By Pat Culverhouse
Officers for 2024 to lead the Webster Parish School Board were elected Monday and there’s no change at the top.
Board members selected Charles Strong to his second stint as President and picked Johnnye Kennon as Vice President to continue the leadership team from last year. Strong represents District 3; Kennon is the District 10 representative. Both have served multiple terms on the board.
Board members agreed unanimously to adopt a resolution to call a special election in April to authorize renewal of ad valorem taxes in the Webster Parish School District and in Springhill School District 8. District 8 voters will also be asked to approve issuance of general obligation bonds.
If passed, bonds in Springhill School District 8 will fund renovations at three schools: Browning Elementary, Brown Upper Elementary and North Webster High School. Board members also voted to approve naming Yeager Watson and Associates as architectural firm of record in general obligation bond planning.
Also during Monday’s meeting, board members approved in globo just under $86,500 in maintenance and repair projects from various school system funds. Funding sources are:
• $32,010 from Consolidated Dist. 3 Maintenance Fund, including $14,689 to make full depth repairs to specified existing track surfaces at Lakeside Jr/Sr High School, and $8,300 to replace burned-out compressor and inverter board on HVAC system at Central Elementary.
• $27,282 from District 6 One-Half Cent Sales Tax Fund: included $19,000 for installation of locking restroom gates at Webster Jr. High School, and $4,416 to replace ignition/stepper board on a boiler at Minden High School.
• $21,726 from Springhill Maintenance Fund: top expenditure of $15,400 to provide and install approximately 600 feet of six-foot fencing and appropriate gates at Browning Elementary.
• $4,460 from Doyline Maintenance Fund to repair leading HVAC cassette in the library server room at Doyline High School.
* $1,000 from Sarepta Maintenance Fund for condenser fan motor, fan blade and shroud for HVAC system at football stadium at North Webster Junior High School.
