PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A REGULAR MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019

 

 

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, April 16, 2019, at 6:00 o’clock p.m.  The meeting was called to order by Dr. Raymond Riley who after prayer and the Pledge, declared that the Board was ready for the transaction of business.

 

Members present were Mr. Warren Enterkin, Mrs. Dorothy Parker, Mr. Fred Butcher (6:50 p.m.), Mr. Derrick Carson, Mr. John Bostic, Ms. Angela Hayes, Mrs. Lisette Forman, Mr. Ricky Raven, and Dr. Raymond Riley.

 

Mrs. Mary Huhn and Mr. Robert Rasberry sponsored an Art Contest for the Special Olympics T-Shirts.  They judged around 40 entries.  The Board recognized the following Special Olympics Art Contest Winners with a certificate and cash:

 

        1st place    Sienna Ewing         7th grade      CPA

2nd place   Emily Guillot         11th grade      MHS

        3rd place   Trace Burke          12th grade      VHS

 

Committee Reports were presented.  Mr. Enterkin, Finance Committee, indicated that the committee had reviewed the financial statements for the previous month.  Mr. Raven, Educational/Personnel Policy Committee, indicated that personnel issues, the Monterey High School Gym, and the current handbook for the Concordia Parish Academy were discussed.  Dr. Riley, Buildings and Grounds Committee, indicated that various maintenance issues and the procurement process was discussed.   He requested that the administration review the current process for possible updates as needed.  He also asked Mr. O’Neal to engage in the process for future construction considerations of a high school gymnasium at Monterey High School. 

 

It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mr. Bostic and carried to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting held on March 14, 2019.

 

It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mr. Enterkin and carried to approve invoices in the amount of $3,697,417 for the month of March 2019.

 

It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mr. Bostic and carried to approve the FY 2019-2020 School Calendar.

 

It was moved by Mr. Bostic, seconded by Mrs. Parker and carried to approve the FY 2019-2020 12-Month Employee Calendar.

 

The Monterey High School Gym was discussed with no further action being required.

 

It was moved by Mr. Carson, seconded by Mrs. Parker and carried to support the resolution in opposition of all proposed legislation that transfers the administration and collection of local Sales & Use Taxes to the Louisiana Department of Revenue.

 

RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION OF ALL PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT TRANSFERS THE ADMINISTRATION AND COLLECTION OF LOCAL SALES & USE TAXES TO THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

 

WHEREAS,Article VII, Section 3 of the Louisiana Constitution provides that local sales and use taxes are to be collected by a single collector in each parish;

 

WHEREAS,Article VII, Section 3 also provides for the use of a parish commission or a local political subdivision to serve as the single parish collector of local sales and use taxes;

 

WHEREAS,the authority to “collect” local sales and use taxes has been determined by the Courts to include the authority to administer the collection, including making decisions as to when to audit persons or businesses thought to be unlawfully evading taxation or, in some cases, collecting sales taxes on transactions and failing to fully remit them to the local collector;

 

WHEREAS,School Boards serve as the single parish collector of local sales and use taxes in over thirty (30) parishes;

 

WHEREAS, pre-filed in the 2019 Regular Session is HB 57, which proposes to amend the Louisiana Constitution to allow the Legislature to repeal the authority of local governments to control the collection of local sales taxes and place that authority with the State, a concept often referred to as State Central Collections;

 

WHEREAS, State Central Collection would have the State taking possession of local tax revenues, withholding an administrative fee, then disbursing the balance down to the School Board or other local taxing authority;

 

WHEREAS,repealing or diminishing the Constitutional authority for local collection of local sales and use taxes will impair the ability of those local collectors to perform the necessary function of auditing vendors to ensure compliance with the legal obligation to collect and remit local sales taxes;

 

WHEREAS, given the vital role that the proper, effective, and efficient collection of local sales and use taxes plays in the operation of school districts and the education of children, the Louisiana School Boards Association has always fought any efforts to repeal, reduce, or constrain the authority of the local collector to collect local sales and use taxes, regardless of who has offered the proposal;

 

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the CONCORDIA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, by action of its duly elected governing authority, does hereby urge and request the Louisiana Legislature, and in particular the Legislative Delegation of CONCORDIA PARISH, oppose HB 57 and any other Legislative effort to reject any proposal to repeal or impair local sales and use taxes;

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the CONCORDIA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, by action of its duly elected governing authority, does hereby urge and request the Louisiana Legislature, and in particular the Legislative Delegation of Concordia Parish to reject any proposal that repeals, reduces, or constrains the authority of the local collector to collect local sales and use taxes;

 

FINALLY, BE IT RESOLVED,that a copy of this Resolution be provided to each member of the Legislative Delegation of CONCORDIA PARISH, and the Governor of the State of Louisiana.

   

  s/Whest Shirley

  Whest Shirley, Superintendent

  Concordia Parish School Board

 

It was moved by Mr. Bostic, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried to enter into Executive Session at 6:19 p.m. to discuss a personnel issue.

 

Mr. Butcher arrived for the Meeting at 6:50 p.m.

 

It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mr. Bostic and carried to return to Regular Session at 7:35 p.m.

 

Dr. Riley indicated that some Directors were not present for the Board Meeting.  It is the Director’s responsibility to attend the Board Meetings.

 

The following Personnel Announcements were made:

 

Concordia Parish School Board

Personnel Announcements

April 16, 2019

 

Leaves:

Susan Anderson, Teacher, Ferriday Junior High School, extended sick leave upon exhaustion of accumulated sick leave, effective March 20, 2019 through May 3, 2019.

 

Dinah Smith, SFS Technician, CPAMST, return from regular sick leave, effective March 25, 2019.

 

Charles Daniel, 12 Month Custodian, Vidalia Junior High School, extended medical leave upon exhaustion of all accumulated leave, effective March 25, 2019 through April 12, 2019.

 

Appointments:

Victoria Harper, Teacher, Ferriday High School, effective August 5, 2019.

 

Ravilla Hayes, Teacher, Ferriday Junior High School, effective August 5, 2019.

 

Kristen Abney, Teacher, Ferriday Upper Elementary School, effective August 5, 2019.

 

Mr. Shirley made the following announcements:

 

The Concordia Parish Honors’ Banquet was held last Wednesday.  Thanks to Ms. Watson, Ferriday High School, and all who made it a huge success.  Hats off to Mrs. Mary Huhn and Vidalia High School for the Third Annual Special Olympics.  Rev. Riley’s birthday is April 18th.

 

It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried to adjourn at 7:37 p.m.