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Beauregard Parish committee awards WAN RFP to add Carver site, reviews mixed sales‑tax receipts
Summary
The finance committee accepted a request for proposals to add Carver as a wide‑area network site and reviewed monthly sales‑tax fund changes, reporting a modest increase in one fund and a large decrease in another; officials also flagged potential federal Medicaid and E‑rate changes.
The Beauregard Parish School Board finance committee voted to accept a request for proposals to add Carver as an additional wide‑area network (WAN) and internet service site and directed staff to add the site to the district's existing agreement.
The addition covers the remainder of the current agreement and, according to the RFP summary presented to the committee, the vendor price to add one site is $12.99 per month. District staff said the E‑rate program — a federal discount program for schools — typically covers 80% of eligible charges, leaving the local share at 20% (about $2.60 per month for the new site). The committee recommended awarding the RFP to Cantera (listed in committee materials as Cantera/Comtera Ultra Broadband LAC after vendor responses were scored). The motion to accept the RFP was moved and seconded in committee and approved by voice vote.
The committee also reviewed the district's monthly financial reports. Staff told the committee that collections for the 1990 sales‑tax fund rose 2.38%, from about $870,000 to $890,861, while the 1966 sales‑tax fund fell 20.48%, from $882,642 to $701,915. Staff said auditors found funds that shifted distributions between funds, which explained much of the variance. Committee members were asked to review the detailed reports and raise questions with finance staff as needed.
Finance staff reported the parish made its first principal and interest payment on the outstanding bonds, and that general‑fund balances and other accounts showed no immediate concerns. Staff also said they will attend a Medicaid‑related training this week and warned that possible federal administrative changes could affect Medicaid funding and the district’s nursing budget; staff said they would provide updates as information becomes available.
Committee members asked whether the local share of the E‑rate could change; staff said the 80% federal discount is not guaranteed in future federal budgets and acknowledged there is uncertainty about the status of several federal programs that support schools.
The RFP award and the motions to accept the financial reports and minutes were approved in committee by voice vote. Staff said the updated financial documents will be posted and circulated to board members for further review.
