PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A PUBLIC HEARING HELD ON THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025
The School Board of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, met in a Public Hearing Session at the Monterey High School Gymnasium in Monterey, Louisiana, on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 6:00 o’clock p.m. The meeting was called to order by Board President Lisette Forman who declared that the Board was ready for the transaction of business.
Mr. Tom O’Neal, Business Director, opened the public hearing by giving the Board Members and members of the General Public a brief overview of the process necessary for the levying of ad valorem, or property taxes. He indicated that the primary reason for the hearing was to allow members of the general public to have input and comment concerning the actual levy. He indicated that the proposal before the Board was to simply levy the current taxes for 2025 as were presented for the previous year with no additional burden on the citizenry. He indicated that the current levies generated approximately $6.4 million during the previous year.
The new rates and levies are to be:
a) Constitutional Levy @ 2.73 mills,
b) General Maintenance & Operations of School System @ 24.51 mills, and
c) Additional Support and Construction @ 13 mills
The prior year levies were:
a) Constitution Levy @ 2.73 mills, generating $447,920,
b) General Maintenance & Operations of System @24.51 mills, generating $3,945,720, and
c) Additional Operational Support and Construction @ 12.43 mills, generating $2,043,280.
The variance in the millage assessment of the Additional Support Levy is being brought about as a result of the renewal election of November 18, 2023. The renewal authorizes the original levy, as was approved by the public, with year 2025 being the first year of the ten 10 tax. This first year of the renewal is not subject to the reassessment of 2024, as are the other two levies.
With no questions being presented by either the board members or the general public, it was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mr. Carson, and unanimously carried that the public hearing be closed. The time was 6:09 P.M.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A REGULAR MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025
The School Board of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, met in Regular Session at the Monterey High School gymnasium in Monterey, Louisiana, on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 6:10 p.m. The meeting was called to order by Board President Lisette Forman, following the close of the public hearing. After prayer and the Pledge, President Forman declared that the Board was ready for the transaction of business.
Board members present were Mr. Fred Butcher, Mrs. Dorothy Parker, Mr. Fred Marsalis, Sr., Mrs. Vanessa Houck, Mr. Derrick Carson, Mrs. Angela Hayes, Mr. Matt Taunton, and Mrs. Lisette Forman. Mr. Wayne Wilson listened to the meeting via cell phone.
There were no presentations.
The committee reports were presented. Mrs. Parker gave the Educational Policy Committee report, Mr. Butcher gave the Financial Committee report, and Mr. Carson gave the Building & Grounds Committee report.
It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mrs. Parker, and unanimously carried to approve the minutes of the April 10, 2025, meeting.
It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mr. Marsalis, and unanimously carried to approve the invoices in the amount of $4,336,963 for the month of April 2025 as presented by Mr. O’Neal.
The personnel report was presented by Rhonda Moore. She noted that a copy of the report had been placed in each board member’s folder, and the changes since the committee meeting on Monday were highlighted in yellow. She stated that there was one item on the report that required action, and Mrs. Bachus would bring that up later in the meeting.
Concordia Parish School Board Regular Meeting
Educational Policy Committee Meeting Personnel Announcements
May 15, 2025
Leaves:
Michelle Bethea, Child Nutrition Director, Central Administration, returned from FMLA, effective May 5, 2025.
ZaKeedra Spurs, Teacher, Ferriday High School, maternity leave, effective April 17, 2025 through May 27, 2025.
Quantrelle Green, Teacher, Concordia Parish Academy of MST, FMLA / extended medical leave, effective April 16, 2025 through May 27, 2025.
Appointments:
Shermel Bell, Bookkeeper/Special Grants Coordinator, Central Administrative, effective May 6, 2025.
Resignations:
Sham’Brika Washington, Behavior Interventionist, Ferriday Upper Elementary School, effective April 11, 2025.
Victoria Harper, Teacher, Vidalia Lower Elementary School, effective April 17, 2025.
Stephanie Carroll, Teacher, Ferriday Lower Elementary School, effective May 31, 2025.
Doris Hamilton, Teacher, Monterey High School, effective May 31, 2025.
Tamantha Miller, Assistant Principal, Ferriday Lower Elementary School, effective June 6, 2025.
Keesa McGruder, Teacher, Vidalia Junior High School, effective May 13, 2025.
Retirements:
Louberta Lyons, SFS Technician, Vidalia Junior High School, effective January 15, 2025.
Brenda Logan, Teacher, Vidalia Junior High School, effective June 30, 2025.
Henry Garner, Teacher, Vidalia Junior High School, effective May 27, 2025..
Derinda Smith, Teacher, Vidalia Junior High School, effective May 27, 2025.
Joyce Minor, SFS Technician, Vidalia Junior High School, effective May 27, 2025.
Janet Hancock, Paraprofessional, Vidalia Lower Elementary School, effective June 1, 2025.
Gwenevere Lee, Paraprofessional, Ferriday Lower Elementary School, effective July 15, 2025.
Valerie Stevenson, Sweeper, Monterey High School, effective May 27, 2025.
Carolyn Cooley, SFS Technician, Vidalia High School, effective May 23, 2025.
Villa Taylor, SFS Technician, Vidalia High School, effective May 23, 2025.
Donna Woodruff, Teacher, Monterey High School, effective June 1, 2025.
Teresa Tiffee, Teacher, Monterey High School, effective July 31, 2025.
Addilene Cannon, Teacher, Monterey High School, effective May 27, 2025.
Roberta Susan Mingee, Teacher, Vidalia Lower Elementary School, effective June 1, 2025.
Sherrie Jones, Teacher, Vidalia Lower Elementary School, effective June 1, 2025.
