LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

Ruston, Louisiana

 

 

REGULAR SESSION

Tuesday, January 6, 2004 6:00 p.m.

 

 

The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, January 6, 2004, 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, 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.

 

Mr. Don Beasley was absent.

 

Mr. Shadoin called the meeting to order.  Mr. Mitcham gave the invocation and Mr. Shadoin led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.

 

Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda with the deletion of one report.

 

Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on December 2, 2003 as distributed.

 

The Election of Officers for 2004 was the next item on the agenda, and President Shadoin suggested that the Board maintain the status quo through the April meeting since elections are upcoming in March and April.  He said he had previously discussed the matter with Vice President Anders, who agreed to serve through that time. 

 

After a motion by Mr. Wright and a second by Mr. Anders, the Board unanimously decided by voice vote to delay the Election of Officers until May 2004 and to keep the current officers, President Rob Shadoin and Vice President Otha Anders, until that time.  Both Mr. Shadoin and Mr. Anders thanked the board for their support.

 

Making her annual request for permission to apply for Impact Aid funding was Barbara Kirkland, Supervisor of Federal Programs.  The parish receives approximately $5,000 in aid to be placed in the general fund to be used to defray extra costs incurred as a result of about 300 federally-connected children moving into the system, she noted.

 

Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to apply for Impact Aid funding for 2003-2004.

 

The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were considered after Danny Bell, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, presented item 1.-2. and Ronny Volentine, Transportation Supervisor, presented 3.:

 

1.    Resignation of the following:

 

Dr. Julie Holmes, teacher at Ruston Elementary, effective January 9, 2004.

Tommy Reeder, coach/athletic director at Ruston High, effective December 5, 2003.

Bobby Kranz, coach/social studies at Ruston High, effective December 19, 2003.

 

2.         Employment of the following:

 

Mary Wilks as teacher at Ruston Elementary effective January 12, 2004 replacing Dr. Julie Holmes who resigned.

Hilary Hay as coach/social studies at Ruston High effective January 5, 2004 replacing Bobby Kranz who resigned.

 

3.         Employment of Rose Chandler as bus driver in the Ruston area effective January 5, 2004 replacing Fred Pee who retired.

 

Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to accept the personnel recommendations as presented.

 

Jack Boyd, Business Manager, reported that November 2003 sales tax collections which were received by December 31, 2003 were up 12.52% compared to the same month last year.  Total year-to-date sales tax collections, $4,824,598, were up 8.76%.  Collected in the '67 and '79 fund was $339,156 and $203,493 was generated in both of the '93 and '00 funds.  He mentioned that Grambling State and Louisiana Tech both have ongoing construction projects and a law suit was settled by the Lincoln Parish Sales and Use Tax Commission which both contributed to the larger sales tax receipts.   In closing he said that revenue recovered by audits in the month of December was $16,939 which was down 1.75% from December 2002.

 

The financial statement for the month of October 2003 showed an overall healthy financial situation according to Mr. Boyd.  Fund balances are in excess of accounts payable and salaries payable which, in his opinion, is very good.

 

The last proposed policy manual changes as a result of legislative acts passed in the 2003 session were summarized by Superintendent Charles Scriber.  He recommended changes to the following policies:  Bids and Quotations (DJED), Personnel Records (GAK), Separation of Professional Staff Members (GBN), Annual Leave (GBRK), and Employment of Students (JJ) and the addition of a new policy:  Child Abuse (JGCE).  These were presented for the Board's perusal with formal action to be taken at the January 21, 2004 meeting.

 

Mr. Shadoin called attention to the 2004 committee assignment preference forms included in packets and a memo regarding the 2004 LSBA convention which should be completed and turned in to Becky Gemelli.  By acclamation the Board decided to keep the 2004 committees in tact until after the upcoming board members' election.

 

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

 

The Board has a second meeting during the month at Dubach High School on the 21st.

 

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:29 p.m.

 

___________________________________                 _____________________________

Charles R. Scriber, Secretary                                             Rob Shadoin, President