April 13, 1999
THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN SPECIAL SESSION, AT 10:00 A.M., APRIL 10, 1999, AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA. PRESIDENT PARKER CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:
W.W. PARKER, PRESIDENT
LINDA WEST, VICE PRESIDENT
M. GENE HAYMON
JANE HOLTON
C.A. HUGHES
TED PARIS
KIM REESE
MARK SMITH
BETTY WESTERCHIL
WILLIS A. FARRIS
MURPHY O'BANION
B.R. HARVEY
PHILIP L. GUNN
BENARD MCKEE
COL. STEPHEN SHAMBACH
ABSENT: A.C. DOWDEN, JR., COURT
There was also present Richard Schwartz, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Kim Reese.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Linda West.
Superintendent Schwartz read the attached call notice.
ATTACHED
On motion of Ted Paris, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of April 6, 1999.
Superintendent Schwartz welcomed Mr. Louis Massie who read a statement from Dr. Roger Sullivan concerning the Power Team which will appear at some Vernon Parish Schools on May 5-9, 1999. The Power Team program includes weight-lifting and encourages drug awareness and prevention.
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Kim Reese, the Board voted to approve the attached list of resignations.
ATTACHED
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by Linda West, the Board voted to name school employees for the 1999-2000 school year.
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Murphy O'Banion, the Board voted to advertise for the following two positions: One Supervisor of Instruction for Special Education and Health and P.E., and one Supervisor of Instruction for Technology and Vocational Education.
Rev. Neil Early addressed the Board concerning the Family Resource Fair and the Ministerial Alliance Christmas Food Drive. He requested the Board's continued support of the Food Drive efforts.
On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to support the Ministerial Alliance Christmas Food Drive.
Rev. Early also discussed his work with the HIV/Aides Awareness program and asked for the Board's endorsement for the program.
On motion of Ted Paris, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to endorse the HIV/Aides Awareness program.
On motion of Linda West, seconded by C.A. Hughes, the Board voted to approve the 1999-2000 school calendar.
On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded Willlis Farris, the Board voted to approve the recommendation from the Salary Committee to increase a central office secretary's index from 1.15 to 1.25 after 25 years of service.
Philip Gunn introduced a proposed uniform policy for the 1999-2000 school year for District I schools. Schools included in the pilot program are East Leesville Elementary, West Leesville Elementary, North Polk Elementary, South Polk Elementary, and Vernon Middle School.
A motion to approve the uniform policy was made by Philip Gunn, seconded by Kim Reese.
A motion was made by Linda West, seconded by B.R. Harvey to amend the uniform policy and resurvey the five schools in the pilot program. The amendment would stipulate that parents/guardians come to their individual schools and vote on the proposed uniform policy using a "one family, one vote" rule.
Willis Farris requested a roll call vote on the amendment to the proposed uniform policy to resurvey the five schools included in the pilot program. Results of the roll call vote are as follows:
YEA NAY
A.C. DOWDEN, JR. ABSENT
M. GENE HAYMON X
JANE HOLTON X
C.A. HUGHES X
TED PARIS X
KIM REESE X
LINDA WEST X
BETTY WESTERCHIL X
MARK SMITH X
W.W. PARKER X
WILLIS FARRIS X
MURPHY O'BANION X
B.R. HARVEY X
PHILIP GUNN X
BENARD MCKEE ABSTAINED
The amendment passed 8 to 5.
Philip Gunn requested a roll call vote to adopt the amended policy if the resurvey shows the majority of voting parents/guardians in favor.
Results of the roll call vote are as follows:
YEA NAY
ALVIN C. DOWDEN, JR. ABSENT
M. GENE HAYMON X
JANE HOLTON X
C.A. HUGHES X
TED PARIS X
KIM REESE X
LINDA WEST X
BETTY WESTERCHIL X
MARK SMITH X
W.W. PARKER X
WILLIS FARRIS X
MURPHY O'BANION X
B.R. HARVEY X
PHILIP GUNN X
BENARD MCKEE X
The amended motion passed 13 to 1.
