LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

Ruston, Louisiana

REGULAR SESSION

Tuesday, February 11, 2003   6:00 p.m.

The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 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 President Rob Shadoin, 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, Ms. Jo Tatum, and Mr. David Wright.

After Mr. Rob 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. Wright, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as distributed.

Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Sessions held on January 7 and January 22, 2003 as printed.

The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda item was considered after being presented by Mr. Ronnie Suggs, Assistant Superintendent:

1.   Employment of Alverne Bridges, effective February 3, 2003, as custodian at Glen View replacing Carolyn Davis who resigned.

Upon a motion by Dr. Beasley seconded by Mr. Mack, the Board unanimously voted to approve the personnel recommendation.

According to Juanita Duke, Business Manager, sales tax collections reported in January 2003 but received in December 2002 were down 3.46% compared to the same month last year.  This decrease was not as significant as the last two months' reductions of 12% and 15%.  Sales tax collections are down 6.77% for the fiscal year.  Collected in the '67 and '79 fund was $406,170 and $243,702 was generated in the '93 and '00 funds.  Ms. Duke indicated that she will watch closely to determine amounts of salary supplements to be paid later in the year.

Ms. Duke reviewed the December 2002 financial report and called attention to the fund balances.   A small payment of property tax was received from those who pay property taxes early.  These were spread across several funds; the general fund, 5 mill, '93 and '00 ad valorem funds, and district m & o funds.  District m & o fund balances are increasing slightly and will increase significantly in January.  Sales tax fund balances are going to begin building in anticipation of end-of-year salary supplements.

For the calendar year through November, health insurance costs have increased approximately 22.6% or approximately $1,000,000, Ms. Duke reported.  Adjustments were made, effective January 1, 2003, which will hopefully alleviate some of those costs to the Board.  In the dental program, costs have increased 28.11% for the calendar year through November.  That program is showing a little more activity than the health program.  She reminded the Board that premium adjustments were also made to hopefully eliminate the deficit in the dental program.

President Shadoin announced the names of seven applicants who have expressed an interest in the position that will become available because of the upcoming retirement of Superintendent Gerald Cobb.  He said that all seven are certified for the position and noted that cover letters, applications, and copies of teaching certificates had been placed in portfolios.  Mr. Shadoin provided a procedure for interviews and a time line to be used to fill the vacancy which were drafted following consultation with the Executive Committee.  He summarized the plan which included three interviews to be scheduled on Monday, February 17, at 4:00, 6:00, and 8:00 p.m. and two on both Tuesday and Wednesday, February 18-19, at 4:00 and 6:00 p.m.  Following the 6:00 p.m. interview on Wednesday, the Board will enter into a period of discussion in order to come up with the name of one person to be recommended for negotiations with the Executive Committee.  If it becomes evident that second interviews are needed, Monday, February 24, will be reserved for those.  The original plan, for a recommendation to be presented at the March 4 Regular Session of the board, is still viable.  He indicated that Board members will be given a list of formal questions, which will have prior approval of the Executive Committee, to be asked of each candidate.  Following that, informal questions may be asked by individual Board members.  Mr. Shadoin commented that all seven applicants are equal and on a level playing field, will be treated as such with no preference given to in-parish or out-of-parish applicants, and admonished Board members to have no contact with any applicant once the interview process has begun.  Further, if it is found that applicants are giving ideas about questions that have been asked during their interview, they will be disqualified. He requested approval of these plans, procedures, and time lines.

After a brief discussion, upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to interview all seven applicants for the position of superintendent of schools and to approve the interview procedures and time lines as specified above.

In order to conform to current practices and to expand management options to include contracting with an outside investment manager for investment management services, Juanita Duke submitted a revised Investment Policy.  She said that the purpose of being able to contract with a third party investment manager would be to monitor and manage investments on a daily basis to maximize the earnings on school board funds available for investment.  This would prove especially beneficial in this current period of low interest rates.  Since policy manual changes are to be recommended at one board meeting, and adopted at a subsequent meeting, she presented these proposed changes for the Board's perusal until the March 4, 2003 meeting.

In a Report of the Superintendent, Dr. Cobb called attention to:

1.      LSBA convention information which was included in packets. He said forms should be completed and returned to Becky Gemelli.

2.       Invitations to an Early Bird Workshop (School Law Forum), scheduled at the beginning of the convention, were also included.

After brief comments from Jim Kessler regarding his recent trip to Washington, D.C., upon a motion by him, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to adjourn at 6:25 p.m.

________________________________                    ___________________________________

Gerald W. Cobb, Secretary                                     Robert E. Shadoin, President