DECEMBER 10, 2013
THE VERNON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION AT 10:00 A.M. ON DECEMBER 10, 2013, 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LOUISIANA. PRESIDENT GLEASON CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:
RANDI GLEASON, PRESIDENT
JOHN BLANKENBAKER, VICE-PRESIDENT
VERNON L. TRAVIS JR.
ROBERT PYNES JR.
DOUG BRANDON
JERRY L. JEANE
RANDY MARTIN
STEVE WOODS
MICHAEL PERKINS
GERALD COOLEY
ABSENT: MEL HARRIS, RICHARD SCHWARTZ, COL. T. GLENN MOORE
There was also present Mr. Jackie D. Self, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Robert Pynes.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Robert Pynes.
On motion of John Blankenbaker, seconded by Michael Perkins, the Board voted to approve the minutes of the December 5, 2013 regular meeting and dispense with the reading of the minutes.
Superintendent Self recognized Mrs. Randi Gleason as Board President for 2013. On behalf of the Board, he thanked her for her service and dedication and presented her with a plaque.
Michael Reese, Chairman of the Fort Polk Progress, gave a presentation on the progress of Fort Polk and their Educational Initiative.
On motion of John Blankenbaker, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to advertise for bids to sell used Kawasaki Mule 500 at Rosepine High School.
On motion of Vernon Travis, seconded by John Blankenbaker, the Board voted to join St. John the Baptist Parish School Board lawsuit. Doug Brandon voted NAY to this motion.
RESOLUTION OF THE VERNON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
WHEREAS, La. R.S. 17:81(E) provides that each school board “shall exercise proper vigilance in securing for the schools of the district all funds destined for the support of the schools, including the state funds apportioned thereto, and all other funds”; and
WHEREAS, Article 8, Section 13(B) of the Louisiana Constitution provides, in part, that the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall annually develop and adopt a formula to determine the cost of a minimum foundation program of education in all public elementary and secondary schools and the Legislature shall annually appropriate funds sufficient to fully fund the current costs to the State of such a program; and
WHEREAS, Article 8, Section 13(B) also provides that “the last formula adopted by the board or its successor, and approved by the legislature shall be used for the determination of the cost of the minimum foundation program and for the allocation of funds appropriated” “whenever the legislature fails to approve the formula most recently adopted by the board”; and
WHEREAS, for fiscal year 2012-13, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education adopted a minimum foundation program formula and submitted that formula to the Legislature for approval pursuant to Senate Concurrent Resolution 99 of 2012; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature approved SCR 99 of 2012 and such approval was challenged in legal proceedings instituted by the Louisiana School Boards Association and others; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Supreme Court ultimately held that SCR 99 was unconstitutional and null and void because, in part, it was not properly approved by the Legislature; and
WHEREAS, the ruling of the Louisiana Supreme Court declaring the 2012-13 MFP to be null and void required that the 2011-12 MFP be used for the determination of the cost of the minimum foundation program in 2012-13; and
WHEREAS, the 2011-12 MFP approved by the Legislature included a 2.75% growth factor for fiscal year 2012-13; and
WHEREAS, the State did not fund the 2.75% growth factor for fiscal year 2012-13 as constitutionally mandated; and
WHEREAS, the School Board has learned that a class action lawsuit entitled St. John the Baptist Parish School Board, et al v. State of Louisiana, et al; No. 622,693, Sec. 24 on the docket of the 19th Judicial District Court for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, has been filed alleging that public school systems across the State of Louisiana were not provided with the proper funding for the 2012-13 fiscal year under the MFP; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana School Boards Association supports the efforts of public school systems to receive the state funding to which they are lawfully entitled and has encouraged all public city and parish school boards in the State of Louisiana to participate in the lawsuit captioned above in an effort to obtain such funding; and
WHEREAS, Robert L. Hammonds of the law firm of Hammonds, Sills, Adkins & Guice, LLP, Charles L. Patin, Jr. of the law firm of Kean Miller, LLP, and Brian F. Blackwell of the law firm of Blackwell & Associates have special expertise in the issues presented in this litigation and have agreed to represent this School Board in the aforesaid suit and have agreed to do so on a contingency fee basis (subject to the approval by the Louisiana Attorney General) so that no fees or expenses are owed by this School Board unless and until a recovery is made on its behalf;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED, by the Vernon Parish School Board in regular session duly convened that:
Section I. The Vernon Parish School Board authorizes participation as a plaintiff in the matter entitled St. John the Baptist Parish School Board, et al v. State of Louisiana, et al, No. 622,693, Sec. 24 on the docket of the 19th Judicial District Court for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana.
