By Pat Culverhouse
Webster Parish Superintendent of Schools Johnny Rowland received a raise and the opportunity to add even more through incentives Tuesday when school board members approved his new four-year contract.
Rowland will get a $5,000 annual boost to his current base salary of $138,068 and will receive an additional $1,000 for each target criteria he achieves for the school district in six areas. Incentives could be paid beginning with the 2024-25 school year and for the term of the contract:
• if the school district obtains two points or more growth in the District Performance Score.
• if the district increases by three points or more the Progress Index.
• if the high school graduation rate, in any year, exceeds the state average.
• if the attendance is at or above the state average in any year.
• if the school board’s general fund balance increase from the previous year.
• if the ACT index for the school district meets or exceeds the state average.
Contract terms also call for the board to pay a $1,000 per month allowance for in-parish travel, insurance and maintenance in lieu of providing an automobile. Rowland is required to provide his own vehicle, incur maintenance costs and maintain a minimum liability coverage of $100,000/$300,000.
Board members also agreed to increase the superintendent’s cell phone allowance from $25 to $150 per month.
School board attorney Jon Guice outlined terms of the contract which received unanimous approval from board members.
Security cameras at Harper Pathways to Excellence Center, proposed by Homeland Safety Systems and costing $96,469.30, were also approved Tuesday. Funds for the purchase will be coming from four parish funds.
Members gave thumbs up to $42,714.36 from the District 6 One-half cent sales tax fund, $28,476.24 from the Springhill Maintenance Tax Fund along with another $18,280.30 from District 3 Maintenance Tax Fund and $6,998.40 from the Doyline Maintenance Tax Fund.
Under the agreement, Homeland will install 55 new IP cameras throughout Harper and will connect to two, 32-channel Network Video Recorders (NVRs) which will be installed in an approved area.
A video management system (VMS) will be installed in the office to view and manage cameras. Two wall-mounted 43-inch monitors will also be installed, capable of viewing up to 96 cameras per monitor simultaneously.
Board members also approved expenditures totaling $475,230.99 from the various parish maintenance, building and sales tax funds for projects and equipment at parish schools. Those included:
• Consolidated Dist. 3 Maintenance Fund: $76,424.49.
Largest expenditures: $22,310.80 to replace water heater in gymnasium mechanical room at Lakeside Jr/Sr High; $25,500 demolition in varsity football locker room at Lakeside; $12,304 for utility vehicle for Lakeside; $11,225.75 for six new desktops and one new laptop for teacher use at Lakeside.
• Doyline Maintenance Fund: $23,269.21.
Includes $11,080 for 60-inch deck mower for Doyline High School; revise approved quote from $3,490.28 to $4,739.21 for installation of new ice machine at Doyline High.
• District 6 One-half Cent Sales Tax Fund: $338,470.29.
Chief expenditures are $97,000 to replace bleachers in gymnasium at J.A. Phillips Elementary; $57,968.63 to replace gymnasium and girls’ locker room floor at J.A. Phillips Elementary; $51,500 for concrete pad for basketball court area on playground at E.S. Richardson Elementary; $29,012.70 for basketball court overlay kit for playground at E.S. Richardson; $35,221.78 to replace cafeteria table at J.A. Phillips Elementary; $11,022 to purchase three 75-inch Active Panels at E.S. Richardson Elementary; $10,295 to resurface restroom and stairwell floors at Minden High School.
• Springhill Maintenance Fund: $25,010.
Largest expenditure of $20,500 to paint cafeteria area at North Webster High School.
• Shongaloo Building Fund: $12,057, includes $11,097 for purchase of a 60-inch deck mower for North Webster Lower Elementary.