The Washington Parish School Board held its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, June 6. Following the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, the minutes from the May 16 Regular Board Meeting were adopted. The Board then steadily worked through a full agenda of items.
Director of Finance Dana Knight was on hand to answer questions about the April financial statements which were presented in Monday's committee meeting. She also explained to the Board the next four agenda items which involved the adoption of adjusted millage rates for the district. Following the reading of the millages and the explanation that property values can increase or decrease but not the millage rates, the board adopted the adjusted and authorized millages.
The Board was ready to adopt a resolution to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Pine Basketball Association. Prior to the vote, District 6's Scott Breland noted specific wording in the agreement. The agreement states the district will maintain the roof and walls of the structure (the old Pine High School gymnasium). However, the board no longer carries insurance on the old gymnasium as the deductible alone is more than the estimated value of the structure. With this new development, the Board voted to table this item until the July meeting to have clarity about the system's responsibility for the building.
Next, the Board approved a bid from Contract Paper Group for $29,820 to provide paper for the 2024-2025 school year. At the previous meeting in May, the Board approved the advertisement of bids for two Chevy Impala's that have been classified as surplus equipment. Only one bid for each was received in the amounts of $884.84 and $792.92. However, it was specified that the minimum bid must be $2000 each. The Board is legally required to obtain reasonable value for the vehicles. The value obtained for the autos was at the low end, and the bids did not meet the minimum amount. Therefore, Mrs. Knight will reassess the situation and seek counsel to determine a plan moving forward.
The Board then accepted a settlement declaring a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado as a total loss and a total loss settlement offer from Louisiana Farm Bureau on the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado in the amount of $8496.47 in exchange for the vehicle title and authorizing the Superintendent or the President to sign the appropriate documents to complete the settlement and transfer of vehicle title. Mrs. Knight explained that the totaled vehicle was a maintenance truck involved in an accident that was not the fault of the system employee. In other financial business the board approved a motion to authorize withdrawal privileges for Kayla Sabel and to remove withdrawal privileges from Keri Crowe on all Franklinton Primary School bank accounts. Finally, the board accepted a bid from Micon Services for $20,500 for the demolition of an exterior building at Wesley Ray Elementary School.
The Board then awarded bids for the School Lunch Program for the 2024-25 school year. Pon Foods was awarded the bid for an all or nothing food contract. Kleinpeter Farms was awarded the bid for milk; Economical Janitorial Supply, Lafeyette Restaurant and Supplies and Equipment Concepts and Designs were all awarded line-item bids for small equipment; and Pon Foods, Davis Products and Economical Janitorial Supply were awarded bids for nonfood items with a fixed price for the entire year.
The Board then voted to adopt a Cooperative Agreement to support and administer Louisiana Extension 4-H Youth Development and other Extension Programs. The final items on the agenda were the appointment of Robert Boone as a member of the Board of Directors of the Educational Facilities Improvement District, and action regarding Personal Privileges. Personal privileges are usually conducted at the end of business and prior to adjournment. Board members have had the opportunity to make statements that are open to anything they wish to share. However, District 2's Marsha Newman proposed limits to this time that will curtail the repetition of statements by each member and will instead be pertinent to items addressed at the meeting or specific to the member's district. These new restrictions were approved and adopted by the board.
Director of Personnel Lisa Magee presented the personnel report to be accepted by the Board. Items of note included the contract renewals of Central Office staff Amanda Stafford, Dana Knight, Kristy Bennett, Stacy Payne, Suzette Nielson and Yalonda Jordan. Contracts were also renewed for Assistant Principals Christopher Gale and Leighann Morel. Longtime Guidance Counselor at Franklinton High School Angela Thomas retired. Mrs. Magee also gave the Superintendent's Report in the absence of Jennifer Thomas. Summer School is off to a great start and will run through June 27. Also, the district is accepting registration for PreK 4 and will do so throughout the summer.