Section II. This School Board employs Robert L. Hammonds, Charles L. Patin, Jr., and Brian F. Blackwell as Special Counsel to handle such litigation on its behalf and shall pay counsel for their services according to the contingency fee agreement and power of attorney attached to this Resolution, subject to approval by the Louisiana Attorney General of such arrangement.
Section III. This School Board has been duly advised that the law firm of Kean Miller, LLP, and the law firm of Blackwell & Associates of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has in the past represented, and may in the future represent, school employees in matters in which this School Board is an adverse party. This School Board recognizes that such representation may present said law firms with an actual and/or potential conflict of interest. As an inducement to said law firms to undertake its representation on the terms set forth in this Resolution, this School Board irrevocably waives any past, present, or future actual and/or potential conflicts of interest generated by representation of this School Board in said litigation.
Section IV. Subject to approval of this Resolution by the Attorney General, this employment shall be effective immediately upon adoption of this Resolution.
RESOLUTION OFFERED BY: VERNON TRAVIS
RESOLUTION SECONDED BY: JOHN BLANKENBAKER
The vote, in open meeting on the within resolution was as follows:
YEAS: Gleason, Blankenbaker, Travis, Pynes, Jeane, Martin, Woods, Perkins, Cooley
NAYS: Brandon
ABSENT: Harris, Schwartz
CERTIFICATE
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the Vernon Parish School Board in regular session duly convened on December 10, 2013 and that same has not been rescinded or repealed.
LEESVILLE, LOUISIANA, this 10th day of December, 2013.
JACKIE D. SELF, SECRETARY RANDI GLEASON, PRESIDENT
PARISH SCHOOL BOARD PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Randi Gleason reported that the Salary/Personnel Committee had met and was recommending approval of a temporary transitional position for the spring of 2014. Doug Brandon requested approval by common consent of the Board and the request was approved.
Vernon Travis reported that the Finance Committee had met and reviewed the revised budget for 2013-2014. On motion of Doug Brandon, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board approved the Budget Revision for 2013-2014.
VERNON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
December 10, 2013
FISCAL YEAR 2013-2014
BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
144 Rapides Foundation Systemic $217,500 (27,500) 190,000
The FY 2014 grant award allocation for Rapides Systemic was received in the amount of $190,000.
145 Early Childhood $204,175 (74,855) $129,320
The FY 2014 grant award allocation for Early Childhood was received in the amount of $129,320. The original budget was an estimate and is being reduced by $74,855.
253 JAG $150,000 7,000 $157,000
The FY 2014 grant award allocation for JAG was received in the amount of $157,000. This was an increase of $7,000.
255 REAP $172,791 (20,474) $152,317
The FY 2014 grant award allocation for REAP was received in the amount of 152,317. The original budget was an estimate and is being reduced by $20,474.
.
257 JAG Aim High $65,569 (5,569) $60,000
The FY 2014 grant award allocation for JAG Aim High was received in the amount of $60,000.
536 Extended Summer $25,790 8,477 $34,267
The FY 2014 grant award allocation for Extended Summer was received in the amount of $34,267 an increase of $8,477.
582 Educaion Excellence $389,229 (56,653) $332,576
The grant award for Education Excellance was received in the amount of $332,576. A decrease of $56,653 from the original estimate.
621 Title II $382,956 68,000 $450,956
The Budget for Title II was increased by $68,000 to the amount of $450,956.
