REGULAR SESSION (Monday, May 6, 2019)
Generated by Sharron LeDoux on Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Members present
Douglas LaCombe, Delo Hebert, Becky Atkinson, Steve Jones, Ike Richard, James Higginbotham, Milton Simar
Legal Counsel Jon Guice via Skype
Meeting called to order at 5:03 PM
1. OPENING ITEMS
Procedural: 1.1 Call To Order
Procedural: 1.2 Roll Call
Procedural: 1.3 Prayer led by Milton Simar
Procedural: 1.4 Pledge of Allegiance by Ike Richard
Recognition: 1.5 Recognize Church Point High School's teacher Jazlyn Thibodeaux, recipient of the Louisiana Association of Principals' Aspiring Principals Scholarship
Debbie Schum with the Louisiana Association of Principals and Keith Brooks with Horace Mann, sponsor of this scholarship, introduced Mrs. Thibodeaux and outlined her qualifications for winning this award. Superintendent Richard and the members of the Board congratulated Mrs. Thibodeaux on her achievement.
Recognition: 1.6 Recognize Iota Middle School's baseball team for winning the Lafayette Parish Middle School League championship title
Coach Ryan Henderson introduced each player to the Board. The team was congratulated by the Superintendent, members of the Board and the audience.
2. ACTION ITEMS
Action, Minutes: 2.1 Approve minutes of the April 1, 2019 Regular Session meeting, and the minutes of the Budget & Finance Committee, and the Personnel, Insurance & Curriculum Committee meetings dated April 29, 2019
Motion to approve minutes of the April 1. 2019 Regular Session meeting, and the minutes of the Budget & Finance Committee, and the Personnel, Insurance & Curriculum Committee meetings dated April 29, 2019
Motion by Delo Hebert, second by Steve Jones.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Yea: Douglas LaCombe, Delo Hebert, Becky Atkinson, Steve Jones, Ike Richard, James Higginbotham, Milton Simar
Action: 2.2 Consider approval of a Resolution declaring May 6 - 10, 2019 as Teacher Appreciation Week
Motion to approve a resolution declaring May 6 - 10, 2019 as Teacher Appreciation Week
Motion by Douglas LaCombe, second by Becky Atkinson.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Yea: Douglas LaCombe, Delo Hebert, Becky Atkinson, Steve Jones, Ike Richard, James Higginbotham, Milton Simar
APSB RESOLUTION – TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
MAY 6-10, 2019
WHEREAS, teachers mold future citizens through guidance and education; and,
WHEREAS, teachers encounter students of widely differing backgrounds; and,
WHEREAS, our parish, our state and our country’s future depends upon providing quality education to all students; and,
WHEREAS, teachers spend countless hours preparing lessons, evaluating progress, counseling and coaching students and performing community service; and,
WHEREAS, our community in Acadia Parish recognizes and supports its teachers in educating the over 9,000 students of this community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVEDthat the Acadia Parish School Board proclaims May 6-10, 2019, to be TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Acadia Parish School Board strongly encourages all members of our community to join with it in personally expressing appreciation to our teachers for their dedication and devotion to their hard work.
Adopted this 6th day of May, 2019.
Signed:
/s/ James Higginbotham__________________
President James “Boz” Higginbotham
Attest:
/s/ Scott M. Richard_____________________
Superintendent Scott M. Richard
Action: 2.3 Consider conducting a public hearing on the proposed 2019-2020 budget on Monday, July 1, 2019 at 5:00 PM
Motion to approve conducting a public hearing on the proposed 2019-2020 budget on Monday, July 1, 2019 at 5:00 PM
Motion by Delo Hebert, second by Ike Richard.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Yea: Douglas LaCombe, Delo Hebert, Becky Atkinson, Steve Jones, Ike Richard, James Higginbotham, Milton Simar
3. ROUTINE ITEMS
Action: 3.1 Consider recommendation of the Budget & Finance Committee regarding approval of the revenue for the 2019-2020 Budget
Motion to approve revenue for the 2019-2020 budget
Motion by Delo Hebert, second by Steve Jones.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Yea: Douglas LaCombe, Delo Hebert, Becky Atkinson, Steve Jones, Ike Richard, James Higginbotham, Milton Simar
Action: 3.2 Consider recommendation of the Budget & Finance Committee regarding the APSB Resolution of Sales and Use Tax Collection and Administration
Motion to approve APSB Resolution of Sales and Use Tax Collection and Administration
Motion by Delo Hebert, second by Douglas LaCombe.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Yea: Douglas LaCombe, Delo Hebert, Becky Atkinson, Steve Jones, Ike Richard, James Higginbotham, Milton Simar
ACADIA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
SALES AND USE TAX COLLECTION AND ADMINISTRATION
WHEREAS, the Article VII, Section 3 of the Louisiana Constitution provides that local sales and use taxes are to be collected by a single collector in each parish;
WHEREAS, Article VII, Section 3 also provides for the use of a parish commission or one of the local political subdivisions to serve as the single parish collector of local sales and use taxes;
WHEREAS, the authority to “collect” local sales and use taxes has been determined by the Courts to include the authority to administer the collection, including making decisions as to when to audit persons or businesses thought to be unlawfully evading taxation or, in some cases, collecting sales taxes on transactions and failing to fully remit them to the local collector;
WHEREAS, School Boards serve as the single parish collector of local sales and use taxes in over thirty (30) parishes;
