LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, December 7, 1999 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday,December 7, 1999 at 6:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Parish School Board, 410 South Farmerville Street, Ruston, Louisiana. Members present were Mr. David Wright, Mr. Billy Abrahm, Mr. Otha Anders, Mr. Wayne Barfield, Dr. Marty Beasley, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Joe Mitcham, Mr. Rob Shadoin (arrived after the meeting began), and Mr. Allen Tuten.
Mr. Curtis Dowling was absent.
President Wright called the meeting to order and the invocation was given by Mr. Mitcham. Mr. Kessler led the Board in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag and Mr. Wright welcomed special guests, members of the official staff, and media.
Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as printed.
Upon a motion by Ms. Barfield, seconded by Mr. Tuten, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on November 2, 1999 as distributed.
Mr. Shadoin arrived at the meeting.
The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were discussed:
Assistant Superintendent, Ronnie Suggs, presented items 1. - 3.; Charles Owens, Director of Auxiliary Services, presented 4.-7.; and School Food Service Supervisor, Brenda Theodos, presented 8.-9.:
1. Sabbatical leave for the 2000-2001 school year for Louise Adams, kindergarten teacher at Hillcrest Elementary.
2. Resignations of the following:
Ernie Jones, special education teacher at Ruston High, effective December 19, 1999.
Charles Mathis, ROTC at Ruston High, effective November 8, 1999.
3. Employment of Rhonda Ferguson, effective November 15, 1999 as language arts teacher at Ruston Junior High replacing Sue Jones who retired.
4. Point of reference/transfer of Michele Brown from secretary at Cypress Springs Elementary to secretary at Hico Elementary effective November 1, 1999.
5. Employment, effective November 11, 1999 of:
Cindy Hinton as secretary at the Central Office replacing Donna Cook who resigned.
Ginger Aycock as secretary at Cypress Springs replacing Michele Brown who transferred to Hico.
6. Resignation of Kenneth Wesley, effective September 17, 1999, as custodian at Ruston Elementary.
7. Effective December 1, 1999, employment of Steve Rhone as custodian at Ruston Elementary replacing Kenneth Wesley who resigned.
8. Retirement of Armer Jean Hatter as school food service technician at Glen View effective October 8, 1999.
9. Resignation of Angie Emanual, effective November 10, 1999 as school food service technician at Ruston Elementary.
Upon a motion by Dr. Beasley, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to approve the above recommendations.
The final item of personnel business was the suspension without pay of a bus driver. After Mr. Suggs called for the driver three times and received no response, Mr. Whitlock recommended that the Board enter into executive session.
Upon a motion by Mr. Abrahm, seconded by Mr. Mack, the Board unanimously voted to enter into executive session at 6:10 p.m.
Upon a motion by Mr. Abrahm, seconded by Mr. Anders, the Board unanimously voted to return to regular session at 6:21 p.m.
Upon a motion by Dr. Beasley, seconded by Mr. Tuten, the Board unanimously voted to uphold the recommendation of the administration to indefinitely suspend the bus driver without pay.
Business Manager, Juanita Duke, reported that sales tax collections were down again for the month ending November 30, 1999. She told the Board that the 1967 and 1979 sales tax collections were down 8.92% over the same month last year mainly because of a decrease in construction in the parish. Year-to-date collections compared to this time last year are down 3.3%. No audit recoveries were received during November, 1999.
A financial report for the month ending September 30, 1999 was also presented by Ms. Duke. The general fund balance is beginning to drop as new salaries have begun to be paid. An operating transfer of $100,000 was made to the 5 mill fund in the month of September in order to carry it forward. The majority of district maintenance & operation funds have been depleted and utilities will not be paid out of these accounts until after the first of the year collections.
After calling attention to the fund balances on the October 31, 1999 financial statement, Ms. Duke noted that the general fund balance is continuing to drop. Ad valorem taxes collected after the first of the year will build this fund up as well as the 5 mill, 1993 ad valorem, and the district maintenance & operation funds. The 5 mill maintenance fund is in the red after a $123,000 transfer. Unusual costs have been experienced this year such as a blown engine in a bus, replacement of a maintenance vehicle, and equipment which has gone down. An operating transfer will also be made in the month of November in order to pull the 5 mill fund through to the first year. She will also look at making some additional cuts in order to alleviate this from happening at this time next. Salary supplements have not been paid out of the 1993 sales tax fund and all utility costs are being paid out of the 1993 ad valorem fund.
Permission was granted last year through 90-00 ERATE funding to purchase phone systems for the Central Office, Ruston High, Ruston Junior High, and Simsboro, according to Ms. Duke. Installation has been completed at the Central Office and Ruston High; Ruston Junior High is in the final stages of the project, and installation has begun at Simsboro. Now is the time to plan for the 00-01 ERATE application. Given the age of all phone systems in the parish and the available funding for internal connections through ERATE, she again requested permission to seek proposals for the purchase and installation of phone systems at all remaining school sites. Although all sites may not be in need of a new system at the current time, she requested permission just in case it is determined that a new system is needed during the two-year time period being specified in vendor proposals. She intends to spread the cost of the phone systems over a two-year period and to allow for much of the work to be done during the summer when school is not in session. Purchases will not be made if ERATE funding is not available. The average cost per site would be $30,000 of which approximately $26,000 would be eligible for the discount according to 99-00 figures. The remaining $4,000 plus the proportionate amount of ERATE eligible costs over the amount discounted would be the cost to the district. She estimates the cost to the Board to be $9,720 per site for a total of $106,920 over a two-year period if phone systems are purchased for all sites. She asked the Board to allow her to advertise and accept proposals for school phone systems as outlined above.
Upon a motion by Dr. Beasley, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to advertise and accept proposals for school phone systems.
The final matter of New Business for the Board to consider was a complaint brought by a parent. The principal involved in the complaint requested a closed session as students' names other than the complainant's child were to be mentioned.
Upon a motion by Mr. Shadoin, seconded by Ms. Barfield, the Board unanimously voted to enter into executive session at 6:40 p.m.
Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Ms. Barfield, the Board unanimously voted to return to regular session at 7:40 p.m.
After thorough review of the complaint in executive session, Mr. Tuten found the compliant to be without merit and moved that no action be taken by the Board. Mr. Kessler seconded the motion and the Board unanimously voted by a show of hands to support the motion.
In a report of the Superintendent, Dr. Cobb informed the Board that:
1) The L.S.B.A. convention is scheduled for March 2-4, 2000 in New Orleans. More information was included in packets.
2) He and Juanita Duke met with the Lion's Club earlier and had a very good response to the Board's upcoming sales tax/millage proposition.
After brief comments and questions, the meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
___________________________________ _____________________________
Gerald W. Cobb, Secretary David Wright, President