PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT THE REGULAR MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2004.

The School Board of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, met in Regular Session at the Concordia Parish School Board office in Vidalia, Louisiana, on Tuesday, November 9, 2004, at five-thirty  (5:30) o'clock p.m.  The meeting was called to order by Ernest Lynn White, President, who after prayer, presentation and posting of the colors and the Pledge, declared that the Board was ready for the transaction of business.

Members present were Ms. Mary Campbell, Mr. Raymond Riley, Mr.  Jerry Roberts, Mr. Gary Parnham, Ms. Martha Rabb, Ms. Melanie Watson, Mr. Ernest Lynn White, Mr. Ricky Raven and Mr. Jimmy Wilkinson.

Superintendent Laster presented the Sydney A. Murray Hydroelectric Citizenship Awards as follows:

Grade 6                                         Grade 7                                         Grade 8

Alexa Mallory   - VJHS                Gary Stewart, Jr. - VJHS               William Hughes - VJHS

Tyler Sanders - RES                     Eryn Secrest - RES                        LaFrederick Green - RES

Keaira Smith - FJHS                    Yoallhida Smith - FJHS                  Dewanda Carter - FJHS

Nicholas Blake - MHS                  Brooke Baker - MHS                    Lara Wigging -MHS

Superintendent Laster presented the school attendance awards.

Ms. Janie Broadnax from Ferriday Junior High was recognized as Middle School Teacher of the Year on the Parish level.

It was moved by Mr. Parnham, seconded by Mr. Roberts and carried unanimously to approve invoices in the amount of $2,476,688 for the month of October.

It was moved by Ms. Rabb, seconded by Ms. Watson and carried unanimously to enter into Executive Session at 5:50 p.m. to discuss student issues.

It was moved by Mr. Parnham, seconded by Mr. Roberts and carried unanimously to return to regular session at 6:15 p.m.

Mr. White announced that the student issue discussed in Executive Session would be taken under advisement.

Mr. O'Neal, Director of Business Affairs, reported the election results of November 2, 2004, to the Board.   Mr. O'Neal informed the Board that all boxes were carried by a 72% margin.  He thanked the public for their vote of confidence in the school system. 

It was moved by Mr. Parnham seconded by Mr. Wilkinson and carried unanimously to approve the resolution for canvassing the returns and declaring the result of the special election as follows:

                                                                 RESOLUTION

A resolution providing for canvassing the returns and declaring the result of the special election held in School District No. 10 of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, on Tuesday, November 2, 2004, to authorize the levy of a special tax therein.

BE IT RESOLVED by the Parish School Board of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana (the "Governing Authority"), acting as the governing authority of School District No. 10 of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, that:

SECTION 1.  Canvass.  This Governing Authority does now proceed in open and public session to examine the official tabulations of votes cast at the special election held in School District No. 10 of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2004, to authorize the levy of a special tax therein, and said Governing Authority does further proceed to examine and canvass the returns and declare the result of the special election.

SECTION 2.  Procès Verbal.  A Procès Verbal of the canvass of the returns of said election shall be made and a certified copy thereof shall be forwarded to the Secretary of State, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who shall record the same in his office; another certified copy thereof shall be forwarded to the Clerk of Court and Ex-Officio Recorder of Mortgages in and for the Parish of Concordia, who shall record the same in the Mortgage Records of said Parish; and another copy thereof shall be retained in the archives of this Governing Authority.

SECTION 3.  Promulgation of Election Result.  The re­sult of said election shall be promulgated by publication in the manner provided by law.

PROCÈS VERBAL AND PROCLAMATION OF THE CANVASS OF THE VOTES CAST AT THE SPECIAL ELECTION HELD IN SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 10 OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2004.

BE IT KNOWN AND REMEMBERED that on Tuesday, November 9, 2004, at five-thirty o'clock (5:30) p.m., at its regular meeting place, the Parish School Board Office, Vidalia, Louisiana, the Parish School Board of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana (the "Governing Authority"), acting as the governing authority of School District No. 10 of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana (the "District"), and being the authority ordering the special election held therein on Tuesday, November 2, 2004, with the following members present:

Mary H. Campbell, Gary P. Parnham, Sr., Martha Rabb, Ricky Raven, Raymond T. Riley, Sr., Jerry Roberts, Melanie R. Watson, Ernest Lynn White, and Jimmy Wilkinson;

There being absent:  None;

did, in open and public session, examine the official certified tabulations of votes cast at the said election, and did examine and canvass the returns of the said election, there having been submitted at said election the following proposition, to wit:

                                                  PROPOSITION (TAX RENEWAL)

SUMMARY:  10 YEAR 13 MILLS PROPERTY TAX RENEWAL FOR ACQUIRING AND CONSTRUCTING ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT AND FOR GIVING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR CONSTRUCTING, IMPROVING, MAINTAINING AND OPERATING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL RELATED FACILITIES IN THE DISTRICT, INCLUDING PAYMENT OF SALARIES OF TEACHERS AND OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEM EMPLOYEES.

