The Washington Parish School Board met in regular session on the above date with the following board members present: President Harold Smith, Karl Bickham, Juanita Barker, Holly James, Susanne Jones, Hayward Boone, Richard N. Thomas, Jr., Bruce Brown and Freddie Jefferson. Absent: None.
Agenda Item #1 - Call to order.
The meeting was called to order by President Smith. He welcomed guests and news media present.
Agenda Item #2 - Invocation.
The invocation was given by Bruce Brown.
Agenda Item #3 - Pledge of Allegiance.
Agenda Item #4 - Consider a motion to adopt the minutes of the September 24, 1998, regular board meeting.
It was moved by Hayward Boone, seconded by Juanita Barker, that the Board adopt the minutes of the September 24, 1998, regular board meeting, as submitted to each board member. Motion carried unanimously.
Agenda Item #5 - Presentation by Kathy M. David, Home Economist, and John E. Wyble, Associate County Agent, regarding the 4-H/Youth Development Program (Dennie Fowler).
Deleted.
Agenda Item #6 - Presentation by Kay Bell, Talented Art Teacher, Franklinton High School - Recognition of Jonathan Young, 1998 Winner of Junior Duck Stamp Contest of Louisiana (Dennie Fowler).
Mrs. Bell introduced Jonathan Young, a student at Franklinton High School, who recently was declared the winner of the Junior Duck Stamp Contest of Louisiana. Jonathan’s entry placed in the “Top 5" in the national competition.
Agenda item #7 - Presentation by John Norris, Insurance Consultant - Status Report on Property and Casualty Insurance (Adren Raybourn).
Mr. John Norris reported that he was able to bind property and casualty insurance coverage with Gulf Insurance Company (Moore & Jenkins Insurance Agency) effective October 1, 1998, and Gulf’s contract (filing) was approved by the Louisiana Department of Insurance. Mr. Morris asked the Board to confirm its desire for coverage through Gulf Insurance Company, as of October 1, 1998, and to approve his actions regarding binding coverage.
It was moved by Harold Smith, seconded by Susanne Jones, that the Board confirm placement of property and casualty insurance coverage with Gulf Insurance Company effective October 1, 1998, and approve/confirm the following action:
A.Uninsured Motorist Protection - Auto Liability Policy: Reduce coverage from $1,000,000 to $25,000 for Gulf Insurance Company; authorize superintendent or board president to sign forms provided by the carrier.
B.Uninsured Motorist Protection - Umbrella Liability Policy: Reduce coverage from $1,000,000 to $25,000 for Gulf Insurance Company; authorize superintendent or board president to sign forms provided by the carrier.
C.Umbrella - Increase in Limits of Liability: Increase limit of umbrella - excess liability from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000 for an additional premium cost of $2,974.00.
D.Revised Total Premium - $137,610.00 as of October 1, 1998 (rather than $134,636.00.
Motion carried unanimously. At the request of Freddie Jefferson, Mr. Norris stated he would approach the insurance company regarding a three-year policy option.
Agenda Item #8 - Discuss and take appropriate action regarding Fiscal Agency Contract for the period November 1, 1998 - October 31, 2000 (Adren Raybourn).
Adren Raybourn, Director of Finance, reviewed the bids received for Fiscal Agency Contract, which were as follows:
Bank Rate on Checking Service Chgs on Rates on Loans
Accounts Checking Accts.
Parish National Bank 90-day Treasury Bill rate less -0- 00% on loans not
1.5%, with min. of 2.25% (No charge for any exceeding $100,000.00
banking service)
5.75% on loans in
excess of $100,000.00
Hibernia National Bank 90-day Treasury Bill rate less -0- 6.50% on loans not
.40% with min. of 3.00% (No charge for any exceeding $100,000.00
banking service)
6.50% on loans in
excess of $100,000.00
Citizens Savings Bank Respectfully declined to submit a bid at this time based upon their interpretation of the State criteria used in selecting a Fiscal Agent Bank.
Upon the recommendation of Adren Raybourn, it was moved by Hayward Boone, seconded by Holly James, that the Fiscal Agency Contract for the period November 1, 1998 - October 31, 2000, be awarded to Parish National Bank. Motion carried unanimously.
Agenda Item #9 - Discuss and take appropriate action regarding opening a separate Louisiana Asset Management Pool (LAMP) Account for General Fund, with permission given to the Director of Finance and/or the Chief Accountant to invest in that fund and transfer from that fund to other school board owned funds (Adren Raybourn).
