Ouachita Parish school board approves storm-recovery bids, raises legal-counsel rates and warns governor's executive order could cut $4.1 million

The Ouachita Parish School Board on May 19 approved several budget and construction actions intended to accelerate repairs after the January ice storm, approved higher tiered billing rates for outside legal counsel and warned that a recent state executive order on employee stipends could significantly reduce district funding.

During the finance committee report, Jason Thompson summarized four committee items and recommended action on three. The board voted to accept items one, two and three and table item four (which staff said was temporarily held because of a recent governor's executive order). Thompson described the finance items as: a general fund operating budget revision for the year ending June 30, 2026; a move to adjust hourly rates for outside attorneys; and a recommendation to increase the district's property-capitalization threshold from $5,000 to $10,000 effective July 1, 2026.

Miss Mikas presented the budget revision and related financial reports. She told the board the district expects a general fund balance of $34.8 million and a District M fund balance of $28.3 million for the period ending April 30, 2026, and said the district is operating within budget. "This fund balance is how we operate," Mikas said, noting much of the balance is dedicated and not available for salaries or general use.

The board approved the budget revision and moved on to construction matters. The board approved a change order for junior-high track stabilization from T3 Global Projects for $79,280.20 (as shown in board materials), and granted permission to bid four storm-damage projects: West High School roof replacement (budget $750,000; funding: M), a West High School berm project ($575,000; West sales tax), Drew Elementary storm repairs (budget $1.5 million; about $498,000 expected to be reimbursable via insurance/FEMA, remainder from Westside sales tax), and a combined Sterling High and Sterling Middle project (budget $800,000).

Jason Thompson said the district researched attorney billing and proposed tiered rates: $175/hour for attorneys with 0' years, $200/hour for 3' years, $225/hour for 5'-10 years and $250/hour for 10+ years; staff noted the rates had not been changed in roughly 25 years and that the proposed rates remain below recommended attorney-general guidelines for some work.

Board discussion shifted to a governor's executive order issued the prior Monday that would restore stipends for some employees. Board members said they support the stipend policy but criticized public messaging suggesting districts sit on more than $1 billion of unrestricted fund balances. "That information is incorrect," a board member said, noting much of the reported fund balance is dedicated. The board estimated that a projected $4.1 million cut to its MFP funding would be "crippling" if enacted and could force reductions in classroom staff, increases in class size, reassignment or elimination of assistant principals and cuts to extracurricular and maintenance programs.

The board set its next meeting for July 14 at noon and recognized Tracy Wickham, a West [Westwash] High student, as the state FFA president; board members urged the legislative delegation to seek alternatives before the executive order is implemented.

The recorded motions and approvals matched the items described above; specific vote counts were not read into the record and motions were carried without recorded opposition during the meeting.