LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

Ruston, Louisiana

REGULAR SESSION

Tuesday, March 4, 2025  5:00 p.m.

The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Parish School Board, 410 S. Farmerville Street, Ruston, Louisiana.  Members present were Ms. Debbie Abrahm, Mr. Otha Anders, Mr. Clark Canterbury, Ms. Donna Doss, Mr. David Ferguson, Mr. Danny Hancock, Mr. George Mack, Jr., Mr. Joe Mitcham, Mr. Gregg Phillips, Mr. Hunter Smith, and Dr. Danielle Williams.

Ms. Lynda Henderson was absent.

President Phillips called the meeting to order, and Mr. Mitcham gave the invocation.  Mr. Canterbury led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.

Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as printed.

Upon a motion by Mr. Hancock, seconded by Mr. Canterbury, the Board voted 10-1 to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on February 4, 2025, as presented.  Mr. Ferguson voted no.

Communications Coordinator Brandon Sutherland said that it was a privilege to introduce four fantastic students:  Cedric Serio, Carter Tims, Anhaar Wasi and Lydia Watts.  These Ruston High School students were recognized at our October board meeting as National Merit Scholarship Semi Finalists and now are here as National Merit Finalists.  To have four students at Ruston High School achieving this level in the competition is an outstanding accomplishment.  Several board members added their congratulations and wished them well in the future.

Ricky Edmiston, Supervisor of Auxiliary Services, stated that each year we recognize the importance of support personnel in Lincoln Parish including school bus operators, food service employees, custodians, secretaries, clerical personnel, teacher aides, bus aides, maintenance technicians, paraprofessionals, and others that are vital to the efficient operation of our school system.  He recommended that the Board adopt a resolution designating April 22-25, 2025, as Support Personnel Week.

Upon a motion by Mr. Hancock, seconded by Ms. Doss, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the following:

Filling in for Child Nutrition Program Supervisor Cody Carrico, Chief Financial Officer Juanita Duke said that state law requires that a school food authority request permission from their school board to send out bids for all purchases during the year.  Our multi-parish school board consortium has been authorized by the Lincoln Parish School Board to bid out food, dairy (milk), paper and supplies.  He said that we are requesting permission to bid on the purchase of kitchen equipment, chemicals, pest control and fresh produce for the 2025-2026 school year.

Upon a motion by Ms. Abrahm, seconded by Ms. Doss, the Board unanimously voted to approve advertising and accepting the lowest bids meeting specification on purchases of kitchen equipment, chemicals, pest control and produce for the 2025-2026 school year.

Assistant Superintendent John Young told board members that the following policy revision is being recommended due to a recent BESE Bulletin 741 update:  JCDAE – Electronic Telecommunication Devices.

Mr. Young asked the Board to consider waiving policy BD (review period), and then approve this policy since the policy has already been approved by BESE.

Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Mr. Canterbury, the Board unanimously voted to waive policy BD.

Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Smith, the Board unanimously voted to approve the policy as presented.

The following personnel items were reported by Dr. Doris Lewis, Director of Human Resources:

In a report on parish travel procedures, Mr. Young referred to the 2024-25 Lincoln Parish School Board Travel Guidelines.  He detailed information about the guidelines including reimbursements, mileage paid for travel, and other details of how the multi-tiered approval system works through Frontline.  Mr. Ferguson asked if this was a school board policy.  Mr. Young clarified that it is a procedure, not a policy.

Superintendent Ricky Durrett said that the Louisiana Department of Education has provided some preliminary simulation School Performance Scores and District Performance Scores using 2024 data to help serve as a guide to show where schools would stand if last year’s data were used to calculate their SPS and DPS.  He pointed out that in 2025-26, when the new formula is actually used, there are quite a few scoring mechanisms that are not captured in these scores, so they are truly just simulation scores to give schools and districts a starting point.

Ms. Duke reported that total sales tax collections for the month of February 2024 were up 29.6% compared to the same month last year.  This unusual increase is mainly due to a large manufacturing project going on in the parish.

Moving on to the January 2024 financial report, Ms. Duke stated that there is an increase in revenues this month from the annual collection of property taxes.  This is the reason for the increase in total end fund balances for this period.  She reminded the Board that the annual property tax collections will fund operations from now until the end of the 2025 year.  Total Undesignated Fund balance of General Operating Funds is at 55.5%.  Total annual budgeted revenues collected is 62.3% and budgeted expenditures incurred is at 51%.  Recapping special revenue funds, we have collected approximately 66% of the revenue budget, and incurred 57.7% of the budgeted expenditures.

Ms. Duke reported on the Health Insurance Fund for January 2024, stating that this is the first month reported since the change over to the Board’s new claims administrator UMR.  She went over the changes in the presentation of the report that provides more transparency for plan expenses.  Total plan contributions in January were $1.5 million, compared to $1.2 million this time last year.  The increase in January premiums collected from active and retired members, is approximately $40,900, a 19% increase over January 2024.  The increase in January contributions made by the School Board is $240,000 which is a 24.4%.  The increases are the result of the rate increases approved by the Board for the 2025 plan year.

She added that administrative fees overall increased about $66,000 which is primarily due to the additional fees being paid to Blue Cross for processing 2024 plan year run-out claims in January so that there is no disruption in processing provider claims for services provided prior to December 31, 2024.  Administration fees for UMR services for the month are offset by an implementation credit negotiated as part of the agreement with UMR.  The total credit is $150,000 which will be applied to UMR monthly service fees until utilized in full.  In addition, Ms. Duke reviewed the cost of Stop Loss Insurance, which is the largest administrative cost to the plan.  This insurance provides excess loss coverage for the plan if medical claims should exceed $200,000 for a single plan participant.  A new policy for Gene Therapy is also in place to protect the plan against a limited number of very costly yet very effective gene therapy drugs for newly diagnosed conditions.  Medicare Advantage premiums in January are slightly lower compared to January 2024 mainly because the renewal premium with United Healthcare is lower.  She indicated Met Life insurance rates remained the same in January but notice has been received from the carrier that a 25% increase in the MetLife insurance rates will be effective next month.

Total claims expenses for the month of January is at $1.05 million compared to $983,000 last January.  The increase is due to the 44% increase in prescription drug claims offset by a 17% decrease in medical and dental claims.  Total plan expenses for January 2025 are $1,470,000 compared to $1,330,000 in January 2024.  Plan performance in January resulted in an increase in plan net assets of $32,000.

In an Enrollment Update, Mr. Durrett said that for the month of February there were more absentees due to a large number of flu cases in the schools.

In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Durrett said that:

Upon a motion by Mr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Anders, the meeting adjourned at 5:39 p.m.