By Pat Culverhouse
There’s good news and better news for the Webster Parish School Board.
Board members got good news at Monday’s meeting when bond attorneys reported the sale of $11 million worth of general obligation school bonds for Springhill School Dist. 8 went smoothly, and at a reported 3.98 percent interest rate.
Better news came when board members learned there will be a little more than $11 million deposited in the district’s bank account by Aug. 21. After receiving an additional premium and paying fees on the bond sale, District 8’s project fund will stand at $11.321 million.
“I don’t think we will turn down the extra money,” board president Charles Strong said after hearing the news. Board members then voted unanimously to approve a resolution executing the bond purchase agreement.
Voters in the district approved the bond proposition in April elections. Funds from the bond sale will target repair, upgrade and improvement projects in north Webster Parish schools.
Another prospective revenue stream in north Webster went on the books when board members approved revenue sharing with the city of Springhill on fines resulting from traffic violations in school zones. Members agreed to receive a 10 percent share of money collected from violators who are identified by cameras in those school zones.
School board members also approved spending $135,474.69 from various parish funds for payment of invoices covering school purchases and repairs. Totals from accounts included:
• Consolidated District 3 Maintenance Fund: $29,714.69. Expenditures include; $9,834.06 for six teacher desktops and one laptop at Lakeside Jr/Sr High; $7,348 to purchase two V9 ActivPanel Premium for Lakeside Jr/Sr High. Pulled from funding for further review was a proposed $32,091.38 to replace flooring in the Lakeside Jr./Sr. High football locker room.
• Cotton Valley Maintenance Fund: $800 to paint hallway at North Webster Upper Elementary.
• Doyline Maintenance Fund: $5402.89, includes $4,184 to install volleyball anchor post in multipurpose building floor at Doyline High and $1,218.89 to purchase volleyball equipment for Doyline High.
• District 6 One-half Cent Sales Tax Fund: $50,581.08. Major items are ; $16,070 to resurface restroom floors at Minden High; $13,750 to purchase banners for Webster Jr. High; $8,391.60 for campus branding items for Webster Jr. High; $5,514.48 to purchase 24 student tables and 56 student chairs for Richardson Elementary. Removed from consideration pending further review was $25,000 to replace and install parking lot and outdoor lighting at Webster Jr. High.
• Springhill Maintenance Fund: $42.053.16. Expenditures include $21,215.71 for a 20-inch orbital scrubber for Browning Elementary; $10,842.45 to pay low bid on an industrial washing machine for the North Webster High field house; $9,995 to purchase wraps for North Webster High cafeteria. Removed from proposed expenditures, pending further review, was $28,368 to purchase rubber mulch for playground at Browning Elementary.
• Sarepta Maintenance Fund: $6,367.64 includes $3,498.64 to purchase window and door wraps for North Webster Jr. High cafeteria and $2,869 for 72 classroom chairs for North Webster Jr. High.
• Shongaloo Building Fund: $555.23 to purchase one digital safe for North Webster Lower Elementary.