Bogalusa High School- Library

100 M.J. Israel Drive-Bogalusa, LA

Special Board Meeting

November 16, 2011

Immediately Following Committee Meeting

(Please Note:  Committee Meeting will convene at 5:30P.M.)

 

Proceedings Of The Bogalusa School Board, Taken AT A Special Board Meeting That Was Held On Wednesday, November 16, 2011

 

The Bogalusa School Board met in a Special Board Meeting at Bogalusa High School in the Library, located at 100 M.J. Israel Drive, Bogalusa, Louisiana, on Wednesday, November 16, 2011, beginning immediately following the Committee Meeting that convened at 5:30P.M., for the purpose of addressing and/or taking actions on the Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB) Loan.

 

1.)        Call to Order

President Paul Kates called the meeting to order at 6:25 P.M.

 

2.)        Pledge of Allegiance

Superintendent Louise Smith led the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

3.)        Prayer

Reverend Raymond Mims delivered the opening prayer.

 

4.)        Roll Call

There were present:  President, Mr. Paul Kates; Vice President, Mr. Adam Kemp; Members:  Mr. Curtis Creel, Mrs. Eleanor Duke, Mr. Calvin Hymel, Reverend Raymond Mims, and Dr. Brad Williams

 

There was absent:  None

 

At this point President Kates recessed to Public Session.

 

5.)        Recess To Public Session

Wilda Peters- Mrs. Peters stated her address as 1909 Dolly Avenue Bogalusa.  Her voiced concern was regarding her granddaughter who attends Bogalusa Middle School and the decision that was made when there was an alternation between her granddaughter and another student. According to Ms. Peters her granddaughter did not hit anybody; she was hit. She also stated that there was meeting and diversion was offered to her granddaughter.  ”Why would you charge me fifty dollars ($50.00) when my child didn’t do anything, says Ms. Peters?”   

 

6.)        New Business

 

A.         Grant permission to remove from TABLED status, line item ”A” of Monday 3 October 2011, Special Meeting as follow:  Consider and/or take action on the Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB) loan according to the requirements set forth by Regions Bank for the purchase of six million ($6,000,000) dollars in qualified School Construction Bonds. 

It was motioned by Vice President Kemp, seconded by Reverend Mims to remove the line item from a TABLED status. There was no farther action regarding this line item.  The motion was carried unanimously.

 

B.)        Grant permission to authorize issuance of $6,000,000 Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB) Series 2011 and providing for other matter in connection therewith.

Prior to any action on line item ”B” Mrs. Walker introduced Alan Offner to give insight and additional information regarding the Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCB). ”We have been looking at this since November last year. At first, Whitney was not interested; that's who your fiscal agent was at this time. Capital One looked at it for several months, they weren’t interested.  Then we went to Regions.  Regions came up with an offer; but after your staff looked into the situation; the out of town bank wanted basically all of your money; I think they kind of shot that down to the various cost and all that was involved in that. Also, they wanted you all to do a Subsidy Bond, where you all would pay the full… (Pausing and not completing this statement). They wanted an interest rate of six-point, four–seven (6.47%) percent; and you had a four-point, nine-three (4.93%) credit.  Instead of Regions applying for the credit from the federal government, like most of the constructions; they wanted you all to pay the interest and them get the reimburse every six months. I told them quite simply that the School Board for a variety of reasons would want the bank to do the tax credit the other way around.  We went back out and Whitney; which was replaced by The First Bank came and said they were interested; and Capital One also said that they were interested; so now we ended up with two (2) bids.  Capital One came in late last week; and the bid for The First Bank was put in the final form today.”  Mr. Offner went on to explain the details of the offers between The First Bank and Capital One. He stated that between the two (2) banks the district would come out basically six hundred fifty-nine, thousand ($659,000) dollars better, with The First Bank. ”Now, The First Bank is going to require six hundred thousand ($600,000) dollars reserve funding; money on hand; but that money can also be invested because it’s qualified reserved money. So, what The First Bank is getting out of this is a credit of four-point, nine-three (4.93%) percent, if they can get that credit, for you. These bonds will be payable through excess revenue of the School Board including balances going forward.  I might point out that the first payment on June 1, 2012, will be approximately four hundred, seventy-nine thousand ($479,000) dollars; and that’s a decline each year of three hundred forty thousand ($340,000).  I said June 1, 2012; I should have also said,

 

June 1, 2025, thirteen years.  That’s basically it. You just need to sign the commitment agreement which would allow me to move forward.  I have to get it to the Louisiana Department of Education tomorrow.  They had given a deadline of November 18th, so I want to get this to them tomorrow; that means your allocation would stay in place.  They will probably deliver these in December, right before the School Board goes on vacation.  One thing I want to remind you all is, you have to spend all six million ($6,000,000) dollars in three (3) years.  And, any amount that is not spent, you’ve got to go ahead and make a prepayment on that money.  The Resolution is providing you to set aside sufficient excess revenue including balances going forward,” says Mr. Offner.  Mrs. Walker stated that she and Superintendent Smith would set down with the Board and come up with a plan on how the money should be spent.

 

It was motioned by Vice President Kemp, seconded by Reverend Mims to grant permission.  The motion was carried unanimously.

