EPSB’s first meeting of 2016 filled with fireworks

Things got a little heated at the Evangeline Parish School board meeting Wednesday night.
At the board’s December meeting, the election of board member Arthur Savoy to the executive committee left a sour taste in some board member’s mouths. Board member Georgiana Wilson was not pleased with the fact that Savoy has been on this committee for years.
At December’s meeting, Wilson said to board president Wayne Dardeau, “We need to be fair, and I want to know if and when you are going to look into doing something about this.”
Dardeau, at last month’s meeting, reassured Wilson that he would “look into the matter” and let her “know something in January.”
Wilson had not forgotten about the matter, and at the board’s January meeting she was ready for an answer from the board president. Wilson asked, “Are you going to rotate the board members that fill committee positions?”
Dardeau’s response was, “No, I am not.”
Once again dissatisfied with the result of who holds committee positions, Wilson reminded Dardeau that the board consist of more than just the president. Wilson said, “It takes 13 other people to run this. You don’t do it by yourself.”
Dardeau quickly responded by stating, “No, I don’t, but as the president I make the decision concerning your question about the committee.”
Barely having enough time to finish his statement, Wilson fired back with, “Well, I think it might be time to get rid of the board president then.”
Wilson wasn’t the only board member unsatisfied with the outcome of the issue concerning board members continually serving on the same committees.
Board member Nanci Hamlin backed up Wilson on the matter. Hamlin said to Dardeau, “I asked you about this same issue when this happened in 2014.”
When Dardeau claimed to not recall Hamlin talking to him about this, Hamlin responded, “I’d love to have a convenient memory like that too.”
Even after the back and forth between board members concerning the results of committee elections, Dardeau did not waver and chose to leave the committee nominations the same.
Other items discussed and approved were:
Contract with government consultants of Louisiana, Inc. as the independent registered municipal advisor as required by the securities exchange commission (SEC) for the school district of No. 7 of the second police jury ward of the Parish of Evangeline and the seventh police jury ward of the Parish of Acadia at a fee of $2.00 per bond.
Adopt a resolution authorizing the advertising for sealed bids for the purchase of $8,500,000.00 of general obligation school bonds of School District No. 7.
Seek proposals for insurance agent for EPSB.
Change mileage rate from $0.56 per mile (2015) to $0.54 per mile, effective January 1, 2016.
Possum’s Air Repair’s low quote of $5,900.00 for an air conditioning unit at BCE.