LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, January 11, 2005 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, January 11, 2005, 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, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Ms. Lynda Henderson (arrived after the meeting began), Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. Flynn Ludley, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Ted McKinney, Mr. Joe Mitcham, and Ms. Jo Tatum.
Mr. Rob Shadoin was absent.
Vice president Anders called the meeting to order and delivered the invocation. After Lisa Best led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, Mr. Anders welcomed staff, press, and guests to the meeting.
Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Mr. Ludley, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda with an addendum to the personnel agenda.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board decided by acclamation to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on December 7, 2004 as distributed.
Ms. Henderson arrived at the meeting.
The Election of Officers for 2005 was the next item on the agenda, and Mr. Anders asked Superintendent Charles Scriber to take over the meeting. Dr. Scriber asked for nominations for president.
Mr. Mack nominated Otha Anders and Ms. Tatum moved that nominations cease. There being no objection to either of those, Superintendent Scriber declared Otha Anders the president of the School Board for 2005.
Following Dr. Scriber's request for nominations for vice president, Mr. Kessler nominated Joe Mitcham for vice president. Ms. Tatum moved that nominations cease and the Board unanimously voted to name Joe Mitcham vice president for 2005.
Both Mr. Anders and Mr. Mitcham expressed their appreciation to the Board for the opportunity to serve.
Newly-elected president Anders called on architect Mike Walpole to provide a quick update on the first group of projects relating to the bond issue. Mr. Walpole indicated that he is ready to solicit bids with plans as complete as they can be at this stage for additions and renovations to Cypress Springs Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, and the Ruston High School stadium. If the Board grants permission to advertise for bids according the time line he distributed, bid opening would be held at 2:00 p.m. on February 22, 2005. He expects it to take twelve to fourteen months for the jobs to be completed. He indicated that he has already begun work on the second series of projects which includes Glen View Elementary and I. A. Lewis.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Ludley, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission for the advertisement of bids for additions and renovations to Cypress Springs Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, and the Ruston High School stadium.
Presenting the annual request for permission to apply for Impact Aid funding, in Secondary Supervisor Ricky Edmiston's absence was Elementary Supervisor Mary Null. She said that 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.
Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Mr. Kessler, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to apply for Impact Aid funding for 2004-2005.
Since the cut over to the wireless network in late September 2004, the school system has upgraded some equipment as well as disconnected unnecessary equipment at each of the schools and the central office, according to Debbie Sandidge, Technology Coordinator. Various pieces of obsolete equipment may be of use to area Internet service providers or other vendors, so she asked the Board to declare those as surplus.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to declare various pieces of network equipment as surplus and to offer these items to the secondary market at market prices.
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.-3. and 6. and Brenda Theodos, School Food Service Supervisor, presented 4.-5.:
1. Retirement of the following:
Carolyn Peace, teacher at Ruston High, effective January 14, 2005.
Marilyn Polman, secretary/bookkeeper at Simsboro High, effective December 31, 2004.
2. Resignation of the following:
Jack Boyd, business manager at the central office, effective December 31, 2004.
Kristy Carter, teacher at Choudrant Elementary, effective January 10, 2005.
Jennifer Cook, special education aide at Lincoln Center, effective December 31, 2004.
April Simonelli, teacher at Cypress Spring, effective December 23, 2004.
3. Employment of the following effective January 6, 2005 unless otherwise noted:
Rose Loyd as special education aide at Ruston Elementary replacing Jennifer Cook who resigned.
Tara Murphy as teacher at Choudrant Elementary effective January 10, 2005 replacing Kristy Carter who resigned.
Jenny Blalock as teacher at Glen View replacing Robin Davidson who was granted a professional sabbatical for the second semester.
4. Points of Reference/Transfers of the following school food service employees effective January 1, 2005:
Patrina Robinson from Ruston Junior High to manager/clerk at Dubach High replacing Jennifer Hawkins who resigned.
Teresa Gilbert from technician at Ruston Junior High to clerk at Ruston Junior High replacing Patrina Robinson who transferred.
5. Employment of the following school food service personnel effective January 1, 2005:
Phyllis Libengood as clerk at Cypress Springs in her former position as she changed her mind about resigning and asked to be reinstated.
Regina Price as technician at Ruston Junior High replacing Teresa Gilbert who transferred from technician to the clerk position.
Upon a motion by Mr. McKinney, seconded by Ms. Henderson, the Board unanimously voted to accept the personnel recommendations as presented.
