The Washington Parish School Board held its most recent meeting on Thursday, November 10. Board Vice President Lesley McKinley presided in the absence of President John Wyble. The meeting began with presentations by the Enon Elementary Beta Club officers, Pine Junior High School FFA, and those present were treated to the "National Anthem" and "Let Freedom Ring" by the Pine High School chorus under the direction of Mrs. Nicole Bowman.
The board tackled the meeting's agenda by first approving three motions related to finance. The first was to approve the second allocations to schools for the 2022/23 operations budget and the second approved restricted allocations for some school in lieu of paying for water/sewage. The third approved motion was to adopt a resolution by the WPSB to join the Louisiana Public Schools Risk Management Agency, an interlocal risk management agency and through the execution of the interlocal agreement and adoption of its bylaws.
Superintendent Frances Varnado next asked the board to approve a $25 an hour stipend with a guaranteed minimum of two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon to compensate for certified personnel operating school buses. To combat the shortage of bus operators, some school personnel holding CDL's are providing assistance by driving morning and afternoon routes. The approval will allow the board to pay them for the extra time they are working.
The board was then set to table two items that would have them discuss and take appropriate action concerning Industrial Tax Exemption Program Application by Sunlight Road Solar LLC and Bogalusa West PVI, LLC. However, board attorney Wayne Kuhn was on-hand to clarify to the board exactly what the ITEP is and to simply provide information. Representatives of the LLC were also present and answered several questions. Mr. Kuhn encouraged the board members and any interested parties to attend the next meeting of the Washington Parish Council to gain more information.
The two agenda items addressing this were tabled until the December 15 meeting so that the board could become better acquainted with the ITEP program and its impact on the parish.
In other business, the board approved appropriate action to approve bids for surplus equipment through School Food Service and to act on bids received for the Thomas Early Learning Center. Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Thomas presented a personnel report, and the board approved all the items.
Ms. Jackie Tate was on hand to thank Superintendent Varnado and the board for their assistance and cooperation with the Parish Government to ensure a proper bus turnaround was created on Delta Lane. Ms. Tate reported that there were some very happy children who can now enter and exit the bus in closer proximity to their homes. Superintendent Varnado thanked Dr. Jerry Thomas and Representative Malinda White for their involvement in the Thomas Early Learning Center. She also reminded the board that three parish football teams were in the first round of the state play-offs in football and that basketball season was starting. She encouraged everyone to support the parish student-athletes.
