wright.
Mr. Billy Abrahm was absent.
President Wright called the meeting to order. Mr. Anders gave the invocation and Mr. Wright led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.
Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Shadoin, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as printed.
Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on December 4, 2001 as distributed.
Election of officers for 2002 was the next agenda item to be considered and the floor was opened for nominations.
Mr. Wright began with a short statement expressing his appreciation for the opportunity to serve as Board President for the past few years but indicated that he did not wish to remain as an officer.
Mr. Kessler nominated Mr. Shadoin for President and Ms. Tatum seconded the motion.
Mr. Mitcham moved that nominations cease and Mr. Anders seconded that motion.
Mr. Wright declared that Rob Shadoin would serve the Board as President for the year 2002.
Mr. Mack nominated Mr. Anders for Vice President. Ms. Harrison seconded the motion.
Mr. Mitcham moved that nomination cease.
Dr. Beasley moved that the Board unanimously declares by acclamation that Mr. Shadoin is President and Mr. Anders is Vice President for 2002.
Mr. Wright announced that officer election was complete.
Both Mr. Shadoin and Mr. Anders thanked the Board for their confidence, requested prayer, and pledged to do their best.
Several Board members voiced their appreciation to Mr. Wright for his outstanding leadership of the Board during the past eight years.
Mr. Shadoin took over as President.
The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were considered after Ronnie Suggs, Assistant Superintendent, presented item 1.-3. and Brenda Theodos, School Food Service Supervisor, presented 4.:
1. Resignation of the following teachers effective December 21, 2001:
Donna Bignar, math at Dubach High.
Nancy Giesse, special education at Ruston High.
2. Leave without pay from 12/3/01 - 2/25/02 requested by Mary Johnson, special education aide at Glen View Elementary.
3. Employment of the following effective January 7, 2002 unless otherwise specified:
Johanna Cronk, teacher at Choudrant Elementary replacing Lisa Price who was granted a sabbatical leave.
Jessica Burnaman, teacher at Cypress Springs Elementary effective December 4, 2001, replacing Angela McKaskle who resigned.
Patrick Wright, special education teacher at Ruston High, replacing Nancy Giesse who resigned.
Jimmye James, special education aide at Ruston Junior High, replacing Ethel Moore who retired.
Leigh Ann Moore, ½ time music teacher at Simsboro, replacing Nancy Durrett who changed from full time to ½ time.
4. Employment of Debbie McBee effective January 1, 2002 as school food service technician at Ruston High replacing Glenda Samuels who transferred.
Upon a motion by Mr. Wright, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously
voted to accept the administration's personnel recommendations.
Juanita Duke, Business Manager, reported that November 2001 sales tax collections which were received by December 31, 2001 were up 18.71% compared to the same month last year. She mentioned a spike in auto sales during the month. Total year-to-date collections were up 14.16%. Collected in the '67 and '79 fund was $343,163 and $205,897 was generated in both of the '93 and '00 funds. Revenue recovered by audits in the month of December was $6,382.
At the previous board meeting, the personnel committee suggested that a resolution should be written acknowledging appreciation to appropriate persons because of Lincoln Parish's students' successes in the state's accountability program. Dr. Beasley, Chairman of the Personnel Committee, composed a resolution and presented it to the Board for their contemplation.
Upon a motion by Dr. Beasley, seconded by Mr. Mack, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the following:
BE IT RESOLVED: that appropriate recommendations, comments, and thanks be extended to the above-named persons and groups.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this resolution be sent to local officials, parents, school personnel, and others who contributed to academic success.
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At the December board meeting, Superintendent Gerald Cobb presented copies of two revised policies: Bids and Quotations and Testing Program, for the Board's perusal. He recommended that the Board adopt the policy changes.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Ms. Tatum, the Board unanimously voted to approve the revisions to policies: Bids and Quotations (DJED) and Testing Program (II).
Governor Mike Foster has designated Wednesday, January 23, 2002 as School Nurse Day in the state of Louisiana, as indicated in 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 23, 2002, as School Nurse Day in Lincoln Parish.
According to Dr. Cobb, the Consolidated School District No. 1 Special Operating and Maintenance millage will expire with the collection of the 2002 assessments. This money is vital to the fiscal operation of the Lincoln Parish School Board. He turned the floor over to Juanita Duke who indicated that this parish wide tax, first approved by voters in 1993, was set for 12.09 mills, brings in approximately $1,707,000 annually, and was for a period of 10 years. Additional funding for textbooks, instructional supplies, and school buses; maintenance and operation of school buildings and facilities; offsetting reductions in federal and state funding; and to provide funding for unfunded state and federal mandates were the purposes of the original tax. Ms. Duke said that the revenues from the renewal of the millage would be used for the same purposes if approved by voters. She presented a resolution in order to call an election on Saturday, May 4, 2002 to authorize the renewal of the tax, to name Foley & Judell as bond counsel for handling the renewal, and for other related matters.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted by poll vote to approve the resolution in order to call an election on May 4, 2002 for voters to consider the renewal of the Consolidated School District No. 1, Lincoln Parish, Special Operating Tax.
The Ruston School District No. 1 Special Operating and Maintenance millage will expire with the collection of the 2003 assessments communicated Superintendent Cobb. Ms. Duke said that this tax was approved by voters in the past to help pay for a portion of the utility cost in the Ruston School District. The current maximum millage authorized by voters is 3.05 mills, with a projected annual revenue of $312,000, for a period of ten years. If renewed by voters, the first year of the new tax would be 2004. In order to reduce election costs, the administration proposed that the renewal of this millage be placed on the same ballot with the proposed renewal of the Consolidated School District No. 1 millage. She presented a resolution calling for an election on Saturday, May 4, 2002 to authorize the renewal of the tax, to name Foley & Judell as bond counsel for handling the renewal, and for other related matters.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Anders, the Board unanimously voted by poll vote to approve the resolution calling for an election on May 4, 2002 for voters to consider the renewal of the Ruston School District No. 1 Special Operating and Maintenance Tax.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Dr. Cobb said:
1. Committee Assignment Preference forms for 2002 were included in packets and should be completed and returned.
2. A schedule for the Staff In-service Day on January 22, at Ruston High School was also included in packets and Board members are welcome to attend.
3. LSBA convention information was included in packets and should be completed and returned to Becky Gemelli as soon as possible.
After brief comments, the meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
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Gerald W. Cobb, Secretary Rob Shadoin, President