December 3, 1992
THE PARISH BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1992, AT 10:00 A.M. IN THE BOARD ROOM OF THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA PRESIDENT MCRAE CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:
WALLACE MCRAE, PRESIDENT
BETTY WESTERCHIL, VICE PRESIDENT
GERALD BURNS
ALVIN C. DOWDEN, JR.
PHILIP GUNN
MARK SMITH
T.B. PORTER
CAROLYN WILLIAMS
ARVIL HARVEY
MURPHY O'BANION
B.R. HARVEY
BENARD MCKEE
COL. JOHN HUTCHESON
There was also present Mr. Sammy L. Hinson, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Mrs. Carolyn Williams, Ward Two, Hornbeck.
The pledge of allegiance was led by Mr. Benard McKee, Ward Seven.
On motion of Mr. Arvil Harvey, seconded by Mrs. Westerchil, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of November 10, 1992.
On motion of Mr. Dowden, seconded by Mrs. Westerchil, the Board voted to accept the attached list resignations:
ATTACHED
On motion of Mr. Burns, seconded by Mr. Smith, the Board voted to approve the attached sabbatical leave request:
ATTACHED
On motion of Mr. O'Banion, seconded by Mr. Porter, the Board voted to name the attached list of new employees:
ATTACHED
At this time Superintendent Hinson and the Board recognized Mrs. Faye Ellis, Principal of East Leesville Elementary. Mrs. Ellis introduced Mrs. Sonfronia Carr and Mrs. Cheryl Pollock, teachers at East Leesville Elementary who have been named to Who's Who Among America's Teachers. Mrs. Carr and Mrs. Pollock were presented Superintendent's Certificates for their outstanding accomplishments.
Mr. Rick Barnickle, representing the St. Michaels Knights of Columbus, presented on behalf of the Knights, a check in the amount of $1,983.10 to be donated to the Special Education Very Special Education Arts Festival. Mr. Barnickle stated that the Knights' sale of tootsie roll candies was the fund raiser for this donation.
Superintendent Hinson and the Board thanked Mr. Barnickle and the Knights for this generous donation to the Very Special Arts Festival.
Mrs. Berta Fertitta, Mrs. Gloria Owen and Mrs. Johnnie Palmer were recognized as representatives of the Mayor's Women's Commission. Mrs. Fertitta addressed the Board relative to this commission's work and goals of pride, beautification and clean-up in Leesville and Vernon Parish. Mrs. Fertitta stated that the organization has signs for sale which signify pride in the Parish.
On recommendation of Superintendent Hinson, and on motion of Mr. Gunn, seconded by Mr. Burns, the Board voted to purchase 20 signs from the Mayor's Women's Commission at a cost of $25.00 per sign.
Mr. King Wolfe, representative of the Revenue Recovery Group, addressed the Board. Mr. Wolfe explained that his company works to aid tax collecting agency in the collection of delinquent sales and use taxes. The fees are:
$75.00 to $200.00 per hour, with a maximum 50% charge
Mr. Smith, School Board representative to the Vernon Parish Sales Tax Commission, suggested that the Commission be contacted about Mr. Wolfe's proposal.
On motion of Mr. Gunn, seconded by Mr. Dowden, the Board to express favorable interest, on the part of the School Board's tax collecting, in participating in the Revenue Recovery Group and ask that a meeting be called with the Sales Tax Commission and ask that the governing agencies in Vernon Parish join this delinquent recovery program.
President McRae informed Mr. Wolfe that a he would be contacted as to beginning his work in Vernon Parish.
On recommendation of Superintendent Hinson, and on motion of Mr. Porter, seconded by Mr. McKee, the Board voted to authorize the Superintendent to negotiate with the City of Leesville to make improvements, over-laying, to the back parking lot of the Vernon Parish School Board central office.
Superintendent Hinson praised the Pickering High School football team for their outstanding accomplishment of proceeding to the Louisiana High School football semi-finals.
Superintendent Hinson recognized Mr. Billy Crawford, Principal of Leesville High School. Mr. Crawford related to the Board, that the LHSAA has approved the class decrease for Leesville High School, and that the all Vernon Parish High Schools have been classified as Military Impacted Schools. This means that attendance data may be used annually or semi-annually to determine athletic classification.
On recommendation of Superintendent Hinson, and on motion of Mr. Porter, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to adopt the following resolution:
R E S O L U T I O N
(FEDERAL FUNDING ASSISTANCE FOR LOCAL BOARDS)
Mr. Don Roberts, Mor-Tem Risk Management, addressed the Board relative to Insurance Consulting.
Mr. Porter, Chairman of the Insurance Committee, asked that this matter be delayed until Tuesday, December 8, 1992.
Col. Hutcheson announced that a teleconference would be held this day at Fort Polk between Vernon Parish School officials and Ft. Lewis, Washington school officials and parents. This conference is being held to assist those military families who will be locating at Fort Polk in the near future.
Mr. Dowden suggested that a School Board representative attend a Chamber of Commerce group who will be attending a meeting at Ft. Lewis in the near future.
Dr. Larry Monk reported that he recently attended a meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas, and met with military officials and families who also will soon assigned to the Fort Polk area.
On motion of Mr. Arvil Harvey, 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 learned with grief and sorrow of the recent death of Mr. Curtis Bradshaw, retired Superintendent of Vernon Parish Schools,
WHEREAS, Mr. Bradshaw served in the Vernon Parish School system for forty six years, beginning his service as a teacher at Leander in 1929, he was elected Superintendent in 1957 and retired in that position in 1975,
WHEREAS, Mr. Bradshaw's leadership and accomplishments while serving as Superintendent was exemplary and his memory will live long with those who knew and worked with him and for him,
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to convey their heartfelt sympathies to Mrs. Helyn Bradshaw and her daughters, Bettye and Emma,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board request that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. Bradshaw and her family along with sincere condolences from this Board.
On request of President McRae, and on motion of Mr. Porter, and 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 request that condolences be sent to Mrs. Wanda Boswell, in the recent death of her mother, Mrs. Dorothy Bonds,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board request that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. Boswell and to her father Mr. Accie Bonds.
There being no further business, on motion of Mr. Arvil Harvey, seconded by Mr. B.R. Harvey, the Board voted to adjourn until December 8, 1992 at 5:00 p.m.
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WALLACE MCRAE, PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
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SAMMY L. HINSON, SECRETARY
DECEMBER 3, 1992