LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, September 2, 2003 6:04 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, September 2, 2003 at 6:04 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, Mr. Don 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.
No board member was absent.
President Rob Shadoin called the meeting to order and Superintendent Charles Scriber gave the invocation. Mr. Shadoin led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.
Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Ms. Tatum, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on August 5, 2003 as printed.
In response to a request at the previous meeting, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Danny Bell, introduced the four newest principals and allowed them to share brief personal background information. They were: Sonja Walker, Ruston Elementary; Kenny Henderson, Ruston High; Dr. Fredrick Pinkney, I. A. Lewis; and Doug Postel, Choudrant High. The foursome thanked the Board for the privilege of serving the parish and for the Board’s support.
The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were considered after Danny Bell presented 1.-5. and 10., Charles Owens, Director of Auxiliary Services, presented 6.-8., and Food Service Supervisor Brenda Theodos presented 9.:
1. Mr. Bell gave a brief report on professional personnel staff hiring for 03-04. He explained the step-by-step process followed for the last four to five years when a certified teacher applies for a job in Lincoln Parish. Statistics regarding the number of applicants interviewed by the 5 Ruston principals (Cypress Springs, Glen View, Hillcrest, I. A. Lewis, and Ruston Elementary) and the Choudrant Elementary and Simsboro principals from '93 through '03 were presented along with the number of personnel recommendations made to the Board in each of those years. He mentioned that recommendations were down from 52 in July and August of 2002 to 48 for the same months of this year. He said the parish is in good shape but one never knows from day to day what will happen.
2. Retirement of the following:
Debbie Alexander, teacher aide at Ruston Junior High, effective September 8, 2003.
Deborah Vernon, secretary at Secondary Alternative School, effective August 14, 2003.
3. Resignation of the following teachers effective August 11, 2003 unless otherwise stated:
Lisa Skeins, elementary at Choudrant Elementary, effective August 8, 2003.
Donna Baldwin, social studies at Dubach High.
Lisa Barr, elementary at Glen View, effective August 25, 2003.
Ja’nea Heath, alternative at Lincoln Center.
Pam Plummer, elementary at Ruston Elementary.
Lena Gipson, health at Ruston High.
4. Request for extended leave from the following:
Jill Murphy, special education at Ruston High, for the period October 2, 2003 through October 16, 2003.
Deborah Hollimon, English at Ruston High, for the period August 13, 2003 through December 19, 2003.
5. Employment of the following:
Kristen McCartney, elementary at Choudrant Elementary, effective September 2, 2003 replacing Kristy Carter who was granted leave without pay.
Elizabeth White, elementary at Choudrant Elementary, effective August 11, 2003 replacing Lisa Skeins who resigned.
Julie Stephenson, 3/4 Spanish at Dubach High, effective August 11, 2003 replacing Kathryn Davis who resigned.
Kevin Bethea in a new 5/8 math position at Dubach High effective August 25, 2003.
Rebecca Daulton, social studies at Dubach High, effective August 11, 2003 replacing Donna Baldwin who resigned.
Linda Dick, assistant principal/counselor at Dubach High, effective August 25, 2003 after serving as interim for the 02-03 school year.
Janet Mathews, elementary at Glen View, effective August 25, 2003 replacing Lisa Barr who resigned.
Kayla Martin, preschool aide at Hico Elementary, effective August 12, 2003 replacing Marion Shelton who resigned.
Glenda Howard, alternative at Lincoln Center, effective August 11, 2003 replacing Ja’nea Heath who resigned.
Melissa Miller, special education aide at Lincoln Center, effective September 8, 2003 replacing Debbie Alexander who retired.
Pamela Neal, elementary at Ruston Elementary, effective August 11, 2003 replacing Pam Plummer who resigned.
Joe Aulds, in a new math position at Ruston High, effective August 14, 2003.
John McKenzie, health at Ruston High, effective August 11, 2003 replacing Lena Gipson who resigned.
Mildred Smith, administrative assistant at Ruston Junior High, effective August 27, 2003 after serving as interim for the 02-03 school year.
6. Employment of Latricia Kilgore as secretary at Secondary Alternative School effective September 2, 2003 replacing Deborah Vernon who retired.
7. Employment of Tommie Jackson in a new central office maintenance position effective September 2, 2003.
8. Points of Reference (Maintenance) effective September 2, 2003:
Bernard Crowe named 12 month maintenance/bus driver at the central office.
Jerry Touchstone moving from 9 to 12 month custodian at Choudrant High replacing Bobby Dade who retired.
