PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A REGULAR MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1993.
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 2, 1993, at five-thirty (5:30) o'clock p.m. The meeting was called to order by the Honorable J. W. Calhoun, President, who declared that the Board, after prayer led by Rev. Johnnie Brown and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, was ready for the transaction of business.
Members present were Honorable J. W. Calhoun, Rev. Johnnie Brown, Mrs. Marie Cowan, Mr. Jerry King, Mrs. Polly Miley, Mr. Manson Nelson, Mr. Charles Partridge, Mr. Walter Stampley, and Mrs. Georgia Washington.
Members absent: None
Mrs. Gloria Dangerfield, Assistant Director of Business Affairs, presented invoices for the month of October in the amount of $1,302,667.96. It was moved by Mr. Partridge, seconded by Mr. Nelson and carried to approve the payment of invoices.
Following a correction to the minutes of October 19, 1993, it was moved by Rev. Brown, seconded by Mrs. Cowan and carried to approve minutes of the October 5, 1993, and October 19, 1993, meetings.
Superintendent Lee read a letter to the Board from Carole Webber, pre-kindergarten teacher, FKC, expressing her appreciation for the Board's support for the one cent sales tax.
The following resolution was offered by Rev. Brown and seconded by Mr. King:
RESOLUTION
A resolution providing for canvassing the returns and declaring the result of the special election held in the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, on Saturday, October 16, 1993, to authorize the levy of a sales and use 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 the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana (the "Parish"), for school purposes, 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 the Parish, on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1993, to authorize the levy of a sales and use 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. Proces Verbal. A Proces 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 Results. The result of said election shall be promulgated by publication in the manner provided by law.
This resolution having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:
YEAS: Johnnie L. Brown, Sr., Manson Nelson, Marie Cowan , Walter Stampley, Charles Partridge, Jerry King, Georgia Washington, Polly Miley and J. W. Calhoun.
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
And the resolution was declared adopted on this, the 2nd day of November, 1993.
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It was moved by Mrs. Cowan, seconded by Rev. Brown and carried to take item VII.I. out of order because of a schedule conflict for Judge W. C. Falkenheiner who was to appear before the Board in connection with that item. Judge Falkenheiner informed the Board of the statutes applying to the leasing of 16th section land and requested direction from the Board in calling for bids to lease Section 16 T7N R8E. After a lengthy discussion, it was agreed that the specifications would call for a five (5) year lease, with rental on a cash basis paid at the beginning of the lease period. Additionally, subleases would be allowed, but not assignments of the lease, liability insurance and protecting the bases of crops would be the responsibility of the lessee.
It was moved by Mr. Nelson, seconded by Mrs. Miley and carried 8-1, with Mr. Partridge voting no, to advertise for bid a combination agriculture and hunting lease on Section 16 T7N R8E.
Superintendent Lee noted that School Board policy DFG, Item 1, needed to be changed in order to advertise for the combination agriculture and hunting lease. Following discussion about the procedure in changing policy, it was moved by Rev. Brown, seconded by Mrs. Miley and carried 6-3 to change the policy in File DFG, Item 1, to allow hunting and fishing in agricultural leases on school lands. Voting no were Mr. King, Mr. Partridge, and Mr. Stampley.
A motion was made by Rev. Brown, seconded by Mrs. Cowan and carried to return to the regular order of the agenda.
It was moved by Rev. Brown, seconded by Mrs. Miley and carried 7-2 to go into Executive session at 6:40 p.m. Mr. King and Mr. Partridge voted no.
It was moved by Rev. Brown, seconded by Mrs. Cowan and carried to return to Open Session at 7:10 p.m.
After discussion about the usefulness of the Homework Hotlines in the past, Superintendent Lee recommended funding hotlines again this year. It was moved by Rev. Brown, seconded by Mrs. Miley and Mrs. Washington, and carried 8-1, with Mr. Stampley voting no, to fund Homework Hotlines for the 1993-94 school year at FHS, FUE, and VJHS at a cost of $10,500.
On a motion by Mr. Partridge and a second by Rev. Brown, it was carried unanimously to provide the following allotments:
1. Student allotments $5 per student $21,500
2. Textbook allotments $10 per student $42,370
3. Instructional allotment $100 per teacher $30,000
4. Vocational allotment $20,875
Home Economics $ 2,500
Superintendent Lee requested that the Board revise the school nurse job description from a 5-day work week to a 4-day work week with no change in the salary scale because of the difficulty finding a registered nurse willing to work for the salary offered by the school system. He also informed the Board of a meeting he attended regarding Medicaid eligible students, which might provide a means of funding fulltime nursing services for our students in the future. It was moved by Mr. King, seconded by Mrs. Miley and carried 8-1, with Mr. Partridge voting no, to change the job description to provide for a 4-day work week with no change in the established salary scale.
Superintendent Lee reported his intent to establish a committee of teachers to choose appropriate styles of student desks. Mr. Partridge suggested that students also be included.
Superintendent Lee gave an overview of the distribution of revenues from the one cent sales tax approved by the public in the October 16, 1993 special election and previously approved by the Board:
34.8% Instructional supplies and equipment
25% General maintenance, repair and renovation of facilities and equipment
21.8% Restoration of 20% salary supplement cuts to all employees
8.8% Retiree's health insurance
6% Continuation of locally funded step increases for educational support personnel
3.6% Employer's portion of retirement benefits for employees' supplements
Superintendent Lee stated that he had two recommendations to make, but he wished the public to understand that neither of these was being made because of any outside pressure or influence, but solely because this was the Board's original intent, as had been publicly discussed and advertised.
Superintendent Lee read the following recommendation:
that locally funded salary step increases be restored effective November 1993, with all employees being placed on the appropriate salary schedule based on their years of experience within the system as shown by records on file in the School Board Office.
Mr. Nelson commented to the audience that support personnel had accepted the cuts for the sake of the system and that he wished to express his appreciation to them for their attitude. It was moved by Mr. Nelson, seconded by Mr. King and carried unanimously to approve the recommendation as read by the Superintendent.
Superintendent Lee read the following recommendation:
that the 20% reduction in sales tax supplement be restored for 1993-94 to all employees, effective January 1994 with an adjustment being made in January 1994.
Mr. Nelson reminded the audience that no money would be collected on the new one cent sales tax until February 1994. It was moved by Mr. Partridge, seconded by Mr. King and carried unanimously to approve the recommendation as read by the Superintendent.
Superintendent Lee requested that the Board authorize him to dissolve the lease on the Clayton School building with the Town of Clayton. He stated that this action was viewed amicably by the town officials. It was moved by Mr. Nelson, seconded by Mr. King and carried unanimously to authorize Mr. Lee to take the necessary steps to dissolve the lease with the Town of Clayton.
For information purposes only, Mr. Tom O'Neal, Director of Business Affairs presented the Board with a list of standardized mileage for use by employees in order to simplify reporting of travel expenses.
On a motion by Mrs. Cowan, seconded by Mr. Nelson and carried unanimously, retirement was approved for the following:
Leora Cockerham, 7.0 hr. SFS Technician, RES, effective 11/5/93
Frank Warner, Maintenance, Central Office, effective 10/6/93
It was moved by Rev. Brown, seconded by Mr. King and carried 8-1, with Mr. Partridge voting no, to appoint Donna Smith as school nurse, effective 11/8/93.
It was moved by Mr. Stampley, seconded by Rev. Brown and carried to adjourn at 7:35 p.m.
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James E. Lee, Secretary J. W. Calhoun, President