PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A SPECIAL MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1998.

The School Board of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, met in special session at the Concordia Parish School Board Office, in Vidalia, Louisiana, on Tuesday, January 27, 1998, at five-thirty (5:30) o'clock p.m.  The meeting was called to order by the Honorable Ernest Lynn White, President, who declared that the Board, after prayer by Superintendent James E. Lee, and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, was ready for the transaction of business.

Members present were the Honorable Ernest Lynn White, Mr. Eddie L. Coleman, Sr., Mrs. Marie Cowan, Mr. Mike Grantham, Mr. Manson E. Nelson, Sr., Mrs. Georgia Washington, and Mr. Sam Williams, Jr.  Absent were Mr. Charles Partridge and Mr. Ricky Raven.

President White announced that the special meeting had been called to discuss school board members' compensation, with due notice of the special meeting having been published twice in the legal journal in the preceding 15 days as required by statute.

It was moved by Mr. Grantham and seconded by Mrs. Cowan to leave school board members' compensation at the current rate of $350 per month for members and $400 per month for the Board president.  Mr. Nelson stated that he had requested the special meeting in order to discuss the possibility of formulating a committee to determine appropriate compensation for school board members.  Several members commented that membership on the school board is a public service.  Mr. Coleman stated that he felt compensation should be increased since it had not been increased since 1975.  Following additional discussion, the motion carried 6-1, with Mr. Coleman voting no.

Mr. Nelson moved that the CUBE (Citizens United for Better Education) organization appoint a committee to recommend what compensation board members should receive and that the school board would vote to accept or reject their recommendation.  The motion died for lack of a second.

There was additional discussion regarding laws concerning the setting of school board members compensation.

There being no other official business, it was moved by Mrs. Washington, seconded by Mrs. Cowan and carried to adjourn at 5:53 p.m.

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James E. Lee, Superintendent                                       Ernest Lynn White, President