9. Loretta Chrisman resigned as school food service technician at Ruston Junior High effective August 15, 2003.
10. Frederick Penland employed as special education teacher at Dubach High effective August 11, 2003 replacing Augustine Roye who retired.
Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Mr. Kessler, the Board unanimously voted to approve the personnel recommendations.
The Finance Committee meet just prior to the Board meeting and Chairman, Joe Mitcham, announced that the Finance Committee unanimously voted to recommend to the Board the acceptance of the proposed 03-04 budget which is summarized as follows:
Beginning fund balance - July 1, 2003 $12,448,379
Projected Revenues 47,142,327
Projected Expenditures (48,183,964)
Projected Deficiency (1,041,637)
Projected Ending fund balance - June 30, 2004 11,406,742
After some discussion, questions, and further explanation by Ms. Duke, President Shadoin announced that this was the time specified for a public hearing for the proposed 03-04 budget. Opportunity was given for anyone present to express comments or questions regarding the budget. Hearing none, he asked what the Boards’s wishes were concerning the Finance Committee’s recommendation to accept the 03-04 proposed budget. The Board unanimously voted to adopt the 03-04 proposed budget as presented and grant permission for the administration to amend the budget as needed throughout the year and bring a final revised budget to the Board for approval at year-end.
Following a three year reorganization, Kathy Judd, Gary Stockton, and Amanda Simmons, 4-H county agents, came before the Board to highlight what they have been doing and what they have planned for the remainder of the year both in the parish and in the state. They had close to 800 enrolled in 4-H last year and plan to increase that number this year. Inclosing they expressed their appreciation of the system, administrative staff, as well as the Board for giving them the opportunity to work with the students.
The 20th annual Academic Awards Banquet has been scheduled for Monday, November 10, 2003 at the Ruston Civic Center beginning at 6:30 p.m. according to Dr. Scriber. The guest speaker for the banquet will be Dr. James ”Jim” Cofer, President of University of Louisiana at Monroe, and Board Members are invited to attend.
Mr. Bell reported that it was a very smooth opening of school again this year with very few problems or situations. The usual adjustments were made to bus routes. Although the official student count is not taken until October 1, he estimated that the parish will probably have 6,507 students, a loss of about 40 students from the previous year. He presented numbers of students by schools and noted that Choudrant Elementary has the largest increase from last year and Secondary Alternative School has the largest decrease.
Sales tax collections for August 2003 were up 6.50% over the same month last year and 6.69% year-to-date, according to Ms. Duke. In the 1967 and 1979 sales tax fund $341,179 was collected, with $204,707 being collected in the 1993 and 2000 funds. The parish is experiencing slow, steady growth which she hopes will continue. Audit collections were down slightly but these monies are not budgeted.
Ms. Duke called attention to bar charts which showed self-insured health benefits program costs dropping for February, March, and April but climbing during the months of May, June, and July. She assumed that was due to numerous employees taking advantage of time off from work to have check ups. She is anxious to see what August and September claims look like in order to have some indication of what yearly claim costs will be. So far costs in the health insurance program have increased 5.12%, or approximately $170,000, when comparing January through July of this year to the same time period last year. In the dental program, a substantial savings of approximately 24% from the previous month has decreased to an 8.72% savings for the calendar year. Total costs in that program to date are $241,317. She did include a third page indicating average monthly costs compared to the calendar year period for our health and dental programs combined. So far for the seven months of 2003 the average monthly cost for the two programs are $547,287. That is in excess of $200,000 a month compared to average monthly costs in 2000. She reminded the Board that attempts to control the costs as much as possible have been made but this is a nationwide problem.
The Mayor of Dubach, Mrs. Margaret Rogers, has written expressing her and the Dubach Town Council’s desire to purchase 1.16 acres of land that the Board owns in Dubach, according to Superintendent Scriber. The land would be used as a site for an elevated water tank as part of their overall water system improvements. The Town plans to construct a chain link fence around the water tower. The land is surplus and unnecessary to the operation of Dubach High School. The tower would benefit the school system because it will provide a consistent constant source of water. Dr. Scriber indicated that an appraisal of the property found it to have a final estimate value of $7,500, which the Town is willing to pay. The Town’s attorney, Mike Coyle, prepared an Act of Case Sale between the two entities and the Board’s attorney, Andy Shealy, reviewed and approved the document. Superintendent Scriber recommended that the Board approve the Act of Cash Sale and authorize the Board President to execute the necessary paperwork to sell the property to the Town of Dubach.
