Many, LA 71449
July 11, 2022
1. Meeting Opening:
The Parish School Board of Many, Louisiana, Sabine Parish, met in a regular called public session on July 11, at 5:30 p.m. at 265 Middle Creek Road, Many, Louisiana, with the following members present: Terrell Snelling, Board President; Dr. Leah Byles, Board Vice President; Daron Chandler, Spencer Faust, Donald Garcie, Kowonno Greene, Donald Remedies and Dale Skinner.
Absent: Genevieve Gordon (though watched/listened virtually).
The meeting was called to order by President Terrell Snelling. Spencer Faust gave the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance was rendered.
2. Recognition of Visitors:
No visitors were recognized at this time.
3. Consent Agenda:
On motion by Donald Garcie and seconded by Kowonno Greene, it was carried to approve the consent agenda as follows:
A. Approve and adopt Board Meeting Minutes of June 13, 2022;
B. Approve 2022-2023 Indian Education Grant;
C. Approve ACHIEVE! Budget Revision;
D. Approve 2022-2023 Super App Budget
E. Approve Dual Enrollment MOU between NSU and SPSB for Academic Year 2022-2023;
F. Approve Dual Enrollment MOU between BPCC and SPSB for Academic Year 2022-2023;
G. Approve and adopt Consent Agenda Items 3A-3G.
4. Regular Agenda Items:
A. On motion by Daron Chandler and seconded by Donald Remedies, it was carried to approve and adopt revised policy JCDA – Code of Conduct (Second Reading).
B. On motion by Donald Remedies and seconded by Dr. Leah Byles, it was carried to approve Revised Special Counsel Resolution.
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RESOLUTION OF SABINE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD REGARDING EMPLOYMENT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL
WHEREAS, Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:263 authorizes the retention of special counsel by any school board upon a statement of reasons why such counsel is necessary and upon the approval by the Attorney General; and
WHEREAS, the Sabine Parish School Board has employed the law firm Hammonds, Sills, Adkins, Guice, Noah & Perkins, LLP (formerly Hammonds & Sills) since 2008 as its special counsel with experience, training, and expertise in school law issues including, but not limited to, special education, school personnel matters, public bid law and general school board policy matters involving compliance with the federal and state laws and regulations, including due process hearings, tenure hearings, misconduct investigations and the handling of administrative hearings and litigation in state and federal courts; and
WHEREAS, through its representation of the Sabine Parish School Board and various school boards throughout the State of Louisiana, the law firm of Hammonds, Sills, Adkins, Guice, Noah & Perkins, LLP has special experience, training and expertise in those issues of school law.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED by the Sabine Parish School Board in regular session duly convened:
Section I - This School Board does hereby renew its employment of the law firm of Hammonds, Sills, Adkins, Guice, Noah & Perkins, LLP as special counsel with training, experience and expertise in school law issues including, but not limited to, special education, school personnel matters, public bid law and general policy matters to include administrative hearings and litigation with respect thereto for the purpose of advising, consulting with, and representing this School Board in connection with such legal matters involving the school system.
Section II - Said law firm shall be paid for their services at hourly rates equal to the maximum hourly fee schedule for special counsel published by the Attorney General of the State of Louisiana in effect at the time of the services not to exceed $225.00 per hour except that the paralegal rate shall be $75.00 per hour and to be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses for long distance telephone calls, document duplication, expert witness fees, court reporter fees, printing costs, travel expenses and other expenses as a result of the legal services to and for this School Board.
Section III - Said law firm shall keep itemized time records for presentation to the Superintendent with respect to services rendered at said hourly rates and the expenses incurred, and the Superintendent is hereby authorized and directed to pay same upon submission and receipt thereof.
Section IV - This employment shall continue and is effective immediately upon adoption of this resolution.
Section V - The School Board recognizes that claims brought in federal court seeking equitable relief against school boards implicate the interests of the State of Louisiana, and so the School Board agrees to provide advance written notice to the Louisiana Attorney General ten
(10) business days before the School Board's next meeting and an opportunity for the Attorney General to express concerns directly to the Board in writing or in executive session before the School Board:
(1) proposes a settlement, accepts a proposed settlement, agrees to a consent decree, or enters any other agreement with any party in any federal action for declaratory or injunctive relief that is going to be or has been filed; or
(2) files any document in any federal case in which (a) declaratory or injunctive relief has been granted against the School Board, (b) final judgment dismissing the case has not been entered, and (c) at least 3 years have passed since any party seeking
relief, including the USDOJ in an amicus capacity, filed any document in the case.
Accordingly, the School Board authorizes and directs the law firm to provide the required notice to the Attorney General, release such information and documentation as the Attorney General may request in response to the notice, and generally cooperate with the Attorney General in regard to the notice.
The vote, in open meeting, on the resolution was as follows:
YEAS: Daron Chandler, Donald Garcie, Spencer Faust, Terrell Snelling, Dale Skinner, Donald Remedies, Dr. Leah Byles, Kowonno Greene
NAYS: 0
ABSENT: Genevieve Gordon
CERTIFICATE
I hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was adopted by the Sabine Parish School Board in regular session duly convened on July 11, 2022 and that same has not been rescinded or repealed.
