LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, December 2, 2014 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, December 2, 2014, at 6:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Parish School Board, 410 South Farmerville Street, Ruston, Louisiana. Members present were Ms. Debbie Abrahm, Mr. Otha Anders, Mr. Michael Barmore, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Mr. Danny Hancock, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Ms. Lynda Henderson, Mr. Trott Hunt, Mr. Eddie Jones, Mr. George Mack, Jr., and Mr. Joe Mitcham.
No board member was absent.
President Anders called the meeting to order, and Mr. Jones gave the invocation. Ms. Harrison led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag followed by Mr. Anders’ welcome to board members, incoming board member, staff, media, agenda participants, and visitors. He also expressed the Board’s heart felt appreciation and thanks to the outgoing board members, Mrs. Mattie Harrison and Mr. Eddie Jones, for their service to the children of the district.
Upon a motion by Mr. Hancock, seconded by Mr. Barmore, the Board unanimously voted by roll call to adopt the agenda as amended deleting the Report from the Building and Grounds Committee.
Upon a motion by Ms. Henderson, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on November 4, 2014, as distributed.
In her Personnel Report, Mary Null, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Programs communicated the:
1. Resignation of the following effective November 22, 2014, unless otherwise noted:
Tamara Powell, English teacher at Choudrant High, effective December 20, 2014;
Kristen Telford, coordinating teacher at Cypress Springs; and
Melanie Craft, teacher at Simsboro Elementary.
2. Points of Reference/Transfers of the following effective December 1, 2014:
Gloria McAdams from I. A. Lewis to teacher at Ruston Elementary replacing Amanda Brown who was promoted to interim coordinating teacher; and
Mary Wilkes-Kilgore from curriculum strategist to coordinating teacher at Cypress Springs replacing Kristen Telford who resigned.
3. Employment of the following effective December 1, 2014, unless noted otherwise:
Cynthia Crowe-Garner, English/Language Arts teacher at I. A. Lewis effective January 5, 2015, replacing Gloria McAdams who transferred;
Krista Moffett, English teacher at Simsboro High replacing Jennifer Green who was granted leave without pay; and
Tricia VanWinkle, math teacher at Ruston High replacing Kyle Falting who resigned.
4. Retirement of Howard Drayton, Jr., as custodian at Cypress Springs effective October 1, 2014.
5. Employment of Jimmy Anderson as custodian at Ruston High effective December 1, 2014, replacing Rhonda Sampson who transferred.
November 2014 was a very good month with $2,000,501 being collected in sales taxes. That was a 79.77% increase for the month voiced George Murphy, Business Manager. After double checking those figures, he was informed by the administrator of the Sales and Use Tax Commission that the escalation was expected to continue for a while. Obviously it was neither budgeted nor planned. If it continues for the rest of the year and if the Board approves it, Mr. Murphy said the administration feels that part of the moneys should be paid to employees in a separate, special check in accordance with the proposition’s guidelines. A similar occurrence happened ten years ago with a large audit recovery. Recoveries through audits for the month of November were $1,932; that fund was down 43.01% year-to-date. He told the Board that $909,319 was collected in the ’67 and ’79 sales tax fund, and $1,091,181 in the ’93 and ’00 fund. The parish has really seen a surge in oil and gas extractions, and that was the primary reason for the large increase in sales tax collections.
In his financial update for October 2014, Mr. Murphy noted the General Fund was looking pretty good. The 5 mill maintenance fund was about $1,075,000 in the hole. When property taxes are collected, about $1,800,000 will be received; therefore, a transfer from the General Fund will likely be required. With the construction going on in the Ruston district, he hopes that will lessen the amount spent for repairs and maintenance. Mr. Murphy had already reported on the sales tax funds. Checks from the sheriff should begin to arrive this month; they will replenish the M&O and ad valorem tax funds.
George Murphy said the health care fund was down $611,251 for the month of October 2014. The bad month was primarily due to the change in the incurred but not reported claims. Year-to-date, the fund was up $553,595.
A construction update was the next item on the agenda. David Crowe communicated that the outside walls of the construction at Cypress Springs Elementary were almost complete. The awning only lacks a little brick work around the columns. Two additional canopies were being installed over the new pavilion. The remainder of the project was going well. Work was complete on the portables at I. A. Lewis except for some scrubbing and waxing of the floors of two additions. Construction there will begin later on. In the initial phase of construction at Glen View, a lot of dirt work was being done. He was pleased with the progress on all of the Ruston District projects. In answer to questions, he said only minor items were left at Dubach School and drainage work was being done, and a preconstruction conference will be held on December 9, 2014, on the Choudrant High School track.
At the November meeting, the revision of ten policies, ABCC-Term of Office, BCBB–Notification of School Board Meetings, BCBD–Agenda Preparation and Dissemination, BCBK–Executive Sessions, BCBH–Minutes of School Board Meetings, EDD–School Bus Scheduling and Routing, GBRJ–Substitute Personnel, ID–Curriculum, JBC–School Admission, and JBH–Attendance Reports for Student Drivers, and the addition of one new policy, IFA–Instructional Materials, were proposed by Mary Null. She asked board members to approve those policy changes.
Upon a motion by Ms. Abrahm, seconded by Mr. Barmore, the Board unanimously voted to approve the revision of: ABCC-Term of Office, BCBB–Notification of School Board Meetings, BCBD–Agenda Preparation and Dissemination, BCBK–Executive Sessions, BCBH–Minutes of School Board Meetings, EDD–School Bus Scheduling and Routing, GBRJ–Substitute Personnel, ID–Curriculum, JBC–School Admission, and JBH–Attendance Reports for Student Drivers, and the addition of IFA–Instructional Materials.
Board members are required to receive six continuing education hours annually because of Act 705 of the 2010 legislative session. An additional responsibility had been imposed by revised statute 43:1170, requiring elected officials to receive a minimum of one hour of education and training on the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act during each term of office. Finally, a press release giving the training status of each member must be published in the official journal each year. Mr. Bell asked for permission to publish the same showing board members’ 2014 training hours; they all exceeded the minimum requisite.
Upon a motion by Ms. Henderson, seconded by Mr. Jones, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to enter board members’ 2014 training certificates into the official minutes of the Board.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Bell said that:
1. The LSBA annual convention has been scheduled for February 22-24, 2015, in Shreveport.
He encouraged all board members to attend in order to get their training hours in early. Although no housing arrangements will be made because of the proximity to Ruston, registration information will be gathered at the next board meeting.
2. A Retirement Reception for Annette Warren, long-time secretary to Charles Owens, has been scheduled for December 16, 2014, from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. in the Title I building. He invited all to attend.
After brief comments from President Anders and following a motion by Mr. Best, the meeting adjourned at 6:22 p.m.
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Danny L. Bell, Secretary Otha L. Anders, President