EPSB elects Hamlin, Joseph as officers

By: TONY MARKS
Editor

Bobby Hamlin was elected president, and Sheila Joseph was elected vice president during the Evangeline Parish School Board meeting on Wednesday, December 13.
Board member Calvin Leday Jr. nominated Wanda Skinner for president, while board member Fannie Soileau nominated Hamlin.
Voting for Skinner were Leday, herself, and Donald Anderson. Voting for Hamlin were Monica Andrus, Soileau, himself, Wayne Dardeau, Nick Chaumont, Lonnie Sonnier, Kristy Briley, Karen Vidrine, and Joseph. Current board president Mike Fontenot was absent.
For vice president, Soileau nominated Joseph, while Anderson nominated Skinner. Voting for Joseph were Andrus, Soileau, Hamlin, Dardeau, Chaumont, Sonnier, Vidrine, and herself.
The board then elected Vidrine, Joseph, Soileau, and Dardeau to the executive committee.
After all the rounds of voting were complete, Anderson expressed, “I hope that whatever happens this year will be a better year than last year. We were so divided. I’m not blaming anybody. I just want to say, this year, if we could come together as one group because it’s very embarrassing to go around town and see people asking me what is wrong with our board. I thought we were going to have a better board than this.”
He went on to say, “I know we live in different parts of the parish, but we are members for all the schools. I’d like to see us come together as one and grow together as one. I want what’s right for the children, and I hope we do better this year.”
Hamlin then echoed Anderson’s calls for unity on the board. “We need to come together as a board,” he commented. “Until we get that down, the bickering on the board won’t stop. But, we are going to work to stop it. Everybody has to work together as a board.”
“Pounding everybody at the meeting and pounding everybody after the board meeting is not getting anything done for anybody,” he continued, “so we need to unify and be a unified board.”
In other business, the board:
• heard an update from Superintendent Darwan Lazard about campus improvement projects.
• heard an update on the projected Monday remediation costs from Liz Chatelain.
• approved the annual audit report.
• ratified the low bid/quote of $17,182.80 from Stephens Pipe & Steel LLC for materials and $9,373 from V&T Fencing LLC for labor for a fence around the track at Pine Prairie High School using safety funds.
• ratified the low bid/quote of $11,800 from V&T Fencing LLC for fencing around the fuel tank at Pine Prairie High School using parishwide maintenance fund.
• tabled permission to change the funding source from 50% PPHS Orange and Black Club Fund and 50% parishwide maintenance fund to 100% parishwide maintenance fund regarding the low bid/quote of $10,357 accepted by the board on October 18, from Jamie Harrington Shop & Shed for the batting cage at the Pine Prairie High School Softball batting cage.