Personnel committee approves revised secretary job description, asks legal clarification on board role in hiring

The personnel committee on July 15 approved a revised job description that combines the board secretary and superintendent secretary roles, shifts supervisory duties away from the position and adds explicit records-retention responsibilities.

Mister Matthews, a district staff member who presented the item, told the committee, "She has been operating many of her functions under the new job description," and compared the old description — which emphasized supervising assigned personnel and maintaining broad records — with the new description, which lists the title as "secretary to superintendent and the board," requires at least five years of executive-level administrative experience and calls for proficiency with electronic filing systems and a working knowledge of Louisiana public records and retention laws.

The change keeps the position as a 12-month job but removes supervisory duties such as overseeing clerks and custodial staff, Matthews said; the presentation noted those tasks will be reassigned. Committee members asked for specifics about who will supervise remaining duties such as the switchboard operator and confirmed the Coca-Cola vending machine is serviced by the vendor.

Mister Tolar, a committee member, moved to approve the revised job description and said, "I'll make the motion. I just would like to encourage administration to include us if possible in the, you know, application process." Miss Dominguez seconded. The vote was called and the motion carried; an individual roll-call tally was not recorded in the committee transcript. Committee chair instructions indicated the approved description will be placed on the full board agenda later the same night.

Several members asked whether board members may sit on an interview or hiring panel for this combined position. Committee members were told that is a question for district attorneys; Mister Matthews and others said administration will research the legal limits and report back. Mister Moody, the board attorney referenced by a committee member during the discussion, was named as the official to consult on that question.

Discussion and direction were kept separate in the record: the committee took formal action to approve forwarding the revised job description to the full board; it directed administration and counsel to research whether the board or the board president may participate in the applicant-interview process and to clarify how remaining supervisory duties will be reassigned. No public comments were recorded for this agenda item, and the personnel committee adjourned after the vote.