School Board moves major projects forward!

Board approves employee stipends, advances FFA Convention Center, Culinary Arts building and storm repairs

By Avoyelles Staff

The Avoyelles Parish School Board moved forward with several major construction, education and facility projects during its Sept. 15 meeting, including financing for an FFA Convention Center, a $200,000 investment in a new Culinary Arts building and additional work to repair schools damaged during Tropical Storm Arthur.

The meeting was held at the Avoyelles Parish School Board Office in Marksville.

Board members Latisha Small, Lynn Deloach, Chris Robinson, Aimee Dupuy and Jill Guidry were present. Keith Lacombe, Robin Moreau, Jay Callegari and Rickey Adams were listed as absent.

FFA Convention Center

One of the biggest actions of the evening was approval of a bond resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of a tax bond to finance construction of the FFA Convention Center.

The measure passed 4-1. Small, Deloach, Dupuy and Guidry voted in favor, while Robinson voted against. The meeting minutes do not state the amount of the proposed bond or its repayment terms.

In a separate FFA-related action, the board unanimously rescinded an earlier approval for a $250,000 interfund loan from the Capital Outlay Fund to the FFA Fund for the proposed construction of the FFA Camp in Old River.

Culinary Arts building

The board also approved a $200,000 investment in the new Culinary Arts building using ESSER indirect-cost funds.

The money is expected to pay for upgrades to plumbing, electrical and gas lines, along with dropped ceilings, painting, storage-area work, demolition, cleanup and other projects needed to prepare the building for a planned January opening.

That measure passed 4-1, with Small, Deloach, Dupuy and Guidry voting yes and Robinson voting no.

Employee stipends

School system employees will also receive one-time stipends as part of the district's 2026-27 salary schedules.

The board unanimously approved the schedules, which include a $2,000 stipend for teachers and other degreed personnel and a $1,000 stipend for support personnel. The minutes state that the payments are required under Louisiana Executive Order 26-047 and were included in the district's previously approved 2026-27 consolidated budget.

School improvement projects

Several other school improvement projects received approval during the meeting.

The board unanimously authorized advertising for an Avoyelles High School driveway and drainage project estimated at $257,150. Delta Engineering designed the project and will oversee construction. The project will be paid for through the Capital Outlay Fund.

At Marksville High School, the board approved $119,500 for Skip Converse of Pineville to insulate the gym and replace its ceiling tiles.

Currently, there is currently no insulation above the ceiling, and sagging 2-by-4 ceiling tiles have contributed to a mildew problem. The project will replace those tiles with 2-by-2 tiles. School officials also expect the work to reduce the strain on 10 wall-mounted air-conditioning units that have been running continuously to cool the gym.

The board also unanimously approved transferring $250,000 from the General Fund into the Bus Reserve Fund for future bus purchases.

Another $20,000 was approved for air conditioning on the district's Literacy Bus, with the expenditure funded through ESSER indirect-cost money.

Board members also authorized the purchase of a 2024 Ford Transit van from Hub City Ford in Lafayette for $44,473. The van will be used to transport meals to AVAP each day and will be purchased with School Food Service funds.

Recovery Continues

The School Board also took additional steps toward recovery from Tropical Storm Arthur. Members unanimously approved a proposal from Delta Engineering to provide professional design and construction-phase services for repairs to school facilities damaged during the storm.

The work includes roof and flooring damage at Cottonport Elementary, Avoyelles High School, Riverside Elementary and Mansura Middle School. The minutes do not list the anticipated cost of those repairs.

The board unanimously approved advertising for a Grant Management Services request for proposals.

The district is seeking a technical assistance contractor familiar with programs administered through the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, FEMA, the Stafford Act, HUD programs and other sources of federal funding.

According to the board documents, the contractor would help speed applications for state and federal disaster mitigation and recovery funds and streamline the district's disaster preparedness efforts.

Other Board Action

A proposal to authorize the beginning of social media litigation with the Faucheux Law Firm and Milberg, PLLC serving as co-counsel was tabled. Guidry made the motion to table the item, Robinson seconded it, and the vote was unanimous.

No action was taken on a recommendation to file an eviction lawsuit involving an unsigned lease on 649 acres of Section 16 property.

The board unanimously approved a land exchange involving quarter-acre tracts near Spring Bayou. The exchange will provide the School Board permanent access from Pecan Drive to Section 16 property that otherwise could only be reached by crossing private property with permission or by boat.

Earlier in the meeting, Superintendent Karen Tutor recognized August Students of the Month from schools across the parish, while Assistant Superintendent Thelma Prater recognized the district's Teachers of the Month.

The board also received an update from Marcus Guillory of Delta Engineering on the Avoyelles Community Education Center and reviewed the district's Aug. sales tax collections, annual financial reports, maintenance expenditures and personnel changes.

The consent agenda was unanimously approved and included curriculum purchases, technology vendors and several software and educational program renewals. Among those were $31,384 for Google Workspace licenses, $62,700 for the ICEV multimedia curriculum and $23,106.91 for the Everway-Unique Learning System for special education students.

The meeting adjourned following a unanimous vote.