Sandra Dunn, Teacher, Vidalia Lower Elementary School, effective June 1, 2025.
Jeannie Johnson, Bookkeeper - General Fund, Central Administration, effective June 30, 2025.
Brenda Roberts, Bookkeeper/Special Grants Coordinator, Central Administrative, effective August 31, 2025.
Dorothy Jenkins, Teacher, Ferriday Lower Elementary School, effective May 27, 2025.
Termination:
Angelica Washington, Teacher, Ferriday High School, effective May 15, 2025.
Prior to discussion on the adoption of the tax millages, as required by law, Mr. O’Neal read the resolution regarding the adoption of the millages. It was moved by Mr. Butcher and seconded by Mr. Carson to approve the tax millages as presented. A roll call vote was requested.
Mrs. Dorothy Parker Yea
Mr. Fred Marsalis Yea
Mrs. Vanessa Houck Yea
Mr. Derrick Carson Yea
Mrs. Angela Hayes Yea
Mr. Wayne Wilson Yea
Mr. Matt Taunton Yea
Mr. Fred Butcher Yea
Mrs. Lisette Forman Yea
In reference to Mr. Wilson listening in on the meeting, Superintendent Bachus stated that while Mr. Wilson can participate in the meeting, because he is not actually present, he should not vote on items being presented to the board for confirmation.
It was moved by Mr. Carson, seconded by Mrs. Parker, and unanimously carried to rescind the votes and re-vote on the issue since Mr. Wilson was attending by phone and legally could not vote.
There was a roll call vote on the re-vote on tax millages:
Mrs. Dorothy Parker Yea
Mr. Fred Marsalis Yea
Mrs. Vanessa Houck Yea
Mr. Derrick Carson Yea
Mrs. Angela Hayes Yea
Mr. Matt Taunton Yea
Mr. Fred Butcher Yea
Mrs. Lisette Forman Yea
The vote was unanimous with those members in attendance: 8 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent, and no abstentions.
Mr. O’Neal presented a tabulation form of the re-bids on the Ferriday High School renovations project. Bids were received by the FHS Renovations Committee from Mills Contracting, LLC; Tudor, Inc., of Delaware; Paul Jackson & Son, Inc.; MAPP, LLC.; and Barnard & Sons Construction, LLC. It was recommended by McElroy Architecture that the District award the project to Mills Contracting, LLC, which was the lowest bidder with a base bid of $1,759,000. There were also three alternates offered and approved. Those were:
a) Alternate #1, $159,000,
b) Alternate #2, $150,000 and
c) Alternate #3, $135,000, with the total bid award being $2,203,000.
It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mr. Carson and unanimously carried to award the project to Mills Contracting, LLC.
Superintendent Bachus introduced discussion on the 2025-26 school calendar. She said that while she stood beside her recommendation to return to a 5-day school week, she also recognized that compromise is needed sometimes. She stated that in no way did she intend to blind-side the board with her recommendation, but she thought the 5-day school week was the best option for the students. It was moved by Mr. Carson, seconded by Mr. Taunton and carried to approve the school calendar Option A for the 25-26 school year, which left the four-day school week in place with 160 school days. A roll call vote was requested. Mr. Butcher was the only nay vote, stating for the record that he wanted to look at the schools after we get the results of the testing.
Roll call vote on school calendar:
Mrs. Dorothy Parker Yea
Mr. Fred Marsalis Yea
Mrs. Vanessa Houck Yea
Mr. Derrick Carson Yea
Mrs. Angela Hayes Yea
Mr. Matt Taunton Yea
Mr. Fred Butcher Nay
Mrs. Lisette Forman Yea
The vote: 7 yeas, 1 nay, 1 absent, and no abstentions.
Superintendent Bachus addressed the flow chart change as it was recommended by the Department of Justice. All supervisors answer to a director, except one, being the maintenance supervisor, who answers to the superintendent. The DOJ recommended that this position answer to a director as all the others do. Superintendent Bachus stated that it made more sense to have the maintenance supervisor answer to the business director as the maintenance budget falls under one of the taxes we levy. It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mr. Carson and unanimously carried to change the District flow chart whereby the maintenance supervisor will answer to the business director.
Following discussion on school activities buses, it was moved by Mr. Taunton, seconded by Mrs. Hayes and unanimously carried to lease five (5) activity buses with Concordia Parish School Board on them for the 2025-26 school year. The lease is to be a 3-year program beginning with school year 2025-26.
President Forman began the discussion of the lease of the Southern Designs building by noting that we are coming to the end of our lease. Options to consider include continuing the lease or purchasing the building via a bond issuance, or any other such funding means available to us. She stated that we need to consider extending our lease of the Southern Designs building. Mr. Carson said he’d like someone from our attorneys’ office to be at our next meeting to tell us where we are on the previous central office building lease. We need to know how we should go to get out of that lease or how to further that lease, to somehow bring about a resolution to that situation.
The discussion on the lease of the Southern Designs Building was tabled until the next meeting by President Forman.
Superintendent’s Announcements:
· Congratulations and thank you to our teachers for their hard work and growth. Thank you for all that you do. I’m proud of you and I’m proud to be your superintendent. We’re going for a “four-peat” this year
· Just a reminder that the June regular school board meeting will be on Thursday, June 12, 2025, but will be held at the Ferriday Junior High School, 201 MLK Dr., Ferriday, at 6:00 PM.
There was no executive session as the personnel matter did not need to be discussed since the employee was not present. In a motion by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mrs. Houck and unanimously carried the personnel report was approved as presented earlier in the agenda.
There being no further business, it was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mrs. Hayes and unanimously carried to adjourn. The time was 7:22 PM.
_____________________________ _____________________________
Toyua R. Bachus, Superintendent Lisette Forman, Board President