Upon the recommendation of Adren Raybourn, Director of Finance, it was moved by Freddie Jefferson, seconded by Susanne Jones, that the Board authorize opening a separate Louisiana Asset Management Pool (LAMP) Account for General Fund, with permission given to the Director of Finance and/or the Chief Accountant to invest in that fund and transfer from that fund to other school board owned funds. Motion carried unanimously.
Agenda Item #10 - Discuss and take appropriate action regarding Title I allocations to schools for the 1998/99 school year (T. J. Butler, Jr.).
T. J. Butler, Jr., Supervisor of Federally Assisted Programs, presented two (2) allocation plans for the board to consider, each plan utilizing the total parish allocation of $1,059,057.79. It was moved by Susanne Jones, seconded by Holly James, that the Board approve Plan B, which was as follows:
PLAN B
1998-99 ALLOCATIONS
SCHOOL %FREE & REDUCED #FREE & REDUCED ALLOCATION
LUNCH LUNCH
Angie 100 246 x 320.00 78,720.00
Varnado Elementary 99 170 x 320.00 54,400.00
Varnado High 97 229 x 320.00 73,280.00
Wesley Ray 96 259 x 320.00 82,880.00
Franklinton Primary 90 405 x 320.00 129,600.00
Thomas 89 385 x 260.00 100,100.00
Pine 87 590 x 260.00 153,400.00
Franklinton Elementary 83 331 x 260.00 86,060.00
Mt. Hermon 76 431 x 208.00 89,648.00
Franklinton Jr. High 74 366 x 208.00 76,128.00
Enon 72 186 x 208.00 38,688.00
Franklinton High 70 466 x 208.00 96,153.79
TOTAL $ 1,059,057.79
FOR: Karl Bickham, Holly James, Susanne Jones, Juanita Barker, and Harold Smith. AGAINST: Hayward Boone, Richard Thomas, Bruce Brown, and Freddie Jefferson. The vote being Five FOR and Four AGAINST, the motion carried.
Agenda Item #11 - Consider a motion to renew the contract of employment for Carl Merritt, Principal, Thomas Jr. High School (Dennie Fowler).
Upon the recommendation of Superintendent Fowler, it was moved by Karl Bickham, seconded by Richard Thomas, that the Board renew the contract of employment for Carl Merritt, Principal, Thomas Jr. High School, for the period December 9, 1998, through December 8, 2000. Motion carried unanimously.
Agenda Item #12 - Consider a motion to adopt a Resolution opposing mandatory Social Security coverage for all newly hired Washington Parish School Board employees (Dennie Fowler).
Upon the recommendation of Superintendent Fowler, it was moved by Freddie Jefferson, seconded by Holly James, that the Board adopt the following Resolution opposing mandatory Social Security Coverage for all newly hired Washington Parish School Board employees:
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Mandatory Social Security coverage for all newly hired Washington Parish School Board personnel would seriously threaten the financial well-being of our sound, secure and long-standing retirement systems in Louisiana, and
WHEREAS, We are told by the General Accounting Office (GAO) representatives that this massive undertaking would extend the solvency of Social Security no more than two additional years, and
WHEREAS, Mandatory coverage levies a new tax and places an unfunded mandate on the Washington Parish School Board and the Louisiana State Legislature, and
WHEREAS, The Washington Parish School Board would be compelled to remit to the office of Social Security 6.2% of the salary of each newly hired employee, in addition to the employer’s contribution currently being paid to the Louisiana Retirement Systems, and
WHEREAS, Such new fees would constitute a double tax on the citizens of Louisiana who are currently paying Social Security taxes on their own salaries and would also be funding the new mandated tax for Louisiana Public Employees forced into Social Security, now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington Parish School Board goes on record as opposing any effort to mandate Social Security coverage for all newly hired school board personnel, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to Washington Parish’s Congressional Delegation, its Local Legislative Delegation and the Louisiana School Boards Association.
CERTIFICATE
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and exact copy of a resolution adopted at a regular board meeting held on October 15, 1998, at which time a quorum was presentand voting.
Franklinton, Louisiana, this 15th day of October, 1998.
___________________________________________
DENNIE FOWLER, SUPERINTENDENT/SECRETARY
Motion carried unanimously.
Agenda Item #13 - Discuss and take appropriate action regarding Personnel and Transportation Adjustments (Richard Kennedy).
At the request of Richard Kennedy, Assistant Superintendent, it was moved by Susanne Jones, seconded by Juanita Barker, that the following item be added to the Personnel Adjustments: Change of Employment Status: Veronica Martin, Part-time School Lunch Worker, Franklinton High School, TO Full-time School Lunch Worker, Franklinton High School, effective October 16, 1998. Motion carried unanimously.
