LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, April 1, 2008 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, 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 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.
Mr. Anders called the meeting to order, and Mr. Barmore gave the invocation. Ms. Harrison led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. Mr. Anders welcomed board members, staff, media, and persons of special recognition and their guests.
Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Mr. McKinney, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as printed.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on March 4, 2008, as distributed.
Paula Pardue, Secondary Curriculum Coordinator, was delighted to inform the Board that another student from Lincoln Parish has been selected as a National Merit Finalist. She summarized what the student had gone through before making it to the top 5% of seniors in the nation. Ms. Pardue introduced Aubri Teague from Ruston High and allowed her to introduce her guests. She presented a plaque to Aubri in recognition of being selected as a National Merit Finalist.
Three teachers who had gone through a long certification process in order to become National Board Certified Teachers were in attendance and recognized by Eric Carter, Supervisor of Testing, Evaluation, and Curriculum. He presented plaques in recognition of their accomplishments to Lori Braddock, fourth grade teacher at A. E. Phillips, Christine Brown, preschool teacher at Lincoln Center, and James Standifer, agriscience teacher at Ruston High School. These three bring the system’s total number of National Board Certified Teachers to twenty-nine. He said the NBC Teachers have become better teachers by going through the process, and they are doing it not just for the accolades and $5,000 increment but for the students.
Superintendent Danny Bell said that good teachers are a treasure, and Lincoln Parish is fortunate to have so many great teachers. The rigorous hurdles they went through to become NBCT speaks very highly of them. He expressed his pride in them.
Two school nurses, Sonja Cardwell and Mary Cavender, were recognized by Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Programs, Mary Null, because the administration had been notified that 100% of the children entering kindergarten and first grade in Lincoln Parish have done so with required immunizations. This is a rarity, and only occurred because the nurses are very proactive as they insure that the children have received their immunizations.
Mr. Anders expressed his pride in the National Merit Finalist, congratulated and applauded the National Board Certified Teachers, and said in a public way what a dear day-to-day service the nurses provide for the children.
The Board was reminded by George Murphy, Business Manager, that each year schools are allocated funds from the 1979 sales tax fund to purchase instructional supplies. These amounts are distributed on a per pupil basis through the Business Department. Mr. Murphy proposed increasing the allocations from the previous year because funds are available. The distribution he proposed was:
Art K-12 $1.75 per student
Physical Education K-12 - $1.75 per student
Library Supplies K-5 - $1.25 per student
6-12 - $1.75 per student
Music K-5 - $1.25 per student
6-12 - $1.75 per student
Magazines & K-6 - $3.00 per student
Newspapers 7-12 - $3.25 per student
Science K-6 - $1.50 per student
7-8 - $3.00 per student
9-12 - $4.50 per student
Upon a motion by Mr. Barmore, seconded by Ms. Henderson, the Board unanimously voted to approve the allocations for 08-09 from 1979 sales taxes as outlined above.
In order to comply with state law, Director of Auxiliary Services, Charles Owens, requested permission to advertise for bids for materials and supplies for the next school year.
Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Mr. Kessler, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to advertise for bids for duplicating paper, toilet tissue and paper towels, dust mops, and gasoline and diesel for 08-09.
Personnel at Ruston High have been collecting and storing broken and obsolete property which has created clutter, and now needs to be used for other purposes, reported Ricky Edmiston, Vocational/Secondary Supervisor. In addition, Carl D. Perkins Educational Funds were used during the 07-08 year to update vocational equipment at the school. As a result, several computers are obsolete and are no longer needed for instruction. He asked the Board to declare the items on a list provided by Ruston High as surplus so they could be disposed.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to declare obsolete and broken equipment at Ruston High as surplus.
The Board served as a Committee of the Whole, and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were considered after Mary Null, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Programs, presented 1., and Ronny Volentine, Transportation Supervisor, presented 2.-3.:
1. Points of Reference/Transfer of the following effective July 1, 2008:
Foster Harris from principal at Career Academy to principal at I. A. Lewis.
David Ferguson from principal at I. A. Lewis to principal at Career Academy.
2. Resignation of Linda Barnett, bus driver in the Ruston district, effective March 3, 2008.
3. Employment of Eric Lord as bus driver in the Ruston area, effective March 5, 2008, replacing Linda Barnett who resigned.
Upon a motion by Ms. Harrison, seconded by Mr. Jones, the Board unanimously voted to approve the personnel recommendations.
The Finance Committee, in a meeting held prior to the board meeting, voted to propose that the full board adopt a resolution opposing the proposal to let the state take over sales tax collections.
Upon a motion by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Kessler, the Board unanimously voted to accept the recommendation of the Finance Committee and adopt a resolution opposing the proposal to let the state take over sales tax collections.
The second and final item on the agenda for the Finance Committee meeting was to consider alternative funding sources for construction and renovation. In an effort to move forward to explore other options nearly a year after the Choudrant voters rejected property taxes, and stakeholders were in attendance and voiced their opinions. Although Assistant District Attorney, Andy Shealy, and Bond Attorney, Grant Schlueter, met with the Finance Committee, they were not in attendance at the board meeting. Chairman, Joe Mitcham, reported that the committee approved three recommendations for the Choudrant School District:
1. Pursue a traditional general obligation bond for Choudrant voters for about half the amount the voters turned down which was 47 mills;
2. Explore a sales tax to fund maintenance and operations; and
3. Study the feasibility of a parcel fee.
A period of questions and discussion followed.
Upon a motion by Mr. Hunt, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to approve the three recommendations from the Finance Committee which were stated above.
