LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, January 9, 2007 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, January 9, 2007, 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, Mr. Michael Barmore, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Ms. Lynda Henderson, Mr. Trott Hunt, Mr. Eddie Jones, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Ted McKinney, and Mr. Joe Mitcham.
No board member was absent.
President Anders called the meeting to order and delivered the invocation. After Ms. Harrison led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, Mr. Anders extended a special welcome to new board members, veteran board members, staff, press, and visitors.
Board members were sworn in by Linda Cook, Clerk of Court for Lincoln Parish. She expressed appreciation for the opportunity to do so and offered her congratulations.
Upon a motion by Mr. Jones, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda after changing the order of a couple of items.
Upon a motion by Mr. Barmore, seconded by Ms. Henderson, the Board voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on December 5, 2006, with a few minor corrections.
The Election of Officers for 2007 was the next item on the agenda, and Mr. Anders declared the floor open for nominations or a motion. Ms. Harrison nominated Otha Anders to remain as president. Mr. Mack nominated Joe Mitcham for vice president. Mr. Anders asked the Board’s Secretary, Superintendent Danny Bell, to assume the chair and take over as moderator.
Mr. Bell asked for further nominations for president or vice president. Hearing none, he asked for a vote on the nominations. By a verbal vote of 11 For with Otha Anders Abstaining, Otha Anders will remain as president and Joe Mitcham will remain as vice president. Mr. Bell offered congratulations to the officers and said he looks forward to working with them.
Both Mr. Anders and Mr. Mitcham expressed their thanks and appreciation for their fellow board members’ votes of confidence and for the opportunity to serve.
Verbal approval had been given by the administration for a change order dealing with the renovation and construction in the Simsboro School District according to Director of Auxiliary Services, Charles Owens. He requested that the Board formally approve the change order and asked Mike Walpole to verbalize further comments.
Architect Mike Walpole indicated that approval of the change order would add no additional monies but would add an additional ten days. He summarized the following eleven items composing the change order: deleting four new basketball goals, deleting the new concrete basketball court, adding hardware at the fire doors on corridor B-54, adding door hardware at the kitchen pantry door, rewiring second quadrant A classroom wing, adding work at existing exterior basketball courts, deleting 432 sq. ft. of sidewalk on w. multipurpose, adding work on new teacher’s toilet - second floor, adding a 6 ft. wood fence at electrical poles, reducing the hardware allowance, and reducing the contingency allowance. He also requested a ten-day increase in the number of contract days which would move the completion date to August 4.
Following questions, upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to approve a no dollar increase change order but added ten days to the contract time of the Simsboro School District project.
Since the next item of New Business to come before the Board was a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the City of Ruston, Superintendent Bell deferred to Assistant District Attorney Andy Shealy to explain the Agreement relative to adjudicated property.
Mr. Shealy indicated that the City of Ruston is willing to demolish and remove buildings and structures that may pose a safety or environmental hazard for the community. The proceeds from the sale, lease, or other transactions involving these adjudicated properties would be used for the cleanup, thereby removing a cost outside of what would be generated from the revenues of the sale. Realizing that some of the parcels may be near schools and a safety hazard for the children, he feels that this is a win-win situation for the Lincoln Parish School Board and he recommended its approval.
Following numerous questions, upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to approve the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Lincoln Parish School Board and the City of Ruston relative to adjudicated parcels.
Independent Auditor Margie Williamson presented an audit report for the year ending June 30, 2006. She called attention to two reports, a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and a Single Audit Report. She briefly went over the results of the audit and mentioned some specific pages for later study. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, which is submitted to the GFOA and ASBO for technical review, has earned a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting for the Lincoln Parish School Board for the past ten years. She expects it to receive that status again this year. Included in the report is the Independent Auditor’s Report which did show a ”r;clean, unqualified opinion” which means that the financial statements are fairly stated. The Business Department keeps a very clean set of books and there were no problems associated with the audit. Due to sound financial management, the General Fund has a very healthy fund balance. Because a lot of information is included in the report, she encouraged Board members to take some time and look through it and communicated that George Murphy, Business Manager, would be happy to answer questions.
In the Single Audit Report, the auditors actually go through and test the Board’s compliance with federal and state laws. This year the federal programs which were tested were Title 1, Title 2, and the new Hurricane Recovery Program. No findings were noted in any of those programs. One finding was noted in the report relative to new buses not being added to the fixed assets list because of a business office personnel change. This was not associated with the federal programs review, but is very common among school boards. A Management Letter was issued containing a comment about minor items, disbursements, and documentation for disbursements at a couple of the schools.
Mrs. Williamson commented that the Board needed to be aware of the liability reporting for retirees’ health care costs. This mandate will be effective June 30, 2009.
Following questions, Mr. Anders thanked Margie Williamson and her firm. He also thanked the business department for the fine report and for safeguarding and protecting the monies.
After analyzing proposals received for banking services, Mr. Murphy recommended changing to Community Trust Bank. Their proposal, which was the best offered, would provide the best rates and lowest charges. With Board approval, an agreement for banking services would be awarded for two years beginning February 1, 2007, with an additional two years with an agreement of both parties. The agreement would continue unless written notice is received ninety days prior to the end of the term.
Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. Mack, the Board unanimously voted to award the banking services agreement to Community Trust Bank.
Two calendar options for the 07-08 school year were presented by Mr. Bell. Both options have shortened school days and are more traditional calendars than the 06-07 calendar.
