February 5, 2004
THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, FEBRUARY 5, 2004, AT, 10:00 A.M., AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA. PRESIDENT GUNN CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:
PHILIP L. GUNN, PRESIDENT
M. GENE HAYMON, VICE-PRESIDENT
JAMES K. ARMES, III
MEL HARRIS
ROBERT PYNES, JR.
MARK H. SMITH
BETTY WESTERCHIL
RICKY REESE
WILLIS A. FARRIS
W.R. "RANDY' MARTIN
GAYE McKEE
ABSENT: B.R. HARVEY, WIFE'S SURGERY
COL. MARK ROCKE
There was also present Dr. Cynthia Gillespie, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Mel Harris.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Robert Pynes.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of January 13, 2004.
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by James Armes, the Board to approve the attached resignations.
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On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to approve the attached sabbatical leave request.
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On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve the attached requests for a leave without pay.
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On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by Robert Pynes, the Board voted to approve the attached transfer requests.
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On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of James Armes, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to approve the attached list of new employees.
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On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve budget amendments related to personnel changes.
On motion of James Armes, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to enter into executive session for a period of 15 minutes to discuss a student expulsion. The time was recorded at 10:07 a.m.
On motion of James Armes, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to continue executive session for 15 minutes to further discuss the student expulsion. The time was recorded at 10:25 a.m.
At the end of the 15 minute session, on motion of James Armes, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to extend the executive session an additional 30 minutes.
On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to come out of executive session and resume order at 10:55 a.m.
On motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board, by roll call vote, to uphold the student expulsion.
Bill Endris, Director of Finance, announced the amount of the State Mandated teacher pay raise at $872.73, divided over a twelve month pay cycle, per teacher. Teachers will receive a one-time check to cover the monthly pay increase for October, 2003 through February, 2004. Beginning March, 2004, the monthly check will reflect the increase.
On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to authorize Superintendent Cindy Gillespie to sign and execute a grant agreement with the Rapides Foundation for Systemic Initiative in Education.
On motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to authorize Superintendent Cindy Gillespie to sign and execute a grant agreement from the Rapides Foundation for a Community Walking Path.
A move was made by Willis Farris, seconded by Ricky Reese to change the time of the Tuesday board meeting each month from 5:00 p.m. back to 10:00 a.m., the exception being one quarterly 5:00 p.m. meeting, beginning in April, 2004. By roll call vote, the motion passed 8 - 3. Voting "yes" were Mel Harris, Robert Pynes, Jr., Ricky Reese, Willis Farris, Randy Martin, Philip Gunn, Gaye McKee and Gene Haymon. Those voting "no" were James Armes, Mark Smith and Betty Westerchil. -.R. Harvey was absent.
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James Armes reported that the Transportation Committee was still gathering information and continuing its study on security alarm systems for buses. The drivers have been surveyed to determine how many drivers desire to have an alarm system installed on his or her bus and the results show 94 drivers said yes and 39 drivers said no. The Committee also discussed bus drivers' maintenance mileage and a suggestion to set minimum miles for bus drivers mileage at 15 miles. The Committee looked into locking the 5 bus drivers affected by route changes, if mileage is at least 15 now, to what they receive now for maintenance.
On motion of James Armes, seconded by Robert Pynes, the Board voted to approve the recommendation of the Transportation Committee regarding bus drivers' maintenance mileage.
On motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to open bids on five used Carpenter buses. Bids received as follows:
BIDDER UNIT BID
C & S Enterprises License Plate #80215 $225.00
C & S Enterprises License Plate #6872 $325.00
C & S Enterprises License Plate #80394 $325.00
C & S Enterprises License Plate #132644 $450.00
Jason Perry License Plate #90898 $657.00
On motion of James Armes, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to take the bids for the used buses under advisement.
On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to award the low bid for Pitkin School construction project to Pat Williams Construction.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Clarence Churchman, of Rosepine, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Churchman was the father of Mr. William "Bill" Churchman, retired Rosepine High School teacher, and the father-in-law of Mrs. Peggy Churchman, teacher at Rosepine Elementary School; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Churchman was a longtime resident of DeRidder and he will be sadly missed by his family and friends; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Bill and Peggy Churchman and their family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board takes this means to express its sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Claude Clifton, of Rosepine, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Clifton was the husband of Mrs. Gayle Clifton, retired librarian at South Polk Elementary School, and the father of Mrs. Lisa Tucker, teacher at Rosepine Elementary; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Clifton was a longtime resident of Rosepine and he will be sadly missed by his family and friends; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. Clifton and Mrs. Tucker and their family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board takes this means to express its sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Martin L. McWilliams, of DeRidder, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. McWilliams was the father-in-law of Mrs. Flo McWilliams, teacher at Rosepine Elementary School, and he will be sadly missed by his family and friends; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. McWilliams and her family at this time of bereavement.
On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Shirley Green, cook at Pickering Elementary School, in the recent death of her son, Mr. Ronnie Green; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Green was a longtime resident of the Leesville-Vernon Parish area and he will be sadly missed by his family and friends; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Pat and Shirley Green, Mrs. Amanda Green and her children, and the entire family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Willis Farris, 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 Mr. Jack Schwartz of Leesville, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Schwartz was the father of Richard Schwartz, retired Vernon Parish School System superintendent, the father-in-law of Tandy Schwartz, retired secretary at the central office, and the grandfather of Jennifer Mount, teacher at East Leesville Elementary School, and Kelly Dillon, former Vernon Parish teacher; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Schwartz was a longtime resident of Leesville and a businessman and he will be sadly missed by his family, friends and the business community; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests copies of this memorial resolution be sent to Richard and Tandy Schwartz and their family at this time of bereavement.
On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board was deeply saddened by the recent, untimely death of Christopher Smith, of Leesville, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Christopher was a 2003 graduate of Leesville High School and he will be sadly missed by his former classmates, his many friends and his family; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board takes this means to express its heartfelt condolences to Christopher's family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board want to express their sincere condolences the family of Mr. Noah Haymon, a native a lifelong resident of the Leesville area and former custodian at East Leesville Elementary School; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Haymon was the husband of Mrs. Odessa Haymon, former cook at Leesville Jr. High School, the father of Mr. Elvin Haymon, bus driver at Anacoco Elementary School, Mr. J.C. Haymon, retired bus driver at West Leesville Elementary School, Mrs. Jeanette Jackson, paraprofessional at Hornbeck High School, and Mrs. Merlene Monk, former cook at East Leesville Elementary School, the uncle of Mr. Gene Haymon, Ward Eight board member, and was also related to several other employees in schools throughout the parish; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. Odessa Haymon and her family at this time of sorrow.
There being no further business, on motion of ,seconded by the Board, the meeting was adjourned.
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PHILIP L. GUNN, BOARD PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
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DR. CYNTHIA GILLESPIE, SUPERINTENDENT