June 4, 1998

THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, JUNE 4, 1998 AT 10:00 A.M., AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA. PRESIDENT DOWDEN CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:

ALVIN C. DOWDEN, JR., PRESIDENT

W.W. PARKER, VICE PRESIDENT

RICHARD W. BAILES

GERALD BURNS

M. GENE HAYMON

C.A. HUGHES

KIM REESE

MARK SMITH

LINDA WEST

BETTY WESTERCHIL

WILLIS A. FARRIS

MURPHY O'BANION

B.R. HARVEY

PHILIP L. GUNN

BENARD MCKEE

LORETTA NALE

There was also present Richard Schwartz, Secretary of the Board.

The meeting was opened in prayer by Betty Westerchil

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Philip Gunn

On motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by W.W. Parker, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of May 12, 1998.

On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of Richard Bailes, seconded by B.R. Harvey, the Board voted to approve the attached list of sabbatical leave requests.

ATTACHMENT

On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to approve the attached list of employee resignations.  Richard Bailes abstained.

ATTACHMENT

On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of Willis Farris, seconded by Gene Haymon, the Board voted to approve the attached list of employee terminations.              

ATTACHMENT

On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of W.W. Parker, seconded by C.A. Hughes, the Board voted to approve the attached list of employee transfers.

ATTACHMENT

On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion Linda West, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to approve the attached list of new employees.

Mrs. Brenda Bealer recognized and presented certificates of appreciation to outstanding Head Start parent volunteers.

Superintendent Schwartz introduced Mr. Russ Wise from the LSBA Accountability Commission. Mr. Wise discussed changes and expectations of the proposed accountability plan. He showed a comparison between old and new standardized tests and explained changes that are being made.

Joe Pope, Director of Curriculum, gave a report on the SACS review and the 1998 LEAP results.

At this time, the Board heard presentations of twelve applicants for supervisor positions. Those applied for the positions are: Laura Clark, James Farris, John Farris, Nita Mallet, Fred Ross, William Thomas, Margaret Whatley, Sandra Whitlock, Pam Andis, Bobby Craft, Hubert Jordan, and Leslie Koenck.

On motion of Gerald Burns, seconded by Philip Gunn, the Board voted to approve the 1998-99 operating budget.

Bill Endris, Director of Finance reported a recommendation of the finance committee to require all employee to have a checking account and all paychecks be direct deposit.

On roll call vote, the Board voted eight to five to approve the recommendation of the finance committee. Vote as follows:

YEA                                                                        Nay

Richard W. Bailes                                                Mark Smith

Gerald Burns                                                         Willis Farris

Alvin C. Dowden                                                 Murphy O'Banion

M. Gene Haymon                                                 B.R. Harvey

Kim Reese                                                             Benard McKee

Linda West                                                          

Betty Westerchil

Philip Gunn

Absent at the time of vote: W.W. Parker and C.A. Hughes

On motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by Betty Westerchil, the Board voted to approve the City of Leesville's request to lease the school board property located across the street from Vernon Middle School for the purpose of constructing a walking path and recreational facilities.

On motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Kim Reese, the Board voted to approve a request for a jury trial in Civil Suit No. 61,635.

Agenda item 14, a report from the Technology Committee, was postponed until the June 9th meeting since, due to an emergency, W.W. Parker, Chairperson of the committee had to leave the meeting.

On motion of Gerald Burns, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to advertise for bids for pest control service.

On motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by B.R. Harvey, the Board voted to advertise for bread for the parish schools for 1998-99.

On motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by Murphy O'Banion, the Board voted to advertise for bids for milk and juice for the parish schools for 1998-99.

On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Linda West, the Board voted to advertise for bids for Food Services 1998-99 Price Quotation Calendar.

On motion of Richard Bailes, seconded by Philip Gunn, the Board voted to receive bids for the purchase of two trucks for the maintenance department. Lamarque Ford submitted the one bid received. The amount of the bid was $43,674.00 for the two trucks.