MANY, LOUISIANA, this 11th day of July, 2022.
/s/ Terrell Snelling /s/Shane Wright
TERRELL SNELLING, President SHANE WRIGHT, SECRETARY-
Sabine Parish School Board TREASURER,
Sabine Parish School Board
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C. On motion by Daron Chandler and seconded by Kowonno Greene, it was carried (with one nay vote by Mr. Skinner) to authorize and approve the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Department.
D. On motion by Donald Remedies and seconded by Daron Chandler, it was carried to authorize and approve Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Zwolle Police Department.
E. On motion by Kowonno Greene and seconded by Spencer Faust, it was carried to authorize and approve Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Town of Many/Many PD.
F. On motion by Spencer Faust and seconded Daron Chandler, it was carried to accept the Board President’s appointment to the Property Tax ITEP / PILOT Program Board Committee as follows: Committee Chairman, Mr. Donald Remedies, Mr. Rodney Wilson and Mr. Nolan Rivers.
G. On motion by Daron Chandler and seconded by Donald Remedies, it was carried to authorize administration to develop and publish RFP to ascertain status and compliance of HVAC / fire alarm systems during semester 1 of the 2022-2023 school year.
H. On motion by Donald Garcie and seconded by Spencer Faust, it was carried to Award RFP for SPSB Online Academy Turn Key K-12 Curriculum per the recommendation by the Director of Technology and Data as follows: Edmentum EdOptions.
I. On motion by Dale Skinner and seconded by Daron Chandler, it was carried to Award RFP for SPSB Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum and Screener per the recommendation by the Director of Technology and Data as follows: Edmentum BASE.
J. On motion by Dale Skinner and seconded by Donald Garcie, it was carried to adopt the Budget for the 2022-2023 Fiscal Year and presented along with the full Budget Resolution as presented. Budget Resolution is as follows:
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Sabine Parish School Board
BUDGET RESOLUTION
The following resolution was offered by Dale Skinner and seconded by Donald Garcie:
A resolution adopting, finalizing and implementing the Annual Operating Budget of the Sabine Parish School Board for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2023.
WHEREAS, Shane Wright, in his capacity as chief administrative officer of the Sabine Parish School Board prepared, with the assistance of Rodney Wilson, Director of Finance, a proposed General Fund and Special Revenue Fund Budgets for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2023, which was accompanied by a budget adoption resolution; and
WHEREAS, the proposed General Fund and Special Revenue Fund Budgets as shown in the Annual Operating Budget document after the budget adoption resolution shows the revenues itemized by source and the expenditures itemized by function as required by Louisiana R.S. 39:1305; and
WHEREAS, the accompanying budget adoption resolution has been submitted to this School Board for review and consideration; and
WHEREAS, notice of a public hearing on the proposed Annual Operating Budget, notice of the availability of the proposed budgets for review at such hearing and a general summary of the proposed budgets have been timely published in The Sabine Index; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing on the proposed Annual Operating Budget has now been reviewed and considered; now
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVEDby the School Board that the proposed Annual Operating Budget is hereby approved, adopted, and finalized subject to the following changes.
1. None
2. None
3. None
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary-Treasurer of the School Board, Shane Wright, or his successor, is hereby authorized and in his sole discretion, to make such changes within the various budget classifications as he may deem necessary provided that any reallocation of funds affecting in excess of five percent (5%) of the projected revenue collections must be approved in advance by action of the School Board at a meeting duly noticed and convened.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Superintendent of the School Board, Shane Wright, or his successor, in his capacity as chief administrative officer of the School Board, is hereby directed to advise the School Board in writing when:
1. Total revenues collections & other sources plus projected revenues & other sources for the remainder of the year, are failing to meet total budgeted revenues & other sources by five percent (5%) or more.
2. Total expenditures & other uses plus projected expenditures & other uses for the remainder of the year, are exceeding the total budgeted expenditures & other uses by five percent (5%) or more, or
3. The actual beginning fund balance, fails to meet the estimated beginning fund balance by five percent (5%) or more, and the fund balance is being used to fund current year expenditures.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary-Treasurer of the School Board, Shane Wright, or his successor, shall certify completion of all actions required by Louisiana R.S. 39:1306 by publishing a notice of the minutes of the meeting in The Sabine Index.
This Resolution having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:
YEAS: Daron Chandler, Donald Garcie, Spencer Faust, Terrell Snelling, Dale Skinner, Donald Remedies, Dr. Leah Byles, Kowonno Greene
NAYS: None
ABSTAINING: None
ABSENT: Genevieve Gordon
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K. On motion by Donald Remedies and seconded by Daron Chandler, it was carried to approve the 2022-2023 Salary Schedule.
5. Superintendent’s Report:
Informational only.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
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Terrell Snelling, President
ATTEST:
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Shane Wright, Superintendent