ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / August 26, 2000

RESERVE – The St. John Parish School Board recently authorized bondattorney Hugh Martin to go before the State Bond Commission in October for approval of the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds to finance a $3.5 millionloan the board needs to pay for a performance contract with Siemans Corp.

The QZAB is a federal program being used for the first time in Louisiana by St. John Parish. The selling point of this type of bond is that it isinterest-free. The school board only has to pay back on the principal,which is $350,000 a year, for 10 years. To make this possible the federalgovernment offers tax credits to the bank that loans out the money. In thiscase, Regions Bank has agreed to finance the bonds for the St. John ParishSchool Board.

To qualify for the loan the school system had to show that a majority of its students were on the Free Lunch Program, then it had to find someone to contribute $350,000 to the system.

Martin recommended the school board hire the McLiney Firm, an investment company out of Missouri that specializes in school systems, to find the needed contributions.

McLiney managed to find a contributor in Maryland that donated $350,000 in training and on-line tutoring for St. John Parish students. McLiney’s feefor this is 4 percent of the principal.

It has been estimated the school board will save about $1.2 million by notpaying any interest.

Martin said, “It’s a pretty good deal when you pay nothing in interest and get $350,000 in training.”The $3.5 million performance contract with Siemans is to make allbuildings within the school system cost-efficient by putting in control systems, new lighting and efficient heating and cooling systems. Siemanshas already begun work this summer, and the school board has calculated it will be able to pay back the loan from the energy savings Siemans will implement.

In other school board news: The Albert T. Becnel Friends to the Children Award was presented to theNew Wine Christian Fellowship for its dedication and support of St. Johnschools and students. In accepting the award, the Rev. Neil Bernard said,”One of the greatest needs in our community is the education of our youth.”In the past year Bernard and his church have implemented LEAP learning centers to help students prepare for the LEAP test.

Superintendent Chris Donaldson recognized six St. John Parish studentswho attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts Summer Program.

These six artists honed their skills and talents during the summer. It wasa very selective process, and they joined 20 other students from the metro area. They are Neyer Grows, Melanie Grows, Monica Moreira, CarlJames, Marilyn Lambert and Koi Magee.

The new officers of the St. John Association of Educators wereintroduced. They are Annette Houston, president; Carolyn Jean Batiste,vice president; Ella W. Goudia, treasurer, and Barbara Knight, secretary.Houston said the SJAE and administration are still negotiating on the new contract.

Assistant Superintendent Wilbert Ockmond announced that the West Bank Magnet School Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Aug. 9 at West St. JohnHigh School. This will be followed by a public meeting at 6 p.m. in whichparents can attend and ask questions about the proposed magnet school on the west bank. Ockmond urged everybody to attend. School board attorney John Diasselliss got the board to unanimously pass a resolution to employ the law firm of Hammonds and Stills on an as- needed basis. Diasselliss suggested the board do this in case Diassellisswas indisposed or his function as counsel would be a conflict of interest to the parish. Diasselliss said the firm is an expert in education law andwould only work on an as-needed basis. They would be paid $135 an hour.

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