PROCEEDINGS OF THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF EAST FELICIANA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A SPECIAL MEETING HELD ON MARCH 16, 2010

 

March 3, 2010

                                                                             

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING

 

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a Special Meeting of the Parish School Board of the Parish of East Feliciana, State of Louisiana, has been ordered and will be held on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at six o’clock p.m. (6:00 p.m.), Daylight saving time, at the East Feliciana Parish School Board Central Office  located at 12732 Silliman Street, Town of Clinton, Louisiana, for the following purposes, to-wit:

 

 1.        Call to Order.

 

 2.        Approval of the agenda

 

 3.        Discussion and action regarding consolidation/non-consolidation proposals in light of projected budget shortfalls

 

 4.        Notification to all personnel of initiating a reduction in force (RIF) action utilizing Board Policy File: GBNB, entitled “Reduction In Staff Personnel”

 

This is a very important meeting and all members are urged to attend.

 

BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT

 

                                   /s/                                               

DOUGLAS BEAUCHAMP, JR., SUPERINTENDENT

EAST FELICIANA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

 

            There were present: School Board Members Mitchell Harrell, Richard Terrell, Elizabeth “Beth” Dawson, Oliver Wingfield, Leon “Sonny” Franklin, J. Curtis Jelks, Michael Bradford, Anthony “Tony” Rouchon, Willie M. Jackson and Matthew Peterson.  Board Members absent: Clay Barksdale and Henry C. Howell, IV.  Other Attendees: Douglas Beauchamp, Jr., Superintendent, Irma Lee Bendily, Administrative Assistant, Samuel D’Aquilla, District Attorney 20th Judicial District.

 

            Board President J. Curtis Jelks advised attendees to the Fire Marshal Room Limit of a capacity in this meeting room to 72 people and asked everyone who is not seated, with the exception of the Press, to go outside and we will leave the doors open.  He noted that fifteen (15) people can listen from in the conference room.

 

            Board President J. Curtis Jelks asked Board Member Mitchell Harrell to open the meeting with prayer.  Board President J. Curtis Jelks lead the Pledge of Allegiance to The Flag in unison.

 

            The Parish School Board of the Parish of East Feliciana, State of Louisiana, was duly convened as the governing authority of said Parish for school purposes by Board President Jelks, who announced the purposes of said meeting in accordance with the aforesaid written notice thereof.  Board President Jelks stated the Board was ready for transaction of business.

 

Item 2.             Motion by Mr. A. Rouchon, seconded by Mr. Franklin, to approve the agenda as set forth above.

 

            Board President Jelks then asked for any public comment before a vote is taken on this motion.

 

            Substitute motion by Vice-President Bradford to delete Item 3. from the above agenda.

 

            Board President Jelks noted Asst. D.A. Hughes has previously noted that Items cannot be deleted from an agenda that has been posted and turned the floor over to D.A. D’Aquilla.

 

            Vice-President Bradford questioned is this something new Mr. D’Aquilla?

 

            D.A. D’Aquilla related no.  If you add something on there you have to get a substitute motion.  But if it is posted and has been out there for at least 24 hours, so that is kinda what is on the meeting agenda tonight.  You can vote not to accept it.

 

            Board President Jelks then asked for any public comment before a vote is taken on the original motion.  Receiving none, Board President Jelks proceeded with a roll-call vote:

 

                        Yeas:                                        Harrell, Terrell, Dawson, Wingfield, Franklin, Jelks, A. Rouchon, W. Jackson and Peterson

                        Opposed:                                 Bradford

                        Absent and not voting:              Barksdale and Howell

 

Board President Jelks announced by a majority vote of 9 to 1, with 2 absent and not voting, the original motion carried.

 

            Board President Jelks turned the floor over to Superintendent Beauchamp.

 

            Superintendent Beauchamp related the following expressions of sympathy:

 

                        (1)        Family of Mrs. Trilby Estes, Retired Teacher; in her passing on Thursday, March 4, 2010

                        (2)        Family of Mr. E.S. “Buggs” Barnes, former School Board Member; in his passing on Friday, March 5, 2010

                        (3)        Family of Mr. Charles Shropshire, Sr., Area Attorney and former 20th Judicial District Attorney; in his passing on Saturday, March 6, 2010

 

            Superintendent Beauchamp concluded by requesting a moment of silence.  Amen.

 

Item 3.             Motion by Mrs. Dawson, seconded by Mr. Franklin to consolidate the schools.

 

            Substitute motion by Mr. Harrell, seconded by Mr. Peterson to consolidate with the High School being in Jackson and the Middle School being in Clinton.

 

            Board President Jelks then asked for any public comment before a vote is taken on the substitute motion.

 

            After discussion by Vice-President Bradford, Board President Jelks, Board Members Harrell, Dawson, A. Rouchon, Franklin, W. Jackson, Mr. George Johnson, Mrs. Royann Lane, Mr. Ricardo Matthews, Mrs. Alice Young, Mrs. Josette Cook, Rev. Emmett Collins, Jr., Ms. Ursula Shaw, Mrs. Danita Anderson, Mrs. Mary Lee Wilson and Mr. Robert Bingham, along with responses by Superintendent Beauchamp and D.A. D’Aquilla, Board President Jelks asked Board Members Harrell and Peterson to include in their motion to take care of any legal contingencies that may arise with this consolidation and the Desegregation Order.

 

            Board Members Harrell and Peterson concurred with this request.

 

            Board President Jelks proceeded with a roll-call vote:

 

                        Yeas:                                        Harrell, Dawson, Wingfield, Jelks, A. Rouchon, W. Jackson and Peterson

                        Opposed:                                 Terrell, Franklin and Bradford

                        Absent and not voting:              Barksdale and Howell

 

Board President Jelks announced by a majority vote of 7 to 3, with 2 absent and not voting, the substitute motion carried.                       

 

            Board Member Richard Terrell left the meeting at this time.

 

Item 4.             Board President Jelks turned the floor over to Superintendent Beauchamp.

 

            Superintendent Beauchamp related based on the decision and in conjunction with Item 4. Notification to all personnel of initiating a reduction in force (RIF) action utilizing Board Policy File: GBNB, entitled “Reduction In Staff Personnel,” there are some time lines that need to be met, as follows: April 2, 2010, Evaluations of all Personnel, May 14, 2010 issue a General Written Notice of the Reduction In Force to all Employees stating which positions to be reduced, then at least 15 days later we notify by May 31, 2010 all Terminated Employees based on the point system in the RIF Policy and June 30, 2010 will be the termination date.  He noted the specific number of personnel to be terminated will actually be determined by the salaries of the people being terminated and the RIF Policy is District wide over the whole Parish.

 

            Vice-President Bradford requested information broken down into support workers, teachers and administrators on the racial makeup of each school before and after application of the RIF Policy and Consolidation Plans.

 

            There being no further business to come before the Board, a motion for adjournment by Mrs. Dawson, seconded by Mr. Wingfield, prevailed until the next regular meeting unless called into special session by the President.

 

DOUGLAS BEAUCHAMP, JR.,

SECRETARY-TREASURER

 

J. CURTIS JELKS,

PRESIDENT