The Superintendent’s Advisory Council met on November 29, 2006, for the purpose of reviewing the calendars. They were distributed to the schools’ faculty and staff, bus drivers, central office personnel, and staff of food service, maintenance, pupil appraisal, special education, and Title 1. Votes were tallied and sixty percent chose option 2 as their calendar preference. Mr. Bell asked for adoption of the proposed option 2 calendar for the next school year.
Upon a motion by Mr. Jones, seconded by Ms. Henderson, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the proposed option 2 calendar as the 07-08 school year as follows:
Lincoln Parish 2007 - 2008 School Calendar
Instructional Staff Workday August 15, 2007
All Staff Workday August 16, 2007
First Day of School-Students (1/2 day) August 17, 2007
Labor Day September 3, 2007
Columbus Day October 8, 2007
Thanksgiving November 19-23, 2007
Christmas/New Year Dec. 17, 2007-Jan. 1, 2008
End of First Semester January 18, 2008
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day January 21, 2008
Staff Development/All Staff Workday January 22, 2008
Presidents’ Day February 18, 2008
Spring Break/Easter March 21-28, 2008
Last Day of School-Students (1/2 day) May 30, 2008
Instructional Staff Workday (1/2 day) June 2, 2008
Superintendent Danny Bell presented what should be the final policy revisions based on action taken by the 2006 Louisiana Legislature relative to educational policies. He provided brief summaries of the proposed revisions and copies of two new policies: Recruitment (GBC) and Employee Discipline (GBK); one policy recommended for deletion: Employee Discipline (GBHA); four revised policies: Recruitment of Superintendent (CEC), Bids and Quotations (DJED), Personnel Records (GAK), Employee Investigations (GAMC); and Suspension (GBKA) which has been recoded from GBK and Reduction in Staff Personnel(GBNA) which was previously GBKA. He asked the Board members to study the proposed policy changes, additions, and deletion prior to the next meeting of the Board.
Ricky Edmiston, Secondary Supervisor, voiced his annual request for permission to apply for Impact Aid funding which is based upon the number of federally-connected children in the parish. The system receives about $5,000 for the estimated 300 students. These funds are used to defray extra costs incurred such as spring testing as a result of these students moving into the system.
Upon a motion by Mr. Jones, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to apply for Impact Aid funding for 2006-2007.
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 them:
1. Resignation of the following effective January 16, 2007, unless otherwise noted:
Earlo Anderson, math teacher at the Career Academy;
Rebecca Quarles, elementary teacher at Choudrant Elementary;
Christopher Baker, science teacher/coach at Choudrant High;
Elizabeth Dickson, science teacher at Dubach High;
Tina Allen, business teacher at Ruston High, effective December 10, 2006.
2. Point of Reference/Transfer of Kevin Nutt from I. A. Lewis to social studies at Ruston High effective January 16, 2007, replacing Michael Milstead who was promoted.
3. Employment of the following effective January 16, 2007:
Michelle Northcott as an elementary teacher at Choudrant Elementary replacing Rebecca Quarles who resigned;
Haley Phillips as a social studies teacher at Choudrant High replacing Kristina Kassab who was granted a sabbatical;
Terri Peters as a business teacher at Ruston High replacing Tina Allen who resigned.
Upon a motion by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Barmore, the Board unanimously voted to accept the personnel recommendations as presented.
The December 2006 sales tax collections were $1,045,684 which was 17.94% higher than last year. For the year the fund is up 14.78%, reported George Murphy. Recoveries through audits for the month were $13,192 which brings the yearly total to $441,767. Through the same month last year, recoveries have increased by 74.308%. Collected in the ’67 and ’79 fund was $475,311; $570,373 was generated in the ’93 and ’00 fund. The primary reasons for the jump are increases in oil and gas extractions, building materials, and garden supplies.
Moving on to the November 2006 financial, Mr. Murphy said the General Fund is up 3.6 million year-to-date. A settlement has been the only revenue deposited in the 5 mill maintenance fund and other ad valorem funds through November 2006. However, because ad valorem tax monies were received earlier this month, the balances will still be showing a deficit on the December financial update but should be flush by the January reporting period. The sales tax funds are all up.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Bell said:
1. He appreciates the staff’s handling of the recent bus incident as well as those from Lincoln General Hospital and local law enforcement agencies. He has met with all of the agencies involved in order to perfect the process as much as possible. The insurers are working with the families and, it’s his understanding, that there are no children in the hospital. One student went to a second medical facility after leaving LGH but has been subsequently released. The substitute bus driver will not be returning for service for the Lincoln Parish School Board.
2. New Board Member Orientation has been scheduled for Thursday, January 25, 2007, at the Lincoln Parish School Board by the law firm Hammonds and Sills. The training session is worth a total of three hours toward the six required by state law.
3. Committee Assignment Preference Forms were included in packets. These should be completed and returned to Becky Gemelli.
4. Board pictures have tentatively been scheduled to be taken immediately prior to the March 6 board meeting. He asked for members to inform him of plans to be absent from that meeting.
5. Additional monies which have come into the school system are going to be used to fund portions of the ongoing construction projects in addition to the cleanup of the old Hopewell School site and the warehouse on Vaughn Street; construction of a storage facility for the drivers’ education cars and one for the school district; and additional improvements to the RHS athletic complex. More details will be given as plans progress.
Following questions from a couple of board members and comments from President Anders, the meeting adjourned at 7:29 p.m.
_____________________________ ______________________________
Danny Bell, Secretary Otha Anders, President