October 12, 2004
THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, OCTOBER 12, 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
JAMES K. ARMES, III
MEL HARRIS
ROBERT PYNES, JR.
MARK H. SMITH
BETTY WESTERCHIL
RICKY REESE
W.R. ”r;RANDY” MARTIN
B.R. HARVEY
GAYE McKEE
COL. MARK ROCKE
ABSENT: M. GENE HAYMON, OUT-OF-TOWN
WILLIS A. FARRIS, ILLNESS
There was also present Dr. Cynthia Gillespie, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Betty Westerchil.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Col. A. Wade Woolfrey.
On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of October 7, 2004.
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by B.R. Harvey, the Board to voted to approve the attached resignations.
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On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Mel Harris, seconded by Betty Westerchil, the Board voted to approve the attached employee termination.
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On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by B.R. Harvey, the Board voted to approve the attached sabbatical leave request.
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On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Robert Pynes, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve the attached request for a leave without pay.
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On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Randy Martin, seconded by B.R. Harvey, the Board voted to approve the attached employee transfers.
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On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to approve the attached list of new employees.
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On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve budget amendments related to personnel changes.
Dr. Thomas Wilcox, was present to instruct the Head Start Executive Board (Vernon Parish School Board) and newly elected Head Start Policy Council members in Governance Training. He distributed information booklets and explained its contents, including the roles of the Executive Board and the Policy Council.
On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to enter into executive session for a period of 30 minutes to address a student matter. The time was recorded at 10:25 a.m.
On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to come out of executive session and resume order at 10:55 a.m. No action was taken by the Board at this time.
On motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by Betty Westerchil, the Board voted to adopt the adjusted millage rate(s) for the tax year 2004 as follows:
Parish Wide School Special 7.17 mils
Ward 1 Maintenance Regular 13.03 mils
Ward 2 Orange Maintenance Regular 13.24 mils
Ward 3 Maintenance Regular 13.14 mils
Ward 4 Maintenance Regular 13.98 mils
Ward 5 Maintenance Regular 14.53 mils
Ward 6 Maintenance Regular 12.59 mils
Ward 7 Maintenance Regular 13.00 mils
Ward 8 Maintenance Regular 13.48 mils
Leesville Sinking Fund 14.00 mils
Orange Sinking Fund 34.00 mils
Hornbeck Sinking Fund 98.00 mils
Ward 3 Sinking Fund 12.56 mils
Pickering Sinking Fund 31.00 mils
Ward 5 Sinking Fund 25.61 mils
Ward 6 Sinking Fund 50.00 mils
Ward 7 Sinking Fund 57.00 mils
Ward 8 Sinking Fund 34.17 mils
On motion of James Armes, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to adopt the adjusted Millage rate(s) after reassessment and roll forward the millage to a rate(s) not to exceed the prior year’s maximum millage for the tax year 2004.
On motion of Robert Pynes, seconded by James Armes, the Board voted to approve policy changes related to administrative records, bids and quotations, sabbatical leave, sick leave, holidays, field trips and excursions, child abuse, board member compensation and expenses, and public school choice.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to open bids on an activity bus at Rosepine High School. The following bids were received:
BIDDER BID ALTERNATE BID
Ross Bus Sales $73,238.03
Timmons Truck Center $68,436.10 $77,958.05
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve the low bid that met specifications.
In other business, James Armes announced a meeting of the Transportation Committee to be held on Thursday, November 4th at 8:00 a.m.
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 heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr. William ”r;Bill” Glass, of Pasadena, Texas, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Glass was the uncle of Mr. Charles Lewis, principal at Rosepine High 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 to Mr. Lewis and his family at this time of sorrow.
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 were saddened by the recent, untimely death of William Todd Foshee, of Rosepine; and
WHEREAS, Todd had an active and adventurous nature and was a positive influence and great inspiration to all the lives he touched; and
WHEREAS, Todd was the nephew of Ms. Helen Jarrell, retired custodian at Rosepine High 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. Jarrell, along with its deepest sympathies to the entire family, at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Gaye McKee, on behalf of Willis Farris, and seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the members of this Vernon Parish School take this means to express their heartfelt sympathies to the family of Mrs. Dora Craft, of Evans, who recently passed away; and
Mrs. Craft was the mother of Mr. T.K. Craft, retired custodian and meat processor at Evans High School, and she will be sadly missed by her family and friends; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mr. Craft and his family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their deepest sympathies to the family of Mr. Larry ”r;Bob” Coriell, of Leesville, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Coriell was the brother of Steve Coriell, bus driver at Pickering Elementary School, and the uncle of Lee Coriell, teacher at Leesville High School and Jennifer Coriell, teacher at West Leesville Elementary School; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Coriell was well-known in Leesville and the surrounding communities as a radio personality and musician 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 Mr. Coriell’s family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Randy Martin, 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 President Gunn declared the meeting adjourned.
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PHILIP L. GUNN, BOARD PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
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DR. CYNTHIA GILLESPIE, SUPERINTENDENT