Harlan Kirgan
Two tax propositions — one for 11.4 mills and the other for 12.4 mills — were passed out of committee and now are headed to the Nov. 2 St. Landry School Board meeting.
The 11.4-mill, 10-year property tax is to raise $7 million annual to fund pay raises, which the proposition does not detail.
The 20-year, 12.4-mill tax would fund a $99 million bond issue for capital improvements.
The two proposals were passed out of the Board’s Executive Committee meeting Monday in Opelousas.
No election date was set, however, in a September meeting Patrick Jenkins, superintendent, said the election would likely be held in March.
The district’s current property tax is 20.52 mills, he said.
If passed, the taxes would raise the millage to 44.52 mills.
Jenkins, in the September meeting, said if the salary tax passes certified full-time employees would get a $3,000 a year raise while full-time support employees would receive a $2,000 a year raise.
Both propositions would have to pass, Jenkins said.
The panel’s vote on the tax proposition was followed a meeting on the Buildings, Lands and Sites Committee where reports on facility assessments and demographics were heard.
Marco Gonzalez, of Volkert, an engineering firm assessing the public schools, said more than $250 million would be needed to do something with every school.
“Your high schools are in pretty good shape,” he said with the exception of Port Barre High School.
“I’m not going to say they are perfect, but those are your best condition schools,” Gonzalez said.
Lyn Kenley, also of Volkert, said with the exception of Plaisance and Leonville, the district’s elementary schools are in need of work.
“Most of your problems are in your elementary schools so that is where that $99 million is going to be focused,” he said.
“Our job is to try to come up with a plan that touches as many elementary schools as we can for that amount of money,” he said.
“We would love to just build a new school right beside Highland Elementary and once it is completed take the other down and everything is wonderful. It doesn’t always work that way and our money often doesn’t go that far,” he said.
Eunice may need one or two new elementary schools, he said.
Kenley said despite the schools being old, “your maintenance people are doing a fantastic job.”
The facility plan is to dovetail with a demographic analysis of the district by Lafayette demographer Mike Hefner.
Key points in Hefner’s presentation included:
— Parish population has trended lower since 2000.
— Population increases are highest in the south part of the parish.
— Population decreases are primarily east of Opelousas; central and north Opelousas; and on the east side of Eunice
— There is a net out-migration from the parish.
— The number of employed has been dropping since 2010.
— The highest median income is in the southern portion of the parish.
— The greatest housing increases are on the southeast side of Opelousas, Cankton and around Beau Chene High School. There is some growth in northeast St. Landry Pairsh.
— The greatest housing decreases are on the east side of the parish and central to northwest Opelousas.
— School enrollment increases are largely tracking changes in population and housing.
— The greatest enrollment growths are in the southern part of the parish, Lawtell area and on the southeast side of Opelousas.
— Decreases in enrollment are expected for schools on the east side of the parish, the Eunice area schools with the exception of Highland and Krotz Springs elementary schools.
Enrollment is projected to decrease by 900 from 2017 to 2023 when it will be 12,575 students.