LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

 Ruston, Louisiana

 

REGULAR SESSION

 Tuesday, November 1, 2005   6:00 p.m.

 

 

The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 at 6:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Parish School Board, 410 South Farmerville Street, Ruston, Louisiana.  Members present were President Otha Anders, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Ms. Lynda Henderson, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. Flynn Ludley, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Ted McKinney, Mr. Joe Mitcham, and Ms. Jo Tatum.

 

Rob Shadoin was absent.

 

President Anders called the meeting to order.  The invocation was given by Mr. Dowling, and Ms. Best led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.  Mr. Anders welcomed board members, staff, media, honorees, and guests to the meeting.

 

Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as printed.

 

Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Kessler, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Sessions held on October 4 and October 19, 2005 with one change.

 

Superintendent Danny Bell was pleased to announce that A. E. Phillips’ middle school Teacher of the Year, Brenda Lofton, went on to be selected from a pool of 24 as the overall state, Teacher of the Year.  This is the first time that Lincoln Parish has ever had that honor.  He gave background information on the process from the school level through the national competition.  Mr. Bell recognized Mrs. Lofton and introduced her husband, Terry, who was in attendance.  He presented a plaque to her and wished her well as she enters the national competition.

 

Mrs. Lofton said it was humbling to be chosen to recognize such a wonderful school system and her wonderful school.

 

Mr. Anders voiced the Board’s indebtedness to Mrs. Lofton for her toil and said the children reap the benefits from a teacher of her caliber.  

  

Business Manager, George Murphy, said he had more good news:  sales tax collections for the month ending October 31, 2005 were up 12.49%, compared to the same month last year and 12.45% for the year.  Recoveries by audit were down 6.9%.  In the 1967 and 1979 sales tax fund $470,223 was collected and $564,267 was added to the 1993 and 2000 funds.  After talking with the Sales and Use Tax Administrator, he indicated that they are both a little surprised by the numbers and cannot predict if the upswing will continue.   

 

In Eric Carter’s absence, Director of Instruction, Personnel, Special Programs Mary Null indicated that the parish received seven responses from library book vendors and bids were opened on October 28, 2005.  A group of librarians met to examine the bids and a questionnaire to determine which vendor provided the best bid, product, and service.  The two lowest priced vendors with an adequate number of available titles and a quality product were selected.  She asked for permission to contract with those vendors.

 

Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to contract with Follett and Bound to Stay Bound as library book vendors for the 05-06 school year with an option to renew each contract for the 06-07 school year.

 

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 the four main reasons behind his request to purchase three new buses.  At present 80% of the current fleet of sixty-four board-owned buses are at least ten years old.

 

There is an ever-increasing need for spare buses to be used as the aging buses experience mechanical breakdowns.  The Board must be prepared to provide buses for the contract drivers that retire, resign, or become board drivers.  Two contract drivers have either retired or requested a board bus.  Newer model buses need to be provided for the growing number of sometimes lengthy athletic and activity trips.  Finally, an additional strain has been added due to the need for extra buses to transport hurricane evacuees.  He is unsure about the future demands for buses regarding that situation.  Mr. Volentine estimated the cost of each bus to be in the $60,000 range totaling about $180,000 for three buses.  These monies would be paid from the 1993 millage allocated for the yearly purchase of buses.

 

Upon a motion by Mr. McKinney, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to advertise for bids for the purchase of three 72-passenger, conventional, 2006 or later model school buses.

 

Ms. Null reported that the Insurance Committee, representing all stake holders in the program, met for the final time on October 19, 2005 to consider self-insured health plan and premium changes to become effective January 1, 2006.  She mentioned the need to remedy the plan’s $1,400,000 deficit situation and shared suggested changes to ensure the continued success and stability of the program.  Proposed changes were:

 

 

The estimated increase in revenue with the proposed changes is $1,419,412.  This is an approximate 13% buffer for the upcoming year if claim coasts remain about the same as they averaged this year and if health costs rise no more than the expected 10-12%.  Mrs. Null called attention to four pages of information which should help with understanding:  changes being proposed, premium costs for all categories, a comparison to the State Employees Group, and another to ”other” self-insured insurance programs.  Plans to disseminate the changes, if given Board approval, include a brochure to be included with November paychecks for employees and to be mailed to retirees, educational materials to be sent to homes, and a detailed power point presentation to be offered to all stakeholders on December 1 giving further details and explanation of the changes.  She closed by asking the Board to accept the proposed changes from the Insurance Committee.

 

Mr. Bell and Mr. Kessler publicly thanked Mrs. Null and others who served on the committee.  They devoted hours of their time and worked diligently studying, comparing, and proposing changes to the self-insured health plan.

 

Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. Ludley, the Board unanimously voted to accept the proposal from the Insurance Committee for insurance premium and benefit changes.

 

In order to comply with the Louisiana Election code, the Board must canvass the results of the unsuccessful Dubach School District No. 5 bond issue special election on October 15, 2005, according to George Murphy.  Total votes cast were:  211 IN FAVOR OF and 340 AGAINST the proposition; therefore, it was defeated by a majority of 129 votes.

 

Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to canvass the returns and declare the results of the bond issue election for the Dubach School District No. 5 on Saturday, October 15, 2005.

 

In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Bell:

 

Announced improvements to the school board’s web site, www.lincolnschools.org.

 

Reminded school board members of the Academic Awards Banquet scheduled for Monday, November 7, at 6:00 p.m. at the Ruston Civic Center.

 

Communicated that Standard and Poor’s bond rating information on the Simsboro School District was included in packets at one of the board member’s request.

 

After a comment from a board member, the meeting adjourned at 6:26 p.m.

 

________________________                   _____________________________

Danny L. Bell, Secretary                          Otha L. Anders, President