Business Manager, George Murphy, reported that $1,155,661 was collected March 2008 sales taxes. This was a 6.35% decrease for the month. The fund is up 13.30% for the year. Audit recoveries were $40,913 for the month which brought the yearly total to $225,655. Those collections are 49.47% lower than last year’s. Collections in the 1967 and 1979 funds were $525,301. Collections in the 1993 and 2000 sales tax funds were $630,360.
In the financial statement for the month ending February 2008, Mr. Murphy said the general fund was up a little over 2.2 million. He called attention to the fund balances and said the general fund, the sales tax funds, and the ad valorem funds are all in pretty good shape for this time of year.
The health/dental plan was up $502,505 for the month of February 2008, and year-to-date for the months of January and February 2008, the plan was up $19,122, according to George Murphy.
GASB 45 is a mandate from the Governmental Accounting Standards Board that requires all entities to start recording a liability for the future health care benefits of current employees. Mr. Murphy believes that they will want that liability to be funded at some future point. As part of the process, the administration has hired an actuary who will begin in January 2009. This amount will be disclosed in the financial report, the CAFR.
On December 4, 2007, the Board adopted a resolution calling a special election on March 8, 2008, for voters to consider the renewal of the Consolidated School District No. 1 Special Operating and Maintenance millages and the Dubach Special Operating and Maintenance millage. According to Mr. Murphy, voters authorized the propositions by a majority of voters. In order to comply with the Louisiana Election Code, the Board must adopt a resolution canvassing the results of that election.
Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Mr. Barmore, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution:
A resolution providing for canvassing the returns and declaring the results of the election held in Consolidated School District No. 1 and the Dubach School District No. 5 of the Parish of Lincoln, State of Louisiana, on Saturday, March 8, 2008, to authorize the renewal of special taxes therein.
Superintendent Bell reminded board members that authorization had been given in the past to employ the firm of Hammonds and Sills as special counsel for special education hearings, litigation, and associated problems. Since the firm continues to provide services to the Board and staff, it is important that an additional resolution be approved by the Board and forwarded to the Attorney General.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Jones, the Board unanimously voted to approve the resolution to employ the firm of Hammonds and Sills as special counsel for special education issues as well as areas affecting school law.
Mr. Owens indicated that verbal approval has been given for a change order at Ruston High School for the construction and renovation project that is on-going. He asked for formal approval of the following summarized request:
Item 1 - Separate one closet into two separate rooms: a janitor closet & an electronic room with a small air conditioning unit at a cost of $13,568
Item 2 - Make modifications to reception desk at a cost of $2,612.
Item 3 - Add new double exterior doors and hardware at south end of band room corridor at a cost of $5,594.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to approve the change order totaling $21,774 for the Ruston High School project.
In order to keep the policy manual current, Mary Null presented sixteen policy revisions, fourteen policies for deletion, and four new policies to the Board. Policies recommended for revisions were: The policies recommended for revision were: Agenda Preparation and Dissemination (BCBD), Board Meeting News Coverage (BCBJ) Administrative Regulations and Procedures (CMA), Sale of Buildings and Land (DFN), Investigations (GAMC), Supervision of Personnel (GBH), Tenure (GBL), Dismissal of Employees (GBN), Time Schedules (GBRB), Non-School Employment (GBRG), Substitute Personnel (GBRJ), Special Education (IDDF), Parent Conferences (IHAD), School Bus Conduct (JCDAD), Corporal Punishment (JDA), and Use of School Facilities (KG). Policy Review (BDE), Administration in Policy Absence (CMB), Fiscal Year (DCB) School Properties Disposal Procedure (DO), School Bus Conduct (EDBC), Student Transportation Scheduling and Routing (EDD), Life Insurance Program (EGAB), Health Insurance (EGAC), Nonprofessional Personnel Supervision and Evaluation (GCH), Nonprofessional Personnel Tenure (GCL), Transfer (GCM), Separation of Classified and Support Personnel (GCN), Substitutes for Support Personnel (GCRJ), Board Meeting News Coverage (KBCC) were those suggested for deletion and those recommended for addition were: Minutes of Board Meetings (BCBH), Sale of Surplus Equipment and Supplies (DFM), Employee Insurance (EGA), and Co-Curricular Activities and Extracurricular Activities (IDE). Mrs. Null asked the members to peruse the policies until the next meeting when a vote on the proposed changes will be taken.
Because of the vital role of school bus drivers, lunchroom workers, custodians, secretaries, clerical personnel, teacher aides, bus aides, maintenance workers, and para-professionals in the efficient operation of the school system, Mr. Owens recommended that the Board adopt a Resolution designating April 21-25, 2008, as Support Personnel Week.
Upon a motion by Ms. Henderson, seconded by Mr. Jones, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution:
That the Lincoln Parish School Board designates the week of April 21-25, 2008, as Support Personnel Week in Lincoln Parish and copies of this Resolution be sent to all of the schools in the parish, and made a part of the official minutes of the Lincoln Parish School Board.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Bell said that:
1. There will be discussions during the legislative session regarding the Minimum Foundation Program. A simulation which has been discussed in a BESE meeting has Lincoln Parish losing money because of a decrease in enrollment and increase in local wealth.
2. A High School Redesign conference has been scheduled for later in the month in Baton Rouge and several secondary personnel and he will attend. There are some good things planned for the upcoming year. He recently attended the NSBA conference in Orlando which was truly an excellent conference. He received good information, but believes the communication and interaction with people from different states is invaluable.
3. He has scheduled a retreat with the instructional, supervisory staff on Thursday, April 3, to talk about vision and goals, planning for the coming year, and looking at resources.
4. April 11 is the date set aside for an accountability presentation by the central office for the board. The meeting will begin at noon, and board members should RSVP to Becky Gemelli.
Following comments from several board members, the meeting adjourned at 7:26 p.m.
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Danny L. Bell, Secretary
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Otha L. Anders, President