Ms. Tatum moved and Ms. Best seconded the motion to approve the Act of Cash Sale between the Lincoln Parish School Board and the Town of Dubach granting them ownership of 1.16 acres of land in Dubach and authorizing the Board President to execute the necessary paperwork in order to sell the land to the Town of Dubach for $7,500. With no objections from Ms. Tatum or Ms. Best, Mr. Shadoin added a friendly amendment to include in the motion that the land is surplus and no longer necessary for the public education, health, and welfare of the Lincoln Parish School System. The Board unanimously voted in favor of the motion and the amendment.
In order to provide safe, high quality bus service to the students of the parish and to adequately provide for extra curricular activities, Transportation Supervisor, Ronny Volentine, feels that it is vitally important to continue to purchase buses on a yearly basis. He listed three main reasons behind his request to purchase four new buses. At present 60% of the current fleet of sixty-nine board-owned buses are at least ten years old. With the addition of new buses, older buses could be taken out of service temporarily to perform necessary maintenance and preventive maintenance. The Board must be prepared to provide buses for the contract drivers that retire or become board drivers. Two contract drivers have indicated their desire to become board drivers in the near future. Finally, newer model buses need to be provided for the growing number of athletic and activity trips. He estimated the cost of each bus to be in the $48,500 rang totaling about $194,000 for the four buses. These monies would be paid from the 1993 millage allocated for the yearly purchase of buses.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Anders, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to advertise for bids for the purchase of four 72-passenger, conventional, 2004 year model, school buses.
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, reminded Mrs. Duke. She said that after reviewing the school district’s debt service millages with bonding attorneys at Foley & Judell, they recommend a slight addition for the Simsboro School District maintenance and operating millage of 2.75 to 3.19 and that all others remain the same as last year. Because the Simsboro millage was not rolled up to the maximum rate at the time of the 2000 reassessment levy and to keep the maximum rate available for the upcoming 2004 reassessment levy, the millage for this district for 2003 must be rolled forward. Copies of two resolutions and a schedule comparing the proposed 2003 levy to those in past years were summarized. Ms. Duke also called attention to another schedule projecting the levies in each bonding district for the next two years which did show final payments dates for three of the bond districts. When these debt service millages roll off the books, the taxpayers will receive a savings. But, this reduces the local tax revenue which in turn reduces funding through the MFP. She recommended that the board approve the resolutions.
Upon a motion by Mr. Wright, seconded by Mr. Kessler, the Board unanimously voted by poll vote to approve the resolution setting millages for the Simsboro School District before reassessment for 2003 as follows:
District Millages - Maintenance and Operation
Simsboro School District #3 Rate 2.75
Voting by roll call for the above motion were: Billy Abrahm, Otha Anders, Lisa Best, Don 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
Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted by poll vote to approve the resolution levying millage rates for 2003 after reassessment as follows:
I. Parish wide Millage
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 Millage - For Bond Sinking Funds
A. 13.00 Mills Ruston School District #1
B. 19.20 Mills Simsboro School District #3
C. 22.00 Mills Choudrant School District #6
III. District Millage - 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, Don 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
Prior to the vote on each resolution, President Shadoin asked the public if there were any questions or comments. None were voiced.
Charles Owens said that as a result of the Department of Highway’s project to widen Highway 167 through the town of Dubach, Entergy is required to relocate its electric power lines. The line is located along the side of 167 in front of the old Dubach High School property which the School Board owns. He presented a sketch and indicated the line which will have to be moved approximately 25 feet east of its present location. One 36" oak tree will also have to be moved. Entergy will pay the Board $694.00 for the right-of-way and the oak tree. Mr. Owens recommended that the Board grant Entergy the right-of-way.
Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to authorize the Superintendent or President to sign all necessary documents to execute Entergy’s right-of-way request.
The route van used to deliver supplies, test materials, books, and intra-office communications within the parish was purchased in 1993 and has in excess of 75,000 miles, Charles Owens communicated. As it provides a means of daily communication with the school sites throughout the parish, he suggested that the Board advertise for bids and purchase a new route van.
Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to advertise for bids in order to purchase a new route van.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Dr. Scriber extended his appreciation to all Lincoln Parish employees for a huge amount of hard work that has been done recently. He especially commended the maintenance and custodial employees who have the schools looking great.
President Shadoin mentioned that board member information forms from the Louisiana School Boards Association were included in packets. These should be completed and given to Becky Gemelli who will return them prior to the September 30 deadline.
After brief comments, the meeting was adjourned at 7:49 p.m.
____________________________ _______________________________
Charles R. Scriber, Secretary Robert E. Shadoin, President