It was moved by Hayward Boone, seconded by Juanita Barker, that the following Personnel and Transportation Adjustments be approved, as recommended by Richard Kennedy, Assistant Superintendent:
PERSONNEL ADJUSTMENTS
RETIREMENT RESIGNATION:
Mt. Hermon School: H. Lin Alford, Regular Teacher, Retirement Resignation effective October 2, 1998; waive requirement of returning to service for one semester following sabbatical leave for the Spring semester of the 1997/98 school year.
RESIGNATION:
Pine/Thomas Schools: Deborah Cook, Music Teacher, Resignation effective October 9, 1998.
EMPLOY:
Parishwide: Nikki Stewart, Itinerant Speech Therapist Assistant, Part-time (3 days per week), effective October 19, 1998, and for the remainder of the 1998/99 school year only (Certified).
CHANGE OF EMPLOYMENT STATUS:
Veronica Martin, Part-time School Lunch Worker, Franklinton High School, TO Full-time School Lunch Worker, Franklinton High School, effective October 16, 1998.
TRANSPORTATION ADJUSTMENTS
FRANKLINTON SCHOOLS:Extend the route of Billy Joe Dillon 2.2 miles one way to pick up Clint Hickman, son of Michael Hickman. Effective date: September 21, 1998.
Extend the route of Billy Joe Dillon .9 mile one way to pick up Mindy Penton, daughter of David Penton, and Dustin Dickerson, son of Clyde Luper. Effective date: September 17, 1998.
Extend the route of Mary A. Simmons 3.4 miles one way to pick up a Special Education student. Effective date: September 30, 1998.
Deduct 8.6 miles one way from the route of Violonia Edwards (Special Education student no longer on route.) Effective date: October 6, 1998.
MT. HERMON SCHOOL: Extend the route of Bob Smith .8 mile one way to pick up Patrick Spencer. Effective date: September 23, 1998.
Deduct 4.9 miles one way from the route of Louise Holmes (Cody Fortenberry no longer on route.) Effective date: October 1, 1998.
Motion carried unanimously.
Agenda Item #14 - Superintendent’s Report.
Superintendent Fowler gave brief status reports of Mt. Hermon and Varnado High School construction projects.
Superintendent Fowler reported that teacher supply money in the amount of $64,788.00 has been received from the State. Each of the 332 eligible recipients will receive $195.14.
Agenda Item #15 - Other business from board members.
None.
Agenda Item #16 - Consider a motion to enter into Executive Session under L.A. R.S. 42:6.1A(7) concerning an individual student (Dennie Fowler).
It was moved by Hayward Boone, seconded by Bruce Brown, that the Board enter into Executive Session under L.A. R.S. 42:6.1A(7) concerning an individual student. Motion carried unanimously.
It was moved by Karl Bickham, seconded by Bruce Brown, that the Board return to regular session. Motion carried unanimously.
School Board Attorney Wayne Kuhn stated, “The student has the right to an open or closed session. The student is represented by Mr. & Mrs. Spell. They have requested open session. This, also, involves the conduct of a school employee, a school bus driver, Mrs. Marsha Miley. She, also, under the exceptions to the open meeting law, has the right to an open or closed session, if discussion involves the conduct of the driver. She has indicated to me that she would prefer that it be in open session, also. For that reason, we are no longer in Executive Session, and the matter of Agenda Item #16 is to be in open session.”
Mrs. Virginia Atchley, grandmother of Angie Jr. High School student Guy Atchley, presented her complaint to the Board. She stated Mrs. Marsha Miley conducted an unauthorized search of her grandson while he was a passenger on her bus. She requested that Mrs. Miley apologize to her grandson, a camera be placed on the bus, and a written reprimand be given to Mrs. Miley.
Superintendent Fowler stated that the matter was thoroughly investigated, and he concluded that Mrs. Miley thought she was acting in a proper manner and was not aware that a witness must be present whenever a search is conducted. He further stated that board policy does not direct anyone other than principals and teachers to conduct searches, and searches must be conducted in the presence of witnesses. Following lengthy discussion of this matter, the Board referred disciplinary action back to Mrs. Miley’s supervisor, Principal Geary McKenzie, directed that a camera be placed on Mrs. Miley’s bus, and directed that notice be sent to all bus operators regarding board policy, as it relates to searches of students.
Agenda Item #17 - Consider a motion to adjourn.
It was moved by Susanne Jones, seconded by Karl Bickham, that the Board adjourn. Motion carried unanimously.
HAROLD R. SMITH, PRESIDENT
DENNIE FOWLER, SECRETARY