St. Helena committees OK budget, school bus revisions

• By MARILYN GOFF
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Jun 27, 2009 - Page: 4B

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

GREENSBURG — St. Helena Parish School Board committees approved budget revisions, changes to bus and transportation policies and recommended switching board meeting times from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., beginning in August.

The panels’ recommendations will go before the full board during  its July 9 regular meeting.

Budget supervisor Amy Holland said during Thursday’s session she hopes the 2008-09 general fund budget ends the fiscal year without a deficit, even though spending increased for legal services and capital outlay projects.

Holland said legal service contracts originally were budgeted for $40,087, but that number ballooned to $95,339.

Superintendent Daisy Slan said legal services costs included fees for bond attorneys as well as contracts with special counsel Traci Washington, who attends all board and committee meetings; and Nelson Taylor, who handles litigation involving the proposed Pine Grove Charter School.

Holland told Finance Committee members that the capital projects budget would end the fiscal year $116,000 in the red, but an extra $700,000 on hand would cover that deficit.

Capital projects spending went over budget due to setup costs for a new modular building installed at the fire-damaged high school last year to provide additional classroom space, officials said.

In regard to school bus matters, transportation consultant George Horne of Horne Enterprises in Metairie said policy revisions would clarify contract language and close “loopholes” that conflict with state laws.

For instance, Horne said, the board’s bus inspection policy does not fully comply with all state and federal requirements.

All buses and drivers, not just those assigned to regular routes, must pass vehicle inspections and have required insurance coverage, he said.

Drivers must maintain current commercial driver’s license certification and have health certificates.

The board’s active, spare and leased buses must meet all state and federal requirements, he said, adding that substitute bus drivers need to submit health documentation, proper driver’s licenses and insurance papers.

Slan said the bus fleet would be inspected at least two weeks before the start of the fall term.