LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

 Ruston, Louisiana

 

REGULAR SESSION

 Tuesday, November 7, 2006   6:00 p.m.

 

The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, November 7, 2006 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. George Mack, Mr. Ted McKinney, Mr. Joe Mitcham, and Ms. Jo Tatum.

 

Mr. Flynn Ludley and Mr. Rob Shadoin were absent.

 

President Anders called the meeting to order.  The invocation was given by Mr. Dowling and Ms. Harrison led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.  Mr. Anders welcomed board members, board members-elect, staff, members of the press, 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. Kessler, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on October 3, 2006 as distributed.

 

At the February 2006 board meeting, an amendment to the Lincoln Parish technology plan, which extended the funding year to include 2006 for the E-rate program, was approved according to Wanda Mitchell, Technology Coordinator.  A modification to the requirements for the application process for the state and federal technology funding initiatives makes it necessary for the Board to extend the effective date of the amendment to including funding year 2007.  She requested approval to amend the plan.

 

Upon a motion by Mr. McKinney, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to approve the amendment to the district technology plan effective for E-rate funding year 2007-2008.

 

Business Manager, George Murphy, said that banking services have not been bid out for several years.  In order to ensure that the school board is getting the best deal possible, a request for proposals from local banks is needed.  The term of the banking services agreement will be for two years beginning February 1, 2007 with an additional two years with the agreement of both parties and continuing unless written notice is received 90 days prior to the end of the term.  Mr. Murphy recommended that the Board vote to seek proposals with the award notification being made at the January 9, 2007 meeting.

 

Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to seek proposals from local banks for banking services for two years beginning February 1, 2007 with an additional two years with the agreement of both parties and continuing unless written notice is received 90 days prior to the end of the term.

 

The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were considered after Mary Null, Director of Instruction, Personnel, and Special Programs, presented 1.-4.; Charles Owens, Director of Auxiliary Services, presented 5.-6.; and Earlene Jackson, Child Nutrition Program Supervisor, presented 7.-8.:

 

1.   Retirement of Emily Moore, social studies/science teacher, at I. A. Lewis effective January 13, 2007.  

           

2.   Resignation of coach/PE teacher at Dubach High School, Jimmy Allen, effective October 25, 2006.

 

3.   Sabbatical leave request for the 2nd semester of 06-07, effective January 15, 2007 from Kristina Kassab, social studies teacher at Choudrant High School.

 

4.   Employment of Reba Daniel as special education teacher at Ruston High effective October 23, 2006 replacing Christy Grant who resigned.

 

5.   Resignation of custodian at Ruston High, Ernest Nickerson, effective October 6, 2006.

 

6.   Employment of Vershal Hogan as custodian at Choudrant High effective October 23, 2006 replacing Janice Jerro who resigned.

 

7.   Effective August 31, 2006 retirement of school food service technician at I. A. Lewis, Teresa Drayton.

 

8.   Employment of the following school food service technicians effective October 23, 2006 unless otherwise noted:

 

      Angela Wesley at I. A. Lewis effective September 1, 2006 replacing Teresa Drayton who retired.

      Jacqueline Mayfield at Grambling High replacing Betty Harper who resigned.

      Marcie Mathis in a new position at Ruston Junior High.

      Traci Cobb at Hico Elementary replacing Dorthea Smith who resigned.

 

Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. Mack, the Board unanimously voted to approve the administration’s personnel recommendations.

 

Mr. Murphy indicated that sales tax collections for the month ending October 31, 2006 were up 24.21%, the largest percentage in the fiscal year, because of oil and gas activity in the parish.  For the month $1,284,962 was collected with another $18,531 being recovered by audits.  In the 1967 and 1979 sales tax fund $584,074 was collected and $700,888 was added to the 1993 and 2000 funds.

 

Moving on to September’s financial report, Mr. Murphy noted that the General Fund has an excess of revenues over expenditures for the year of $4,800,000 with a fund balance of $13,628,000.  The 5 mill maintenance, 93 ad valorem taxes, 2000 ad valorem taxes, Ruston District No. 1, and Simsboro District No. 3 funds all show deficits at this time as primary ad valorem tax revenue will not be received until December or January.  Some pipeline settlement monies have been received and that shows up as revenue.  The child nutrition fund is also showing a deficit at this time, as expected.  All of the sales tax funds look really good and show positive balances.  He noted that there was nothing unusual in the statement for the time of year.

 

Following a question by Ms. Best, Mr. Murphy and Superintendent Bell communicated that they and others have been in touch with the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in an attempt to stop the one-time pipeline settlement from detrimentally affecting the system’s MFP allotment.

 

For the month of September 2006 a positive balance of $23,478 was noted in the health plan.  George Murphy said the fund is up $409,791 year-to-date.  Although the plan is doing well for the year, in an attempt to make sure that continues, a meeting was held with the Third Party Administrator (TPA), Benesys.  Recommendations from that meeting will be forthcoming later in the meeting.

 

After receiving permission to advertise for bids in order to purchase ten new school buses, two bids were opened on Wednesday, November 1, 2006.  Transportation Supervisor Ronny Volentine related that Ross Bus Sales bid $68,752 each for five 2007 Blue Bird Visions and $68,871 each for five 2008 Flue Bird Visions.  For ten 2008 International IC CE buses, Scott Truck Co., Inc. bid $65,850 each.  After careful analysis and comparison of the bids, he recommended that Scott’s bid be accepted.

