Jones had most recently been Assistant Principal at Choudrant for the past eight years. Holcomb has been the Simsboro Interim Principal for the past year.
The board approved payment of the May salary supplement checks for school personnel, often called the “14 check.” Authorized was $6,112 for personnel with teaching certificates and $3,056 for those not certified. It was noted that sales taxes in the district had increased over the past year.
Superintendent Ricky Durrett said, “These are both increases of about $848 for certified people from last year, and $425 for support staff.”
Asked how much an increase that was from last year, Business Manager Juanita Duke said it was about 17% increase over the payment for last year.
According to the monthly sales tax report, for the first nine months of the tax year, the district has collected just over $1 million more than the same period last year, or about a 5.3% increase.
Personnel Director Doris Lewis presented the monthly personnel report.
Liz White, Terence Flucas – Coalition Against School Closures
Emotions are still high on the Lincoln Parish School Board – as high as we ever seen in our 14 years of coverage – regarding a plan to close two schools and renovate several others to accommodate the relocated students, and a $75 million tax levy to pay for it all.
At last night’s meeting, even the most routine of matters – ratification of the minutes of a previous meeting – was a split vote.
District 2’s David Ferguson objected to the minutes as printed, saying “I’ve been in theses meetings, and what I say has not been printed. I want make a record that what I say goes on record in these minutes. People call me and ask me that nothing you say is being printed to see. Everything printed is hunky-dory like everything is apple pie, and its not. I want it to be known of my opposition, and I want it printed.”
Ferguson and District 1’s Danielle Williams also objected to how school policies were formulated, saying those should originate with the board, rather than administrators. Disciplinary reports need to be reported back to the board, the two said.
Coalition Against School Closures Co-Chair Terrence Flucas addressed the board and expressed the group’s opposition.
Said Flucas, “We are here today for one purpose and one purpose only, and that is hoping that this board will reconsider their decision to consolidate four elementary schools into two enhanced schools on the north side of Interstate 20. We believe that closing two schools on the south side of I-20 will be a detriment to our community.” He added, “In the best interests of this school system, we believe this is a decision that should have been made with input from the community.”
Co-chair Liz White read from a resolution presented to the board members.
Williams asked had a traffic study been done, to which District Superintendent Ricky Durrett said that they had reviewed bus and auto traffic, but no comprehensive study.
Jackie Sumler said that children are on the bus at 6:00 AM in the morning, and wondered if they were ready to learn when they arrived at school.
Jerry Baldwin said, “It won’t do any harm to reconsider” the vote to hold the tax election
Several more speakers were heard from before a the motion was made to amend the agenda.
Assistant District Attorney Lewis, the boards legal advisor, cautioned that such a motion to be successful had to be unanimous, and that it was problematic to change the agenda this late in a meeting.
As we reported last night, the vote failed, and as of now, the tax election is still scheduled for Saturday, April 29.
A move at tonight’s meeting of the Lincoln Parish School Board to postpone a tax election set for April 29 was defeated because the vote to amend the agenda and allow a vote to postpone had to be unanimous. That said, a majority of the board actually did vote to amend, eight yes, and four no.
Voting to amend: Henderson, Mack, Anders, Doss, Williams, Ferguson, Canterbury, and Phillips.
A $600 thousand agreement was approved at last night’s meeting of Ruston’s Board of Aldermen that will start surveying and engineering for a proposed service road along I-20 westbound from the Tarbutton exit to the Grambling exit. That service road would be part of infrastructure improvement necessary for a Buc-cee’s Travel Center to locate at Tarbutton.
Public Works Utilities Manager Andrew Halbrook said, “This resolution for a professional services agreement is with Stantec. They will begin the survey, right-of -way design, and first phase of infrastructure design to support the development.”
Mayor Ronny Walker noted that traffic count studies were already underway.
According to reports, the frontage road and other infrastructure will cost up to $24 million. Funding for the projects apparently hasn’t been secured.
The council also adopted an ordinance creating the Economic Development District No. 2, also for the Buc-cee’s project.
Sales and use taxes from the district would be used to finance economic development projects within the district.
Shreveport attorney Mike Brusada, who specializes in public finance, said, “You will be the board of the district, as the Board of Aldermen. Those taxes will be used to help fund and finance the Buc-cee’s.”
At the meeting’s beginning the council certified the recent local option election held last month, and introduced a city ordinance amendment setting licensing fees for businesses that sell alcohol.
The April 29 property tax election districts are unique in their makeup, as they reflect school attendance zones and have no relation to other political boundaries of Lincoln Parish – municipal, school board/police jury districts, fire districts, etc. They also have their own set of voter demographics which can sometimes predict voting patterns.
Ruston School District No. 1 will vote on the re-imposition of an expiring 20 year, 17.75 mil property tax to pay for $65 million of borrowing for new construction in the district.
The Simsboro School District No. 3 will vote on the re-imposition of an expiring 20 year, 5.55 mil property tax, plus 5.75 mils of new taxes to pay for $10 million of debt for that district’s new construction.
LPPJ Administrator Courtney Hall, President Richard Durrett, Karen Sutton Sanders, Jennifer Sutton Farrar, Joey Sutton
Long-time Lincoln Parish Police Jury Secretary-Treasurer and Administrator Reagan Sutton was recognized at last night’s meeting of the jury as a public servant who was honest, forthright, dedicated, and committed to good government in Lincoln Parish.
On hand to receive a resolution of condolence and recognition were Sutton’s two daughters and son, and several other family members.
Said Interim Administrator Courtney Hall, “As I was writing this resolution it was really profound to me that I was sitting at his desk in his office.”
Among the Lincoln Parish institutions and services Sutton had a hand in developing were the Lincoln Parish Library, the Lincoln Parish Solid Waste System, the Lincoln Parish Detention Center, and the Lincoln Parish Park.
Earlier, the Finance Committee approved language that will amend the law that governs the Lincoln Parish Hospital Proceeds Fund.
Said Treasurer Michael Sutton, “This bill will allow to invest the funds in more prudent investments, which would allow a more stable revenue stream. That statute has a longer list of instruments that we can invest in compared to the way we are currently doing it.”
The principal – about $10 million – won’t be spent, but the interest from investments would be used for health related projects.
Also, requests for proposals will be solicited for management of the fund and its investments.
See here the draft of changes to the law. The full jury approved the committee’s action.
Lincoln Parish News Online 