6. The last personnel item to be considered was the naming of a Business Manager because of Jack Boyd's resignation. Mr. Bell presented background information on the selection process. He reported that he, Bonnie Fogger, Charles Owens, and Dr. Charles Scriber comprised an Interview Committee who interviewed six qualified applicants on January 7, 2005. They unanimously recommended that George Murphy be named Business Manager effective February 1, 2005.
Following a couple of questions, upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Mr. Ludley, the Board unanimously voted to approve George Murphy as Business Manager.
Bond attorney Grant Schlueter communicated that it was time to take action with respect to the purchase of the second series of bonds authorized at the April 17, 2004 election. The next step would be to adopt a Resolution authorizing him to proceed with the advertising for sealed bids for the purchase of $10,000,000 of general obligation bonds. These bonds would be sold at the Regular Session of the Lincoln Parish School Board on Tuesday, February 1, 2005. He has talked with Mike Walpole and utilizing this time line, bond proceeds would be available when the monies are needed for the various projects. He anticipates that the interest rates will be between 4.5% and 5% on this bond sale.
Upon a motion by Mr. McKinney, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the following:
RESOLUTION
A resolution authorizing the advertising for sealed bids for the purchase of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) of General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2005, or Ruston School District No. 1 of the Parish of Lincoln, State of Louisiana, and providing for other matters in connection therewith.
In the absence of a Business Manager, Superintendent Scriber presented a brief report on December 2004 sales tax collections. He noted that for the second month in a row there was a decrease compared to the same months last year primarily due to the construction projects at Grambling State University and Louisiana Tech University and the road construction projects nearing completion. This drop was offset somewhat by retail sales which held fairly strong. Total year-to-date sales tax collections were still up 2.08%. Collected in the '67 and '79 fund was $334,376 and $200,625 was generated in both the '93 and '00 funds. He mentioned that revenue recovered by audits in the month of December 2004 was also down which indicates that businesses are paying taxes that should be paid without reminders from the auditor. Year-to-date revenue recovered by the audits are 195.866% over year-to-date collections at this time last year.
While giving a financial update for the month of November 2004, Dr. Scriber called attention to the beginning balance in the General Fund on July 1, 2004 of more than $6,100,000. The revenues of $10,126,000 and expenditures of $8,900,000 create a $1,200,000 excess in that account; therefore, the balance in the General Fund is, at this point, growing. The ad valorem tax funds are running a deficit because those taxes will be collected starting in January.
Because the Board granted permission at their October 14 meeting, the Superintendent negotiated the terms of a long term lease agreement with Hico Baptist Church concerning the use of the church's driveway. Dr. Scriber said they are in agreement on the following:
1. The Board will maintain the driveway over the term of the lease. This will include a two-inch overlay of the existing drive used by the school system personnel. The cost to the Board will be approximately $6,000.
2. The agreement will be for ten years.
3. The school system personnel and the church will have use of the property.
4. If for any reason the school ceases to exist, the lease will be nullified.
He asked for permission to sign the lease as noted above.
Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Ms. Henderson, the Board unanimously voted to allow the Superintendent to sign a lease with Hico Baptist Church regarding the use of their driveway with the terms mentioned above.
Superintendent Charles Scriber reminded Board members that a letter of resignation was received from the previous business manager, Jack Boyd, on Friday, December 10, 2004, which was three days after the last regular scheduled board meeting. Because of the importance of the position and in order to expedite naming a replacement, calls were placed to the Board to solicit approval of a time line to advertise and interview for a new business manager. Applications were to be accepted from December 15, 2004 through noon on January 6, 2005 and interviews scheduled for January 7, 2005. Results of that poll vote taken on December 13, 2004 were 10-0 in favor of the proposed time line. Mr. Dowling and Mr. Shadoin were not able to be reached by phone. Dr. Scriber requested ratification of the poll vote.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Ludley, the Board unanimously voted to ratify the 10 - 0 poll vote in favor of approving the suggested time line to advertise and interview for the business manager position.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Dr. Scriber said:
1. Pipeline litigation is now in district court in Baton Rouge. If the judge rules in the Board's favor the school system would receive an estimated $1,000,000.
2. Committee assignment preference forms for 2005 were included in packets and should be completed and turned in to Becky Gemelli.
After comments from a couple of board members, the meeting adjourned at 6:59 p.m.
___________________________ ___________________________
Charles R. Scriber, Secretary Otha Anders, President