CHRISTINE HARVEY / L’Observateur / October 30, 1999

LUTCHER – Responding to a local merchant’s inquiry as to why the St.

James Parish School Board abruptly stopped doing business with him, a memo issued to board members Tuesday cited new purchasing procedures and the merchant’s lack of competitive pricing.

At the board’s Oct. 12 meeting, Rodney Johnson, owner of Ryan IndustrySupply, Inc., in Vacherie, asked board members about the change, whichBoard President Kenneth Foret said he would look into.

The memo, prepared by board purchasing director Trudy St. Pierre, saidunder the previous administration maintenance personnel, and not the purchasing department, were responsible for purchasing items from Ryan Industry Supply through open purchase orders.

In doing so, the purchasing department did not know the prices of items bought, according to the memo.

But in an effort to decrease spending this fiscal year, no more open purchase orders are allowed, and more items are being purchased through a state contract at a lower price, it said.

St. Pierre said in the memo that vendors were not notified of this newprocedure.

In an attachment to the memo, St. Pierre provided a list to the board ofJohnson’s prices compared to other local merchants. The list containedmore than 40 items, of which Johnson’s prices exceeded the three other stores on every item.

Foret said that while he wants to do business with local people, their prices must remain competitive.

In other business, consultant Jim Mitchell told the board the new St.

James High School greenhouse would come in under budget.

The greenhouse should cost between $10,000-$12,000, as opposed to the previously expected $15,000, Mitchell said.

Board member Carol Lambert suggested someone at the school write a grant to receive funding for the greenhouse, as a Lutcher High School science teacher did to get money for its greenhouse.

She said students at Lutcher also held fund-raisers, and the school received a donation.

Member Willis Octave said he felt the money was a small price to pay to invest in St. James High School, and even more money should be investedin the school in the future.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the board also: Approved a new school improvement policy.

Authorized an auction of old and obsolete items currently held in a warehouse.

Approved advertising for new library books.

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