LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, February 4, 1997 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, February 4, 1997 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. David Wright, Mr. Billy Abrahm, Mr. Otha Anders, Mr. Wayne Barfield, Dr. Marty Beasley, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Joe Mitcham, Mr. Rob Shadoin, Mr. Allen Tuten, and Mr. Calvin Wilkerson.
No one was absent.
President David Wright called the meeting to order and the invocation was given by Dr. Beasley. Mr. Wright led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Anders, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda, as amended, with the addition of an item of New Business: Resolution declaring an emergency to exist at I.A. Lewis.
Upon a motion by Mr. Barfield, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Sessions held on January 7 and January 22, 1997 as printed.
Since the next agenda item was to hear from the legislative delegation, Mr. Wright recognized State Representative Pinkie Wilkerson. Ms. Wilkerson thanked the Board for their invitation to speak and for the opportunity to hear from them. She said the Special Session of the Legislature begins on February 23 and the Regular Session on the last Monday in March. Ms. Wilkerson summarized legislation that could affect education which included parenting training, possible transportation of workers to jobs by school bus in order to remove them from welfare rolls, and charter schools. She requested that the Board let her know their feelings concerning issues as she feels it is very important for legislators to be knowledgeable on the issues that impact the local bodies they represent. A brief period of questions and comments followed her discourse.
State Representative Jay McCallum had arrived; therefore, President Wright turned the floor over to him. He also addressed the Board and listed what he feels are the two core problem areas in public education: a lack of respect for teachers and personnel in the school system and therefore, the almost total lack of discipline in many of our schools and classrooms resulting in the inability to control the school process and the teaching process; and the break down and disintegration of the American family/youth. These are problems that he feels more money and legislation alone will not address. The solution, in his opinion, is less control from the federal and state governments and more control being returned to the local systems. He thanked the Board for their input on issues in the past and urged them to continue to communicate their feelings to him.
Both Representatives discussed the one cent sales tax renewal being proposed by the Governor and teacher and support personnel pay raises.
After suggesting that because of time constraints, the Board continue with business, Mr. Wright expressed his appreciation to Ms. Wilkerson and Mr. McCallum for attending the meeting and visiting with the Board.
Mr. Mitcham, Mr. Shadoin, and Mr. Tuten left the meeting at this point.
Elementary Supervisor, Mr. Danny Bell, said that because of a lack of funds, the school libraries have been unable to keep up with the latest technology. Several of the schools, however, have funding sources that will enable them to purchase library automation software for the purpose of circulation and cataloging. Hopefully this will eventually enable them to network and provide full-scale computer services to all patrons of their school libraries. This automation will provide for quick check-out and identification of materials or patrons. Additionally, the process and speed of preparing notices for overdue books, student lists for the school offices, cataloging, and inventorying will be greatly improved. The school libraries ready to proceed with bringing this new technology into their schools are Cypress Springs, Glen View, Hillcrest, I. A. Lewis, Ruston Elementary, Ruston Junior High, and Simsboro. Mr. Bell recommended that the Board authorize him to advertise for bids for the library automation software with bid opening scheduled for February 28.
Mr. Wilkerson left the meeting during Mr. Bell's explanation.
Upon a motion by Dr. Beasley, seconded by Mr. Mack, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to advertise for bids for library automation software for Cypress Springs, Glen View, Hillcrest, I. A. Lewis, Ruston Elementary, Ruston Junior High, and Simsboro.
Dr. Beasley left the meeting after the vote.
The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel
Committee agenda items were discussed:
Mr. Ronnie Suggs, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, presented both agenda items:
1. Request for 97-98 school year sabbatical by Judy Pylant, elementary teacher at Hico, effective August, 1997.
2. Employment of Yulinda Marshall, effective January 21, 1997 as a social studies/science teacher at Ruston Jr. High replacing Ann Andrews who retired.
Mr. Wilkerson returned to the meeting during Mr. Suggs' presentation.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to approve the personnel request and recommendation.
Mr. Wright called on Mr. Tim Green, C.P.A., for his Independent Auditor's Report. Mr. Green called attention to two reports which had been passed out prior to the meeting, the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, which deals more with financial numbers involved in the school board operations and the Single Audit Report, which deals more with federal programs. He summarized a few pages of special interest in the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report which included two certificates received by the Business Department of the Lincoln Parish School Board for excellence in financial reporting; a clean opinion with no qualifications issued by the auditors on the financial statements; summary and notes as far as dollars and cents required to be included; fund balances in the general fund or main operating account indicates that all accounts ended with a little excess revenue for the year with a $1,000,000 fund balance in the general account; School Food Service ended the year with an excess for the year which shows efficient operations; a reserve of about one year excess build up in the debt service funds which is about standard in case of decreasing property taxes; fund balance in the Group Health Insurance fund is actually in a negative position at the end of '96; individual schools' yearly transactions from July, '95 through June, '96 with balances on hand at the end of the year; and a history of the school operations and how expenses are progressing and revenues are changing over the past ten years. He also mentioned the Single Audit Report which revealed no significant findings but did contain three or four comments that he has discussed with management which has taken action to correct those. He ended his Independent Auditor's Report with the statement that the Board should feel confident that Ms. Roy wants to meet or exceed the required financial standards.