622 Title III $11,343 8,394 $19,737
The grant award for Title III was received in the amount of $19,737.
623 Title III Immigrant $19,037 (10,268) $8,769
The rollover for Title III Immigrant was received in the amount $8,769, this was leftover money from the previous year.
104 SALES TAX FUND
REVENUE $20,187,823 0 $20,187,823
EXPENDITURES 19,925,817 21,423 19,947,240
EXCESS(DEFICIENCY)
OF REVENUE 262,006 (21,423) 240,583
FUND BAL: BEGINNING 1,560,587 0 1,560,587
REVENUE $6,403,316 100,000 $6,503,316
EXPENDITURES 6,409,982 148,630 6,558,612
EXCESS(DEFICIENCY)
OF REVENUE (6,665) (48,630) (55,296)
FUND BAL: BEGINNING 184,475 (51,776) 132,699
FUND BAL: ENDING $177,809 (100,406) $77,403
An adjustment was made to the Lunch Fund to increase revenues by $100,000 and expenditures by $148,630 to reflect increases in current year expenses.
REVENUE $46,023 0 $46,023
EXPENDITURES 42,310 1,960 44,270
EXCESS(DEFICIENCY)
OF REVENUE 3,713 (1,960) 1,753
FUND BAL: BEGINNING 1,511 (1,354) 157
FUND BAL: ENDING $5,224 (3,314) $1,910
An adjustment was made to the Evans Processing Plant Fund to increase expenditures by $1,960 due to increased spending and an adjustment was made to beginning fund balance.
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GENERAL OPERATING FUND |
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REVISED BUDGET |
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2013/2014 FISCAL YEAR |
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DECEMBER, 2013 |
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REVENUE AND OTHER |
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FINANCING SOURCES |
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LOCAL |
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$ 14,107,738 |
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STATE |
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56,287,793 |
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FEDERAL |
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7,154,667 |
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OTHER SOURCES |
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450,502 |
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TOTAL - REVENUES |
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$ 78,000,700 |
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EXPENDITURES AND |
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OTHER FINANCING USES |
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REGULAR INSTRUCTION |
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$33,758,044 |
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SPECIAL EDUCATION |
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9,435,293 |
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VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
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1,972,161 |
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OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL |
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886,320 |
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SPECIAL PROGRAMS |
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233,358 |
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PUPIL SUPPORT |
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4,400,794 |
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INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF |
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3,111,651 |
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GENERAL ADMINISTRATION |
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1,514,147 |
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SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION |
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5,944,281 |
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BUSINESS SERVICES |
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425,299 |
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MAINTENANCE OF PLANT |
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6,281,332 |
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STUDENT TRANSPORTATION |
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6,595,351 |
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CENTRAL SERVICES |
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1,013,347 |
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FOOD SERVICES |
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259,150 |
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COMMUNITY SERVICES |
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21,417 |
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OTHER USES OF FUNDS |
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2,269,331 |
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TOTAL - EXPENDITURES |
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$78,121,278 |
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EXCESS OF REVENUES OR |
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(EXPENDITURES) |
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(120,578) |
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FUND BALANCE: |
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BEGINNING |
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12,811,392 |
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ENDING FUND BALANCE |
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12,690,814 |
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On motion of Gerald Cooley, seconded by Doug Brandon, the Board voted to approve budget amendments related to personnel changes.
On motion of Jerry Jeane, seconded by Vernon Travis, the Board voted to authorize the president and secretary to pay the claims.
Superintendent Self thanked the Board members for a successful year.
On motion of John Blankenbaker, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to adopt 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 sympathy to the family of Christian Jared Hoskins who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Christian was a Senior at Rosepine High School; and
WHEREAS, Christian will be dearly missed by his many friends and family; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Vernon Parish School Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to his family at this time of sadness.
There being no further business, and on motion of Michael Perkins, seconded by the Board, the meeting was adjourned.
______________________________
RANDI GLEASON, PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
_________________________________
JACKIE D. SELF, SUPERINTENDENT