Superintendent Report:

The new school is 95% finished and Mr. Skinner encouraged the public to visit if they have not done so already.

Old Business:

District Representative and Louisiana School Board Association board member, Bullard encouraged the board members to participate in the LSBA activities. 2015 legislative session just ended and an analysis will be presented at an update conference in September.

Motion to Adopt Millage rates for tax year 2015

Comments:

Public and Board Comment before the vote on the millages

Donna Mason- would like to place faith in the integrity of the board after having a month to look at the budget and to think about the children when voting. The schools cannot open without a vote, and encouraged the board to approve millages and turn budget over to the state auditor and tax assessor.

Mr. Payne- Consider the students and be concerned with their education. Get the schools back in order. Not much has changed since the schools were integrated in 1967.

Steve Harris- There was a misinterpretation of the truth behind the reasoning of the last vote. 2014-2015. Harris stated that the budget was $2.6 million in the red and 2015-2016 is estimated at $3.7 million in the red.   There is a concern that the board was not truly looking at the budget before voting.

Dale Skinner said that 85% of the budget is salaries, benefits and retirement and that.  No one on the board spoke up last year when the staffing decisions were made. There can be a balanced budget, but it may result in schools shutting down, etc.  Next year the budget will be looked at from every angle.

Emil Metoyer asked why are only teacher’s and janitor’s positions being cut? Why not look at buses, administrative officers?

Mr. Rhymes reminded that every Board Member will be on the Budget Committee for next year’s budget and encouraged them to get involved.

Millages were approved 6 to 5.

Voting to approve the millages were board members:

Garner, Melder, Danzy, Hilton, Daniels, Rhymes

Voting against were:

Metoyer, Harris, J. Wilson, R. Wilson, Graham

Discuss the naming of the new Junior High School.

There was a motion by J. Wilson, seconded by R. Wilson, to change the name of the new Junior High School.  Previously the board approved “Natchitoches Junior High School” as the name of the new school.

After some discussion the vote to change the name was approved.  Mr. Hilton was the only dissenting vote.

Next a motion was made by J. Wilson, seconded by R. Wilson to name the new Junior High School “Frankie Ray Jackson Natchitoches Junior High School”.

Public and Board Comments before the vote to name the new Junior High

A officer of the Jackson Square Bailey Heights Home Owner’s Association, read a resolution stating the association desires that the school be named  after Frankie Ray Jackson.   He noted that Mr. Jackson had a positive impact on many children and left a dynamic legacy.

Robert Jackson recommended that the school be named for Frankie Ray Jackson because he provided leadership to the Parish during the time of integration.  He stated that the board would be sending a bad message to the students, the community and the Federal Court if they did not name the school after Mr. Jackson.

Former School Board Member Donna Mason said that she supports the ideals of Frankie Ray Jackson but there  is already a school named after him, and if the new school is named after Frankie Ray Jackson, the technical school will have to be renamed.  She reminded the Board that the technical school was named in his honor and that it was his dream that all children would receive an education.

The motion failed 5-5 to name the new school “Frankie Ray Jackson Natchitoches failed:

Board member voting for:

Metoyer, Harris, J. Wilson, R. Wilson, Graham

Board members voting against:

Garner, Danzy, Hilton, Melder, Daniels

Board member abstaining:

Rhymes

Next Board Member Melder noting the board’s attorney’s suggestion at compromise and a suggestion by Mr. Payne that the board should consider naming the school “Natchitoches Central Junior High School at the Frankie Ray Jackson Complex” offered a motion for board consideration of that name.

Motion passed 6-3 to name the school  “Natchitoches Central Junior High School at the Frankie Ray Jackson Complex”.

Board members voting for:

Garner, Danzy, Hilton, Melder, Daniels and Rhymes

Board members voting against:

Metoyer, R.  Wilson, and Graham

Finance, Facilities, Services, & Insurance Report

Consider approving resolution authorizing the advertising for sealed bids for the purchase of Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ( $3,500,000) of General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2015 of Consolidated School District No. 8 of the Parish of Natchitoches, State of Louisiana, and providing for other matters in connection therewith.

Mr. Osborn addressed the board and explained that this resolution would authorize the notification of bond sale via the newspaper and the Internet. The bonds will be callable for redemption until 2025. He will return to the August 6^th meeting at 2 p.m. to discuss the bids.

Resolution was approved 11-0.

The 2015-2016 Budget was not voted on and will be considered at a later date once additional cuts are made to balance the budget.

 

Personnel Report

Consider approving new position: District Maintenance Coordinator for HVAC and Child Nutrition. Will be paid out of maintenance funds.

Metoyer requested to see the salaries for the new positions. The positions have been established and will be properly advertised and training will be available if necessary.

Near the end – Board Members  J. Wilson and Harris left the meeting early.