Shall School District No. 10 of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana (the "District"), levy a special tax of thirteen (13) mills on all the property subject to taxation in the District for a period of ten (10) years, begin­ning with the year 2005 and ending with the year 2014, for the purpose of acquiring and constructing additional classrooms for public schools in the District and for giving additional support for constructing, improving, maintaining and operating public schools and school related facilities in the District , including payment of salaries of teachers and other school system employees?

There was found by said count and canvass that the following votes had been cast at the said special election IN FAVOR OF and AGAINST, respectively, the proposi­tion as hereinabove set forth at the following polling places, to-wit:

The polling places above specified being the only polling places designated at which to hold the said election, it was therefore shown that there was a total of 4,922 votes cast IN FAVOR OF the Proposition and a total of 1,956 votes cast AGAINST the Proposi­tion, as hereinabove set forth, and that there was a majority of 2,966 votes cast IN FAVOR OF the Proposition as hereinabove set forth.

Therefore, the Governing Authority did declare and proclaim and does hereby declare and proclaim in open and public session that the Proposition as herein­above set forth was duly CARRIED by a majority of the votes cast by the qualified electors voting at the said special election held in the District on Tuesday, November 2, 2004.

THUS DONE AND SIGNED at Vidalia, Louisiana, on this, the 9^th day of November, 2004.

                                                              PROCLAMATION

I, the undersigned President of the Parish School Board of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, the governing authority of School District No. 10 of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana (the "District"), do hereby declare, proclaim and announce that the Proposition submitted at the special election held in the District on Tuesday, November 2, 2004, was duly carried­ by a majority of the votes cast at the said special election, all as described and set out in the above Procès Verbal.

It was moved by Mr. Parnham, seconded by Ms. Rabb and carried unanimously to approve job descriptions for the positions of Personnel Coordinator and Secretary to the Superintendent. 

Mr. Butcher, Director of Academic Affairs,  reviewed the Pupil Progression Plan for 2004-2005.

It was moved by Mr. Parnham, seconded by Mr. Roberts and carried on a roll call vote as follows:

Mary Campbell                                                YES

Gary Parnham                                                  YES

Martha Rabb                                                    NO

Ricky Raven                                                     NO

Raymond Riley, Sr.                                          YES

Jerry Roberts                                                   YES

Melanie Watson                                               YES

Jimmy Wilkinson                                               NO

Ernest Lynn White                                            NO

It was moved by Mr. Wilkinson, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried unanimously to approve the second reading of the following policies:

Policy CN: Administrative Records

Policy DJED: Bids and Quotations

Policy GBRHA: Sabbatical Leave

Policy GBRIB: Sick Leave

Policy GBRL: Holidays

Policy IFCB: Field Trips and Excursions

Policy JGCE: Child Abuse

The Board was presented with a capital outlay plan.  Mr. O'Neal reviewed past capital outlay plans and the means by which they were accomplished.  Mr. O'Neal discussed issues including the possibility of alternative financing. He requested that the Board consider using the capital outlay plan as a roadmap for the future.

The Board discussed several issues concerning priority items on the capital outlay plan. Concerns were expressed relative to the amount of time allowed to study the plan.   Superintendent Laster suggested that a special work session be arranged in order for the Board to study the plan.

It was moved by Mr. Wilkinson, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried unanimously  to arrange a special work session of the Board for the purpose of discussing future capital outlay projects.

Superintendent Laster recommended Dr. Rhonda White for the position of Title I Supervisor.  It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Ms. Rabb and carried 6 to 3 with Ms. Campbell, Mr. Riley and Ms. Watson voting no.

It was moved by Ms. Campbell, seconded by Ms. Watson and carried unanimously to approve all personnel items in global.

It was moved by Mr. Parnham, seconded by Mr. Roberts and carried unanimously to adjourn at 7:20 p.m.

Kerry Laster, Ph.D., Superintendent        Ernest Lynn White, President