On motion of Gerald Burns, seconded by Linda West, the Board voted to take the bid for the purchase of the two trucks under advisement until Tuesday, June 9, 1998.

Bobby Moss reported that no bids were received for the sale of miscellaneous used equipment at Evans School.

On motion Willis Farris, seconded by Murphy O'Banion, the Board voted to authorize Mr. Moss and Mr. William Carver, Evans School Principal, to dispose of the miscellaneous used equipment at Evans School.

On motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by Linda West, the Board voted to approve Bobby Moss's recommendation on the general supplies bid summary.

On motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Linda West, the Board voted to award the bid for the Simpson activity bus to Ross Bus and Equipment Sales in the amount of $26,000.00.

On motion of B.R. 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 record with grief and sadness, the recent death of Mrs. Wyetta Sasser, a retired teacher at Pitkin High School; and,

WHEREAS, Mrs. Sasser was a loyal and dedicated teacher and she will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by the administration, faculty, staff and students at Pitkin School, and her family and friends;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board does, hereby adopt this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to Mrs. Sasser's family, along with its sincere condolences in their time of sorrow.

On motion of B.R. 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 Vernon Parish School Board wishes to convey its sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Terry Brister, of Pitkin, who recently passed away; and,

WHEREAS, Mr. Brister was the nephew of Mrs. Genelle Brister, custodian at Pitkin High School and he will be sadly missed by his family and friends;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board does adopt this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to the family.

On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to adopt the following memorial resolution:

R E S O L U T I ON

WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to convey their deepest sympathies to the family of Mr. Braxton Johnson, of Pitkin, who recently passed away; and,

WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson was the father of Mrs. Theresa West, teacher at Pitkin School, the grandfather of Mrs. Benita Inman, teacher at Pitkin School  and the uncle of Mr. Reginald Lambright, also a teacher at Pitkin School;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board adopts this memorial resolution and requests that copies be sent to the family.

On motion of Murphy O'Banion, 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 Vernon Parish School Board was deeply saddened by the recent, untimely death of young Tyler L. Moore, of Leesville; and,

WHEREAS, Tyler was the great-grandson of Mrs. Billie Moore, cafeteria manager at Pickering High School and he will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by his family and friends;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board does, hereby, adopt this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Moore, Mrs. Billie  Moore, and the entire family at this time of sorrow.

On motion of Philip Gunn, 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 Vernon Parish School Board records with grief and sorrow the recent death of Mrs. Berta White, cook at Leesville High School; and,

WHEREAS, Mrs. White was a loyal and dedicated employee who will be lovingly remember and sadly missed by her family and friends;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board takes this means to convey its condolences to Mrs. White's family and requests that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to the family.

On motion of Benard McKee, 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 wish to convey their condolences to Mrs. Hazel Hunt in the recent death of her husband, Mr. Austin L. Hunt, of Rosepine; and,

WHEREAS, Mr. Hunt was a retired bus operator for the Rosepine Schools and he will be sadly missed by missed by his family and friends;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board does adopt this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to Mrs. Hunt and her family at this time of bereavement.

On motion of Betty Westerchil, 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 Vernon Parish School Board wishes to convey its condolences to the family of Mrs. Mildred (Bell) LaCaze, of Leesville, who recently passed away; and,

WHEREAS, Mrs. LaCaze was a long-time resident of the Leesville area and a former cafeteria worker at the Leesville Schools and she will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board does, hereby, adopt this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to the family.

On motion of Kim Reese, 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 Vernon Parish School Board wishes to convey its deepest sympathies to the family of Mr. John Bolton, of Slagle, who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Bolton was a long-time resident of Slagle who retired after many years of dedicated and loyal service as bus operator for the Leesville Schools;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board does, hereby, adopt this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to Mr. Bolton's family.

There being no further business, on motion of Benard McKee, seconded by B.R. Harvey the Board voted to adjourn.

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ALVIN C. DOWDEN, JR., PRESIDENT

ATTEST:

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RICHARD SCHWARTZ, SUPERINTENDENT