Terrebonne school board OKs special election for millages

The Terrebonne Parish School Board unanimously approved calling for a special election in the fall to renew one tax and redirect a portion of another at last week’s meeting.

The election, tentatively scheduled for Oct. 17, would ask voters to continue the 10-year Special School Tax, which generates $3.6 million annually for maintenance. If passed, the tax would run from 2011 to 2020.

Voters will also consider using some of the 1-cent sales tax money for school construction projects. Currently, 83 percent pays employee salaries, and 17 percent is evenly split between technology upgrades and building repairs.

If approved, monies from the latter segment would also be used as collateral for future bond sales to fund new school construction projects.

Schools Superintendent Philip Martin has made long-term funding for school construction a top priority since taking office in January. The average age of Terrebonne Parish schools is 50 years.

“I’m elated. I’m convinced we’re on the right path,” he said. “This would produce a defined revenue stream that investors like to see before they loan you money. The board has a very solid financial history, so investors will be comfortable with us.”

New Orleans-based bond attorney Jerry Osborne told the board that they would be considered a good candidate for investors in the bond market.

If the tax measures are the only items on the ballot, the school system will have to pay for the entire election at an estimated cost of $75,000 to $100,000.

But with the taxes bringing in over $6 million combined, Martin and the board are willing to spend the money.

“There’s no way around it,” Martin said. “We are very optimistic we can do some good things for the kids of Terrebonne Parish, and I’m hopeful that I can do a good job as superintendent of accurately portraying what this will be used for. If I can do that, I don’t think there will be a problem getting this passed.”

The election would be paid from the district’s general funds.

The school district still has to get permission from the state’s bond and election commissions before a definite election date can be set locally.

In other school board news, the board decided to keep two millages at their current rates.

The state-mandated regular school tax stays at 3.680 mills, and the special school tax -maintenance remains at 5.150. The two millages generated $2.5 million and $3.6 million respectively last year.

The board also unanimously passed a resolution opposing the creation of manmade waterways near schools.

The issue came about from the proposed Hollygrove Subdivision, which plans to dig a 3,600-foot boat slip from the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway behind the Barrios and Mulberry subdivisions.

The slip would run to within a few hundred feet of Mulberry Elementary School, according to the developer’s conceptual plans. Area residents say the slip would increase the likelihood of flooding in their neighborhoods and the school from storm surge.

Board members were upset that the Terrebonne Parish Council’s Community Development and Planning Committee overturned the Houma-Terrebonne Regional Planning Commission’s rejection of the project.

They claimed the committee did so because the developer, South Hollygrove Properties No. 1, threatened to sue the council if the plans did not proceed.

“We need to get off this idea that everybody is going to sue you because they don’t get what they want,” said Ricky Pitre. “Maybe this board should consider filing a class action lawsuit to stop them from encroaching on our rights to use our schools.”

“I was very proud of our board saying we want to protect the interest of our schools,” Martin said. “We’re not crazy about having a canal dug by our schools.”

Cutline: Staff photo by KEYON K. JEFF / Tri-Parish Times

New Orleans bond attorney Jerry Osborne gives school board members a sample of a single ballot resolution for both proposed millages at last Tuesday’s meeting.