EPSB discusses budgets and deficits
In this rollercoaster economy, there is little good news to go around, but Evangeline Parish School Board Business Manager Amy Lafleur informed the board the school district fared better than anticipated in the 2010/2011 general fund and maintenance fund budgets.
Lafleur said the parish was anticipating a deficit of $1.2 million. After multiple cuts, including letting go some employees (some of which have been rehired), the school district was able to help limit the damage to $918,736.
In addition, she said the maintenance fund budgets, which have operated in a deficit for years, were getting back on track. She stated the Basile district was able to not only eliminate its deficit, but ended the 2010/2011 year with a surplus, while other districts managed to decrease their deficits.
Lafleur also informed the board that the parish’s operating budget for the 2011/2012 fiscal year would be nearly $57.5 million. The good news, she said, was that the budget projects a small surplus.
“Hopefully we don’t experience anymore cuts,” she said.
In other business, the board:
•Learned a Ville Platte High School teacher, Kenneth Kidder, will be honored by the American Chemical Society for his work in writing an advanced placement science curriculum. Personnel and Secondary Supervisor Mike Lombas said there are many unsung heroes working in the school district and this was a big honor for Kidder and a big honor for the school district.
•Learned sales tax collections for the month of August were down $52,454.79 from last year. In 2010/2011, collections in August were $602,411.54. August of this year only saw $549,956.75. Lafleur said this is the second consecutive month that collections have decreased and asked again that residents of Evangeline Parish spend their money here instead of going elsewhere.
•Approved the purchase of limestone for bus turn arounds in the amount of $10,000.
•Approved payment of $7,500 for a three-year agreement renewal for asbestos inspections/management plan updates.
•Approved its annual funding of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service in the amount of $39,415. After a brief discussion, the board agreed to pay half of the $39,415 now, and the rest in January 2012.
•Approved a new policy mandated by the state named IDFAB - Sports injury management and concussions. Parish Administrator Darwan Lazard said coaches will go through the required training sessions to be in compliance with this new policy. He said it is mandated by the state, so the parish must adopt the policy and follow it.
•Approved the payment of $152,604.22 to First Student for transportation for the month of August.
•Heard a presentation from Superintendent Toni Hamlin. Hamlin presented the board with a plaque on behalf of Southern University’s Back to School Summit held recently. Hamlin said the plaque was being presented to the board to show appreciation for the support shown to the summit by this parish.