LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. in the Title I Media Center Conference Room at 504 East Arizona, Ruston, Louisiana. Members present were President Otha Anders, Mr. Michael Barmore, 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.
Ms. Lisa Best and Mr. Curtis Dowling were absent.
Mr. Anders called the meeting to order, and Mr. McKinney gave the invocation. Ms. Henderson led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag followed by Mr. Anders’ welcome to board members, staff, media, persons of special recognition, and guests.
Upon a motion by Mr. Barmore, seconded by Mr. McKinney, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as presented.
Upon a motion by Mr. Barmore, seconded by Ms. Henderson, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on November 3, 2009, as distributed.
Paula Pardue, Secondary Academic Coordinator, was very pleased to recognize two National Merit Semi-Finalists who scored in the top 1% of the students in country who took the PSAT, the preliminary college entrance exam, last fall. She introduced Matt Robertson and Collin Smith from Ruston High School and presented plaques to them along with congratulations from the Board in recognition of excellent achievement. They introduced their guests.
In order to continue to provide safe and efficient bus service for the students and to adequately meet the demands of extra curricular activities, James Payton, Transportation Coordinator, requested permission to buy three new buses.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Mack, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to advertise for bids for the purchase of three new school buses.
The Board served as a Committee of the Whole, and the following Personnel Committee agenda item was considered after being presented by Mary Null, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Programs:
Resignation of Jeananne Smith, READ 180 teacher at I. A. Lewis, effective November 30, 2009.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to approve the administration’s personnel recommendation.
Chairman of the Finance Committee, Joe Mitcham, noted that a joint meeting of his committee and the Building and Grounds committee was held just prior to the board meeting at 5:30 p.m. He asked the superintendent to speak on the only item to come before the joint committees which they unanimously voted to recommend to the full board.
Superintendent Danny Bell gave an overview and recap of the purpose for his proposal to build a new addition at Ruston High School which was to eliminate portable buildings and allow for future expansion of programs. The addition of seven STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) classes plus German, advanced placement calculus, pre-advanced placement, and dual enrollment classes have forced the administration to move five classes to portables on the west and northwest sides of the campus. Mr. Bell said that the new classroom addition would eventually house between 350 and 400 students who choose to take advantage of the New Tech instructional model thus freeing up space in the existing structure for the many other course offerings unique to the school. Preliminary drawings by Architect Mike Walpole show a two-story connecting building adjacent to the west wing of the existing building with at least eight large and four standard classrooms, student restrooms, an office area, and a commons area. He does not want to go to the voters to ask for money for the addition but communicated that George Murphy, Business Manager, feels comfortable with a $3 million outlay. Preliminary estimates are $4.5 to $5 million. If the full Board is in favor of the idea, he suggested another joint committee meeting be scheduled next week to look into possible location, design, cost, and funding.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Hunt, the Board unanimously voted to give permission to the superintendent to continue planning and contract the services of Mike Walpole for the design of a classroom addition at Ruston High.
A committee was recently formed to assess the needs and develop a plan for future improvements to the Ruston High football facility. Mr. Hunt, Mr. Anders, Mr. Mack, Coach Billy Laird, Coach Dunbar, Clay Hipp, and Mr. Ricky Edmiston, Secondary Supervisor, recently visited West Monroe High and Ouachita High. Mr. Hunt narrated as slides were shown comparing the laundry facilities, lockers, training rooms, and showers at West Monroe and Ouachita to the 50-year-old field house at Ruston High. He also noted that Neville is about to build a new field house. More information will be presented at a later time.
November 2009 brought a drop in sales tax collections with $908,624 being collected according to George Murphy. That was a 25.846% decrease for the month and 32.96% year-to-date. Recoveries through audits were $6,390. He told the Board that $413,011 was collected in the ’67 and ’79 sales tax fund and $495,613 in the ’93 and ’00 fund. The reasons for the decline were a reduction in oil and gas extraction as well as automotive dealers and service stations revenues.
The October 2009 financial statement showed little change from the previous month. Year-to-date the general fund was still up over 2 million. The 5 mill maintenance fund, the ’93 and ’00 ad valorem tax funds, and the M & O funds were all showing negative balances; those monies will begin to be deposited in December and January. The child nutrition fund was showing a positive balance, and although the sales tax funds were down for the year, they still had pretty good fund balances.
At the November meeting, Ms. Null presented revisions to the Administration of Medication (JGCD) policy. She recommended that the proposed revisions be approved.
Upon a motion by Mr. Barmore, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to approve the revised Administration of Medication (JGCD) policy.
It became apparent that a sales tax exclusion policy should be added to the Lincoln Parish School Board policy manual following Saint-Gobain’s request in 2008. George Murphy told the Board it was Assistant District Attorney Andy Shealy’s opinion that a resolution outlining the guidelines for sales tax exemptions or abatements would be the initial step in formulating such a policy. Mr. Shealy summarized a resolution which contained an application process and criteria for approval. He said if the Board approves the resolution, a new policy would be drafted implementing the same.
Upon a motion by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. McKinney, the Board unanimously voted by roll call to approve the following:
RESOLUTION
Relating to the application and approval process regarding requests for sales and use tax exclusions; to provide with respect to the application process and criteria for approval of any requests for sales and use tax exclusions; and to otherwise provide with respect thereto.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Bell said that:
Permission slips for H1N1 vaccinations for pre-kindergarteners through fifth graders went home yesterday, were sent to area church’s, are being posted at businesses, and were given to the media. A group of regional nurses and school nurses will administer the vaccine with the help of central office volunteers on December 12 at Ruston High. Sixth through twelfth graders will be scheduled for their H1N1 vaccinations after Christmas.
They are moving forward with the purchase of the property in Simsboro. The owner agreed to accept the $80,500 negotiated price. She must have tenants move from trailers and some trailers and other objects vacated by December 8. More information should be available by the January board meeting.
The Building and Grounds and Finance committees will gather for lunch and another joint meeting on Wednesday, December 9, 2009, at noon at Ruston High School.
After brief comments and questions, following a motion by Mr. Hunt, the meeting adjourned at 6:56 p.m.
____________________________ ____________________________
Danny L. Bell, Secretary Otha L. Anders, President