WHEREAS, pre-filed in the 2019 Regular Session is HB 57, which proposes to amend the LA Constitution to allow the Legislature to repeal the authority of local governments to control the collection of local sales taxes and place that authority with the State, a concept often referred to as State Central Collection;
WHEREAS, State Central Collection would have the State taking possession of local tax revenues, withholding an administrative fee, then disbursing the balance down to the School Board or other local taxing authority;
WHEREAS, State Central Collection poses too great a risk that local education tax dollars will not be promptly disbursed or that the administrative fee withheld by the State may become a means of resolving State fiscal issues;
WHEREAS, repealing or diminishing the Constitutional authority for local collection of local sales and use taxes will impair the ability of those local collectors to perform the necessary function of auditing vendors to ensure compliance with the legal obligation to collect and remit local sales taxes;
WHEREAS, given the vital role that the proper, effective, and efficient collection of local sales and use taxes plays in the operation of school districts and the education of children, the Louisiana School Boards Association has always fought any efforts to repeal, reduce or constrain the authority of the local collector to collect local sales and use taxes, regardless of who has offered the proposal;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the SCHOOL DISTRICT, by action of its duly elected governing authority, does hereby urge and request the Louisiana Legislature, and in particular the Legislative Delegation of PARISH to oppose HB 57 and any other Legislative effort to reject any proposal to repeal or impair local sales and use taxes;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the SCHOOL DISTRICT, by action of its duly elected governing authority, does hereby urge and request the Louisiana Legislature, and in particular the Legislative Delegation of PARISH to reject any proposal that repeals, reduces or constrains the authority of the local collector to collect local sales and use taxes;
FINALLY, BE IT RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be provided to each member of the Legislative Delegation of PARISH, and the Governor of the State of Louisiana.
Action: 3.3 Consider recommendation of the Budget & Finance Committee regarding approval of bids received for 2019-2020 Official Journal
Motion to consider approval of bids received for 2019-2020 Official Journal
Motion by Delo Hebert, second by Steve Jones.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Yea: Douglas LaCombe, Delo Hebert, Becky Atkinson, Steve Jones, Ike Richard, James Higginbotham, Milton Simar
Action: 3.4 Consider the recommendation of the Budget & Finance Committee regarding approval of a one-time funding request to the federal Head Start office, Region 6, Dallas, TX in order for the APSB/Head Start program to pursue the purchase of three specialized school buses for their program
Motion to approve a one-time funding request to the federal Head Start office, Region 6, Dallas, TX in order for the APSB/Head Start program to pursue the purchase of three specialized school buses for their program
Motion by Delo Hebert, second by Steve Jones.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Yea: Douglas LaCombe, Delo Hebert, Becky Atkinson, Steve Jones, Ike Richard, James Higginbotham, Milton Simar
Action: 3.5 Consider recommendation of the Personnel, Insurance & Curriculum Committee regarding the approval a travel request from Midland High School Family Career and Community Leaders of America to attend the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, California from June 28, 2019 to July 5, 2019
Motion to approve a travel request from Midland High School Family Career and Community Leaders of America to attend the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, California from June 28, 2019 to July 5, 2019
Motion by Delo Hebert, second by Ike Richard.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Yea: Douglas LaCombe, Delo Hebert, Becky Atkinson, Steve Jones, Ike Richard, James Higginbotham, Milton Simar
Action: 3.6 Consider recommendation of the Personnel, Insurance and Curriculum Committee regarding a travel request from Church Point Elementary School BETA Club to attend the National BETA Convention in Oklahoma City, OK from June 14, 2019 to June 17, 2019
Motion to approve a travel request from Church Point Elementary School BETA Club to attend the National BETA Convention in Oklahoma City, OK from June 14, 2019 to June 17, 2019
Motion by Delo Hebert, second by Becky Atkinson.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Yea: Douglas LaCombe, Delo Hebert, Becky Atkinson, Steve Jones, Ike Richard, James Higginbotham, Milton Simar
4. CONSENT ITEMS
Procedural: 4.1 Receive assignments and changes of personnel
Procedural: 4.2 Receive Sales Tax report
5. SUPERINTENDENT'S COMMENTS
Information, Procedural: 5.1 Superintendent's Comments
Superintendent Richard extended his thanks to all teachers for their time and dedication in making the recent testings successful. He asked everyone to please take the time to show their appreciation to teachers this week. Keven Berken, candidate for State Senate District 25 was allowed to speak to the Board.
6. CLOSING
Action, Procedural: 6.1 Adjourn meeting
Motion to adjourn meeting
Motion by Delo Hebert, second by Becky Atkinson.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Yea: Douglas LaCombe, Delo Hebert, Becky Atkinson, Steve Jones, Ike Richard, James Higginbotham, Milton Simar
Meeting adjourned 5:32 PM
ATTEST
____________________________________
James Higginbotham, President
____________________________________
Scott M. Richard, Superintendent