School Board approves committee recommendations

A number of items brought before the Acadia Parish School Board were approved during the regular monthly meeting held Monday, Dec. 6, at the School Board office.
Under routine items, the following recommendations of the Budget & Finance Committee, and Personnel, Insurance & Curriculum Committee were approved:
• Recommendation of the Budget & Finance Committee regarding approval to pay bus driver privatization cost in one lump sum payment (the entire fee of $369,546.44 in one lump sum payment saves the APSB $120,370.76 in interest);
• Recommendation of the Budget & Finance Committee regarding approval of Industrial Tax Exemption for Cajun Traditions Food Processors, LLC, totaling $558,268 (the annual exemption for the first and second five-year timeline is 80% for each five-year increment);
• Recommendation of the Budget & Finance Committee regarding approval of Industrial Tax Exemption #20200217 ($1,721,357) for Tally Ho Investments (Tally Ho Investments, LLC, is the company responsible for the renovation of the former Garan building in Church Point and turning it into a food manufacturing plant now being operated by Cajun Traditions Food Processors, LLC);
• Recommendation of the Personnel. Insurance & Curriculum Committee regarding dates of 2022 Board and Committee meetings;
• Recommendation of the Personnel, Insurance & Curriculum Committee regarding changes to policies BH-School Board Ethics, ID-Curriculum, IDCC-Kindergarten, IDDF-Education of Students with Exceptionalities, JBC-School Admission, JBCE-Public School Choice and JR-Student Privacy and Education Records as a result of legislative action; and
• Recommendation of the Personnel, Insurance & Curriculum Committee regarding changes to policy DJD-Expense Reimbursement as a result of local action (changes to policy DJD-Expense Reimbursement is 56 cents per mile).
A number of action items were presented on behalf of the Budget & Finance Committee, and Personnel, Insurance & Curriculum Committee.
Once the minutes of the Nov. 1 regular session meeting and the minutes of the Budget & Finance Committee and Personnel, Insurance & Curriculum Committee meetings of Nov. 15 were approved, the Board went into executive session to discuss workers compensation litigation regarding Rita Rayon.
Once returned to the meeting room, Board members approved the attorney’s recommendation of actions relative to the matters discussed in executive session in regards to Rayon.
The Board also approved a motion for a servitude agreement with Energy Louisiana, LLC, (located near the Branch Elementary School district).
Under two consent items, CFO Justin Carrier presented the sales tax report, noting a positive 7.70% increase for November, also noting a $1,143,097 School Board tax collection.
“It was a very good November,” stated Carrier. “Our numbers are on an upswing as things are settling down.”
Under the subject of assignments and changes of personnel, Ellen Kay Baggett reported that the board is looking at college graduates to fill teacher placements throughout the parish. Like all areas of the state, the teacher shortage continues with COVID still affecting the schools, in addition to competition with other parishes as to salaries.
The Board as a whole thanked Baggett and her staff for her dedication in staffing the classrooms during the pandemic and continuing their search for qualified teachers for Acadia Parish students.
School Board committee meetings are scheduled for Monday, Dec. 13, at the Acadia Parish School Board Office at 5 p.m.