 

Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. McKinney, the Board unanimously voted to accept the bid of $65,850 each from Scott Truck Company, Inc. for ten new 2008 conventional school buses as the lowest bid which fully met specifications.

 

Eight Acts as a result of the 2006 legislative session have resulted in the revision of nine policies that impact school boards at this time.  Mr. Bell provided brief summaries of the proposed revisions to School Board Ethics (BH), Building and Grounds Management (EB), Employee Tobacco Use (GAMA), Employment of Personnel (GBD), Assignment (GBE), Employee Conduct (GBRA), Professional Leave (GBRH), Suspension (JDD), and Student Health Services (JGC). 

 

He called attention to the fact that the new Louisiana Smoke-free Air Act is an attempt to protect nonsmokers from involuntary exposure to secondhand smoke in most indoor areas open to the public.  With these policy changes, smoking would be prohibited in the buildings and on the campuses of any school and in all school buses.  However, the Act did not prohibit the consumption of tobacco or tobacco products in School Board buildings not on school campuses; therefore, Mr. Bell did not include that prohibition in policies EB or GAMA.  He asked the Board for their preference in being consistent with no tobacco allowed on any School Board property or allowing an exception in buildings which are not on school campuses.  Although the vote on the policy changes will be taken at the December meeting, the Board was in agreement that they should take a stand from a health standpoint to fully support the Smoke-free Air Act.  They want to be tougher than the Act and to disallow tobacco use or products on any School Board property and requested that Mr. Bell make that change in policies EB and GAMA.

 

Because sales tax collections have increased for the first four months of the fiscal year by 14.83%, Mr. Murphy and Superintendent Bell proposed a 10% increase from last year’s amounts for November salary supplement checks.  They recommended that certified employees receive $1630 instead of $1482 (an increase of $148) and $815 for non-certified employees instead of $741 (an increase of $74).  Mr. Murphy stated that the amounts of these checks are based on actual collections, and there is no guarantee that the same amounts will be paid next year at this time.

 

 Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Ms. Tatum, the Board unanimously voted to approve the disbursement of $1630 for certified and $815 for non-certified employees in November salary supplement checks.

 

Even though the system’s health care plan is in the black, due to the unpredictability of health care costs and member usage, the budget for the FYE 6-30-07 included at 15% increase in funding from the School Board, reiterated Mary Null.  Following several meetings with the TPA, no increase in premiums was being recommended for employees or retirees at this time.  However, Mrs. Null listed the following items which were being recommended for change:

 

1.   Eligibility

 

    1. In order for board-hired employees (who are hired on or after January 1, 2007) to continue health coverage and qualify for the premium waiver during retirement, the employee must have worked 10 consecutive and continuous years (no break in insurance coverage) for the Lincoln Parish School Board.  This change will not apply to employees hired prior to January 1, 2007, who shall be grandfathered under current eligibility rules.

 

    1. In order for the spouse of board-hired employees hired on or after January 1, 2007, to continue health coverage after the retirement of the employee, the spouse must have been covered under the Lincoln Parish School Board Group Health Plan for 10 consecutive and continuous years.  This will not apply to spouses of employees hired prior to January 1, 2007, who shall be grandfathered under current eligibility rules.

 

    1. Effective January 1, 2007, retirees will not be allowed to add dependants to the Health Plan after retirement except in the case of a ”qualifying event”.  Existing dependants who are not covered at the time of retirement will not be eligible to be added at a later time.

 

    1. School Board Members who take office after January 2, 2007 will not be eligible for coverage under the Lincoln Parish School Board Employee Health Plan (unless the board member is a retiree and/or are already covered).

 

  1. PPO Network

 

Effective January 1, 2007, the Lincoln Parish School Board Employee health plan will change PPO networks.  The new network will be Verity HealthNet.  A list of providers that are in the network can be found online at:  http://www.verityhealth.com.  It is the employee’s/member’s responsibility to find out if the providers (doctors, hospitals, etc.) that the member uses are in the network.  Providers who are not in the network can be nominated for inclusion.

 

  1. Prescription Drugs

                 

Effective January 1, 2007, two new classes of drugs will have clinical programs associated with their coverage by the prescription drug plan. 

-     SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) will require authorization for use of non-generics.

-     Actiz, Duragesic, and Oxycontin will require pre authorization.

                 

  1. Lincoln Parish School Board Employee Health Plan Document Revisions

 

The plan document for the Lincoln Parish School Board Employee Health Plan is being revised.  When it is made available, it is the responsibility of the employee/member to review the new document.  It is not practical to list every language or policy change from the current document.

 

Upon a motion by Mr. McKinney, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to accept the health insurance changes listed above effective January 1, 2007.

 

In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Bell:

 

1.   Said that School Performance Scores had recently been mentioned in the media and that they are confusing.  Mrs. Betty Wall, the coordinator involved with the accountability program, was in attendance and agreed with him that it was difficult to compare this year’s scores with last year’s.  A new test had been given this year.  He said that strategic plans are being formulated and work continues to be done to improve student achievement within Lincoln Parish.

 

2.   Reminded school board members of the Academic Awards Banquet scheduled for Monday, November 13, at 6:00 p.m. at the Ruston Civic Center.

 

3.   Communicated that the law firm of Hammonds & Sills is conducting a workshop on Saturday, November 11, 2006, which will help new school board members meet the six hour training requirements of Act 66. Two other sessions are being scheduled in the near future in Winnsboro and in Monroe.

 

After a comment from a board member, the meeting adjourned at 6:38 p.m.

 

_______________________________  _______________________________

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