 

C.)      Grant Bogalusa School Board to call election on Saturday, March 24, 2012 to authorize renewal of a 10-year Mill Property Tax salaries and benefits to all full-time employees; and 10-year 5.02 Mill Tax renewal for maintenance and operation.

It was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Mrs. Duke to grant permission.  The motion was carried unanimously.

 

At this point Mrs. Walker stated, ”President Kates I forgot to mention, Mrs. Joan Williams; is here from The First.  She was just coming as a representative from The First.  We want to let you know that we thank The First for entering into an agreement with us; and I didn’t know if you wanted to say anything,” says Mrs. Walker.

Statement from Mrs. Joan Williams-The First-”I just wanted to say one little thing.  I just want to thank the Board and Superintendent Smith for giving us the opportunity to look at these bonds. We were kind of late to the ball game; but I think they did a great job of catching up. I think The First is committed not only to this School Board but to this community.”

 

D.)       Grant permission to amend the votes and unanimously carried motion of line item ”I”, at Thursday 27 October 2011 Regular Board Meeting to hold Thursday 17 November 2011 Regular Board Meeting at Bogalusa Middle School’s Library; and grant permission for the Regular Board Meeting of Thursday 17 November 2011 to be held at the Bogalusa School Board Office Media Center, located at 1705 Sullivan Drive.

It was motioned by Vice President Kemp, seconded by Mrs. Duke to grant permission. The motion was carried unanimously.

 

President Kates asked that the tabled line item under Personnel at the October 27th board meeting be placed back on the agenda, for Thursday night’s board meeting.

 

7.)        Superintendent Comments- Louise Smith

Superintendent Smith had no comments.

 

8.)       Board Members Comments

Mrs. Eleanor Duke- ”I just want to ask a question, Mr. Stewart, what about the paving of the parking lot at Bogalusa High.  Is that making progress?”  Mr. Stewart replied, ”Yes ma’am I got the written quote today; and had the guy come and look. Mrs. Deloris has the quote.”  ”I’ll do a purchase order tomorrow,” says Mrs. Walker.  ”We’ll get that taken care of over the Thanksgiving Holiday,” added Mr. Stewart.

 

Vice President Mr. Adam Kemp- ”Mr. Stewart, I also have a question for you.  Thursday it is turning cold; and I know we had some issues with the boilers.  Are the boilers up and running?”   ”As far as I know, yes.  Mr. Greg Mickenheim changed the coils that were busted and as far as I know it’s back up and running; but I can not be sure.”

 

Dr. Brad Williams- ”We’re dealing with discipline and respect for authority.  If there are special ed hoops and things to be gone through; if there are any questions at all we have Bob Hammonds; and Mr. Stewart is also in that firm who are experts in this area.  Mr. Hammonds himself told me that ninety (90%) percent of the time we should be able to remove unruly, disorderly students from the classroom, regardless of their IEP and special ed status, if you’ve done your documentation correctly.”

 

President Mr. Paul Kates- ”I would like to say, on this six million dollars bond; you know I believe this Board is dedicated to refurbishing some of our schools; but what we want everyone to know in our community is that we are going to have to make hard decisions.  We are going to have to have a retreat to discuss the things that we are going to do and how we are going to move this system forward; and what schools we are going to refurbish.  We probably will have to close down another school or two, because of the amount of kids that we have in this system.  We can’t continue to operate all of these facilities with fewer children.  We need to think logical of what’s best for our children; and we probably are going to be thinking about reconfiguration; and lot of other things that we will sit down and discuss.  We need to use these six million dollars wisely; and six million dollars is not a whole lot of money, when you look at it.  I think this Board is dedicated to the school system; and we want to do what’s right for our children.  We need to look at this real close and hard to make a good sound decision.  I thank everyone for coming tonight.”

 

Mr. Curtis Creel- ”I don’t want this Board to loose focus of what we’re here for.  And, given all the other internal things that we’re dealing with; and already we’ve disrupted one school, with personnel changes; and it appears that maybe we’re headed in the same direction to do the same thing again with another school.  To go back to the comment, I feel like internally we have got to have someone within this system that is capable to take that school; I mean Byrd Avenue; take that school and go back to where it is; the performing school that it is; and can continue to be.  I think that is our most important decision that we need to make at this time.” 

 

Vice President Mr. Adam Kemp-”Our job is to vote; yes or no. When Mrs. Smith brings to the Board her recommendations, we each vote.  If we agree with the recommendation we vote for the recommendation.  If we don’t, we vote nay and move forward; but the decision has to be made straight out this is what we’re doing and this is why we’re doing it. Me personally, I’d like to know somewhat prior to what the intentions are.  Our job is not to dictate. 

 

Our job is not to try and control.  Our job is to either vote yea or nay.  We are not always going to agree but we have to agree to disagree respectfully.

 

President Kates asked if there were any more comments.  There were none; and he adjourned.

 

9.)          Adjourn

There being no further business to address, or comments President Kates adjourned at 6:50P.M.

 

____________________________                      ___________________________

Louise Smith                                                                 Paul D. Kates

Secretary to the Board                                                 Board President