The amended policy will be adopted if the new survey shows that a majority of parents/guardians at the five schools surveyed vote in favor of the uniform policy.
Philip Gunn reported that the Food Service Committee and the Finance Committee at their joint meeting April 13th, at 8:30 a.m., had recommended that the attached list of equipment be replaced in FY -99 by a one-time increase in funding from the general fund for the replacement costs. The committees also recommended that these pieces of equipment be advertised for bid and that the bids be accepted at the May 11, 1999 board meeting.
ATTACHED
On motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to approve the recommendations of the Food Service and Finance Committees.
Philip Gunn reported that the Food Service and Finance Committees further recommended that the general fund contribute $100,000.00 to the lunch fund in FY -2000 in order to increase the operation funds in that account.
On motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by Betty Westerchil, the Board voted to approve the committees recommendation that the general fund contribute $100,000.00 to the lunch fund in FY 2000.
Dr. Cindy Gillespie reported that the Curriculum Committee decided to schedule a meeting at a later date because more time was needed to cover all the issues that need to be discussed.
On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to request that a BESE member attend a board meeting as soon as possible to discuss several issues of interest to the Board.
On motion of C.A. Hughes, seconded by Ted Paris, the Board voted to advertise to sell two used lawn mowers at North Polk.
On motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by Benard McKee, the Board voted to open bids on two new trucks for the maintenance department.
On motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by Benard McKee, the Board voted to accept the lowest bid, that meets specifications, on the two trucks for the maintenance department. Bids are as follows:
BIDDER BID
Alford Motors $45,964.00
Gray Nissan/ Ford/ Mercury $43,135.10
Lamarque Ford $43,068.00
Pynes Chrysler/Dodge $47,864.00
In other business, Superintendent Schwartz presented Dr. Larry Monk's request to be paid for unused sick leave up to 75 days at the time of his retirement.
A motion was made by Willis Farris, seconded by Murphy O'Banion, to allow Dr. Monk to be paid for unused sick leave up to 75 days at the time of his retirement.
Ted Paris opposed, stating that in his opinion, we should abide by the standard policy which allows other employees to be paid for only 25 unused sick leave days at the time of their retirement.
Philip Gunn called for a roll call vote. Results of the roll call vote are as follows:
YEA NAY
ALVIN C. DOWDEN, JR. ABSENT
M. GENE HAYMON X
JANE HOLTON X
C.A. HUGHES X
TED PARIS X
KIM REESE X
LINDA WEST X
BETTY WESTERCHIL X
MARK SMITH X
W.W. PARKER X
WILLIS FARRIS X
MURPHY O'BANION X
B.R. HARVEY X
PHILIP GUNN X
BENARD MCKEE X
The motion passed.
On motion of Ted Paris, seconded by Murphy O'Banion, the Board voted to adopt a policy that would prohibit paying for more than 25 days unused sick leave at retirement to any employee.
Lester Kees, Attorney for the Board, addressed the Board and explained that since the Board holds two regularly scheduled and published board meetings each month, there is no need to reference a special meeting nor to issue a call notice to announce the second meeting of the month as has been the practice in the past. He called for a vote to terminate the call notice and reference to the second meeting each month as a special called meeting.
On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by Linda West, the Board voted to discontinue the reference to the second meeting each month as a special called meeting and to terminate the call notice.
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 members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their sincere condolences to the family of Mrs. Irma Jeane, of Leesville, who recently passed away; and,
WHEREAS, Mrs. Jeane was the mother of Mrs. Lynda Mitchell, secretary at Pickering High School, and the grandmother of Mrs. Kelli LeBato, office aide at Pickering High School, and she will be sadly missed by her family and friends;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board requests that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. LeBato and their family at this time of sorrow.
There being no further business, on motion of Benard McKee, seconded by the Board the meeting was adjourned.
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W.W. PARKER, PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
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RICHARD SCHWARTZ, SUPERINTENDENT