August 7, 2001
THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, AUGUST 7, 2001, AT, 10:00 A.M., AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA. PRESIDENT HARVEY CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:
B.R. HARVEY, PRESIDENT
KIM REESE, VICE PRESIDENT
ALVIN C. DOWDEN, JR.
WILLIS A. FARRIS
PHILIP L. GUNN
M. GENE HAYMON
JANE HOLTON
GAYE MCKEE
MURPHY O’BANION
TED PARIS
W.W. PARKER
MARK SMITH
LINDA WEST
BETTY WESTERCHIL
LORETTA NALE
ABSENT: C.A. HUGHES, ILLNESS
There was also present Richard Schwartz, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Alvin C. Dowden, Jr.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Ted Paris.
On motion of Murphy O’Banion, seconded by, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of August 2, 2001.
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Philip Gunn, the Board voted to approve the attached resignations.
ATTACHED
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Jane Holton, the Board voted to approve the attached sabbatical leave request.
ATTACHED
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of W.W. Parker, seconded by Kim Reese, the Board voted to approve the attached employee transfers.
ATTACHED
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion Gene Haymon, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve the attached list of new employees.
ATTACHED
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by Betty Westerchil, the Board voted to approve employees who were not named in April.
State Representative John Smith updated the Board on the recent Legislative Session. Some of the issues he discussed were test scores, the MFP, State Group Benefits Insurance, the TOPS program, and the upcoming reapportionment session.
On motion of Ted Paris, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to increase the bus size for Wayne Duke from 66 passenger to 72 passenger, and Mary Rainwater’s bus from 60 passenger to 71 passenger.
A motion was made by Philip Gunn and seconded by Gaye McKee, that the Board enter into executive session to discuss agenda item 9 regarding reapportionment.
After some discussion, Mr. Gunn made a motion, seconded by Mrs. McKee, to withdraw the motion to enter into executive session.
A Motion was made Betty Westerchil and seconded by Ted Paris to downsize the board from fifteen members to nine members.
Mark Smith made a substitute motion, seconded by Philip Gunn, to ask Mr. Glenn Koepp who has been contracted for redistricting services for the board, to provide plans and maps for nine, ten, and twelve plans before making a decision on the number of board members. A roll call vote was taken with the results as follows:
YEA NAY
Alvin C. Dowden, Jr. X
M. Gene Haymon X
Jane Holton X
C.A. Hughes Absent
Ted Paris X
Kim Reese X
Linda West X
Betty Westerchil X
Mark Smith X
W.W. Parker X
Willis A. Farris X
Murphy O’Banion X
B.R. Harvey X
Philip L. Gunn X
Gaye McKee X
By a vote of 7-7, the substitute motion did not pass.
The results of a roll call vote on the original motion to downsize the board to nine members were as follows:
YEA NAY
Alvin C. Dowden, Jr. X
M. Gene Haymon X
Jane Holton X
C.A. Hughes Absent
Ted Paris X
Kim Reese X
Linda West X
Betty Westerchil X
Mark Smith X
W.W. Parker X
Willis A. Farris X
Murphy O’Banion X
B.R. Harvey X
Philip L. Gunn X
Gaye McKee X
By a vote of 8-6, the motion passed.
A motion was made by Ted Paris and seconded by Jane Holton that beginning with the next term, board member’s salary would be reduced from $800.00 per month to $500.00 per month.
Philip Gunn offered a substitute motion that board members receive no pay. The substitute motion died because of the lack of a second.
A roll call vote was taken on the original motion to reduce board member’s salary to $500.00 per month. The results were as follows:
YEA NAY
Alvin C. Dowden, Jr. X
M. Gene Haymon X
Jane Holton X
C.A. Hughes Absent
Ted Paris X
Kim Reese X
Linda West X
Betty Westerchil X
Mark Smith X
W.W. Parker X
Willis A. Farris X
Murphy O’Banion X
B.R. Harvey X
Philip L. Gunn X
Gaye McKee X
By a vote of 9-5, the motion to reduce board member’s salary passed.
On motion of Murphy O’Banion, seconded by the Board, the Board voted that the savings from the reduction in the number of board members and the monthly salary of board members will be allocated to classroom supplies and instructional materials. The money will be pro-rated by student count and will be used at the discretion of the school administrators.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Murphy O’Banion, the Board voted to open bids on two portable buildings at Rosepine Elementary School. The one bid that was received was submitted by B & B Portable Buildings in the amount of $36,400.00 for both buildings.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Kim Reese, the Board voted to award the bid to B & B Portable Buildings.
On motion of Murphy O’Banion, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to approve an hourly pay scale for the Maintenance Department employees and created three levels for pay purposes as follows: Level I - Trades Helper, Level II - Skilled Trades Worker, and Level III - State Licensed Tradesman and any other skilled leader man.
On motion of Murphy O’Banion, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to employ Eric Reberg as a plumber to replace Edward Doyle who retired.
On motion of Murphy O’Banion, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to employ Jerry Clark as an apprentice plumber.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School were saddened by the untimely death of Michael Barr, the son of Mrs. Lisa Stracener and Mr. David Barr; and
WHEREAS, Michael was a 2001 graduate of Rosepine High School and he will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by his family, his former classmates, and faculty and staff at Rosepine High School; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board adopts this memorial resolution and requests that a copy, along with its heartfelt condolences, be sent to Mrs. Stracener and Mr. Barr and the entire family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Ted Paris, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board wishes to express its heartfelt sympathies to Mr. Wayne Duke, bus driver at East Leesville Elementary School, in the recent death of his mother, Mrs. Mildred Duke; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Duke was a lifelong resident of Kurthwood and a great supporter of this school system and she will be sadly missed by her family and friends; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the members of the Board request that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mr. Wayne Duke, along with their condolences to the entire family, at this time of bereavement.
On motion of Jane Holton, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their sincere condolences to the family of Mrs. Wanda Sue Hagan, of Leesville, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Hagan was a native and lifelong resident of Vernon Parish and the aunt of Mrs. Debbie Smith, teacher at Leesville High School; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board request that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. Smith and her family at this time of bereavement.
On motion of W.W. Parker, seconded by Jane Holton, the Board voted to authorize the president and secretary to pay the claims.
There being no further business, on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by the Board, the meeting was adjourned.
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B.R. HARVEY
ATTEST:
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RICHARD SCHWARTZ, SUPERINTENDENT
August 7, 2001