School board discusses 16-17 budget at meeting

At the Evangeline Parish School Board’s meeting Wednesday night Chief Financial Officer Amy Lafleur gave the board an overview of the district’s 2016-2017 budget.
In August cuts were made in the school district to work towards balancing the budget, and after Lafleur’s report, the board was informed that the general fund could have a surplus at the end of this school year, while the overall revenues may fall short of the overall expenditures.
Lafleur said, “The total overall revenue in sources for the 2016-17 year are projected at $65,150,576.90. The total overall expenditure and uses are projected at $68,623,795.65. The general fund represents $50,067,733 in revenue and sources with expenditures and uses of $49,922,654.62. That gives us a projected general fund surplus for the 2016-17 school year around $145,078.38.”
These figures, according to Lafleur, “represent the recent board action and changes regarding the special education resource staffing ratio and reduction of Montessori paraprofessionals.”
Following Lafleur’s review of the budget, Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson (R), who is running for the U.S. Congress seat for the 4th Congressional District, addressed the board.
As an attorney specializing in constitutional law, the Shreveport native said, “I have defended a lot of school districts and school boards. When some of y’alls colleagues across the state have been picked on by groups trying to get religion out of school, generally I was the guy that they called to go in and defend those freedoms.”
Before ending his time speaking to the EPSB, Johnson said, “I’ll be one of those guys that if we get elected to this post, I will be responsive. You will be able to reach me on my cellphone. I plan to be here often because I was to represent everybody, and I mean that.”
Other items discussed and approved at the meeting were:
• Aprroval of the Executive Committee meeting minutes dated August 31, 2016.
• Adoption of the 2016 millage rates for the tax year ending 2016.
• Approval of personnel evaluation plan book for 2016-2017 school year.
• Permission to purchase CLEP vouchers for high schools; no more than 100 per high school at a cost not exceeding $32,000 from the general fund.
• Permission to approve the low quote of $21,333.31 from Bill Hood Ford for a 2017 transit cargo van using CNP funds.
• Permission to approve a requisition for the payment of $19,088.05 to Economic Janitorial for janitorial supplies for schools using parishwide maintenance funds.
• Payment of $18,457.00 to Southland Spray Service for Turkey Creek tracts preparation and release of Mamou tract using timber funds.