Ms. Pam Roy, Business Manager, told the Board that again this month she did not have real good news. Recovered by audit for the month of January, 1997 was $4,789.00. This brings the yearly total recovered by auditors to $210,916.87. The monthly sales tax collections in the '67 and '79 funds were $322,361.28 which is a decrease of $2,098.63 over the same month last year. While not as low as the previous month, this is still a 1% decrease. For the year, collections in that fund are down $91,487.88 or about 2.7%. Collections for the month in the '93 fund were $193,361.28 which is a decrease of $1,259.17 over the same month last year. That fund is down $54,892.02 for the year and the percentages are the same.
Ms. Roy presented the December financial report and called attention to the shaded area for fund balances. Since it is the end of the year, she said, the 5 mill and Maintenance & Operation accounts are at probably their lowest point for the year. Taxes begin to be collected in January. She also reminded the Board that the Ruston High School fire proceeds are in the general fund total but the money will be expended at a later date.
Superintendent Gerald Cobb shared plans for a staff inservice day scheduled for Wednesday, February 12, 1997 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for all employees. Those who work directly with students will meet at Howard Auditorium for a presentation by Brother David Sinitiere, Executive Director of the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts at Northwestern State University, from 8:30 - 11:30. The topic for his general session will be "Multicultural Discipline in the School Setting." At the same time, the maintenance and food service personnel will be attending workshop sessions at Ruston High School with topics designed for them. Following a lunch break, each group of employees will meet separately for more individualized sessions. Dr. Cobb invited the Board to consult their agendas for each group of employees and to attend any or all of the sessions.
Dr. Charles Scriber, Secondary Supervisor, reminded the Board that in December permission was granted to advertise for routers and hubs for the Internet Project. Bid opening was scheduled for January 7. In order to have time to study the bids and compare the different companies' equipment, he requested permission at the Board's January 7 meeting to present his recommendation at a later time. The Board, by acclamation, allowed him to do so. He recommended that the Board accept the lowest bid meeting specifications, ComputerLand, in the amount of $54,196.20.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to accept the bid submitted by ComputerLand of Shreveport, Louisiana, in the amount of $54,196.20 for routers and hubs for the Internet Project.
Dr. Cobb reported that the Ruston High School baseball team has requested use of a hangar at the old Ruston Airport to be used as a practice facility in inclement weather. The facility will be used for pitching and hitting via the use of a batting cage to be constructed through volunteer labor and materials. The Lincoln Parish School Board would only be liable for the activities through Ruston High School's use of the facility. The present insurance policy would, he said, provide coverage at no additional premium. He presented an agreement, forwarded to him by Board attorney, Mr. Andy Shealy, for the Board's consideration. This agreement had been approved by the Ruston City Council at their January 21, 1997 meeting. Dr. Cobb mentioned that Dr. Beasley called him after reading the information on the proposal and inquired into the possibility of the Ruston High School girls' softball team sharing the facilities. He said they could certainly do so. He recommended that the Board approve the agreement.
Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Kessler, the Board unanimously voted to approve the agreement between the City of Ruston and the Lincoln Parish School Board regarding use of the Ruston Airport by the Ruston High baseball team and to authorize President David Wright to execute the same.
Mr. Wright introduced and recommended that the Board adopt a resolution, prepared by Dr. Beasley, honoring Ms. Loyace Braggs, who resigned from the Board for health reasons in January.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to approve the resolution honoring Mrs. Loyace Braggs.
Recognizing and acknowledging the integral, significant contributions made by outstanding school counselors, Dr. Cobb presented a proclamation from Governor Mike Foster designating February 3-7 School Counseling Week in the state of Louisiana. He recommended Board approval of the proclamation.
Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to approve the proclamation naming February 3-7, 1997 School Counseling Week.
Mr. Owens, Director of Auxiliary Services, presented the added item of New Business regarding a resolution declaring an emergency to exist at I. A. Lewis in order to expeditiously repair severe leaks to the gym's roof. The roof has been a source of maintenance problems for the past five years, he said, and a major portion of the gym floor had to be replaced in 1993 due to roof leaks. Other leaks have been discovered since that time. He examined the roof on February 3 and found that the composition membrane was deteriorating thereby causing the tectum board beneath to decompose. A 6' x 6' area of shingles was removed and water was discovered to have gotten under the shingles in that entire area. Expensive hardwood floors necessitate immediate action, he feels. He requested that an emergency be declared so that the situation may be properly evaluated and repairs may be made as soon as possible within the guidelines of the state bid law. A brief period of questions and answers followed including suggestions of ways to prevent this from happening to existing flat roofs and the recommendation that flat roofs not be put on any more schools.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted by roll call to adopt a resolution declaring an emergency at I. A. Lewis because of severe leaks in the gym roof.
In lieu of a report from the Superintendent, Dr. Cobb recognized Mr. Tim Green who invited Board members to his presentation on budgeting and financial matters. For the first time, he will be leading one of the concurrent sessions being offered Friday morning, February 28, at the Louisiana School Board Association's Convention.
After brief comments, the meeting was adjourned at 7:40 p.m.
Gerald W. Cobb, Secretary David Wright, President