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Board reads formal notice for East District bond election and votes to terminate municipal adviser agreement
Summary
The Ouachita Parish School Board read a required public notice that it will consider calling a general-obligation bond election for the East District on Jan. 14, 2025, and approved terminating its municipal adviser agreement so the district can pursue a new adviser in advance of bond work.
Grant Schluter of Fuller UDL Bond Counsel read into the minutes a formal notice required by state law that the board will consider adopting a resolution to call a general-obligation bond election for the East Ouachita Parish School District at the Jan. 14, 2025 board meeting at 12 p.m. at the Parish School Board Office, 1600 North 7th Street, West Monroe.
"Notice is hereby given that at its meeting to be held on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 12 PM ... the Parish School Board of the Parish of Ouachita ... plans to consider adopting a resolution ordering and calling an election ... to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds," Schluter read to the board.
Separately, board members debated terminating the district's municipal adviser agreement, originally signed in 2017. Miss Mecas (transcript spelling variants appear) said she had not had regular contact with the current municipal adviser and cited "lack of communication" as the practical reason for asking to end the contract so the district can pursue a replacement before bond activity ramps up.
Several board members said they had not previously been flagged about problems with the adviser and asked for advance notice when contractors or advisers fail to meet expectations. Board members indicated the superintendent/administration will bring a recommended replacement municipal adviser to the board at a future meeting. A motion to terminate the existing municipal adviser agreement was moved, seconded and approved; one board member recorded an abstention on the motion.
The board's reading of the notice satisfied the statutory requirement that a formal announcement be entered into the minutes before the board may consider calling a bond election. The termination of the municipal adviser agreement is intended to allow the district to secure an adviser who will provide ongoing support through issuance, ratings and related bond processes.
What happens next: the board will consider adopting a resolution to call the election at the Jan. 14, 2025 meeting; administration indicated it would present a recommended municipal adviser at a future meeting.
