By: CARISSA HEBERT

Managing Editor

The Evangeline Parish School Board learned the excess sales tax distribution would occur November 21, to employees and the amount will be smaller than last year.

Business Manager Amy LaFleur reported full-time degreed personnel, qualifying for this excess distribution, would receive $2,839; full-time support personnel would receive $1,277.55. She said the difference for degreed personnel is approximately $700 less than last year’s distribution. LaFleur said the qualifications for this distribution have not changed; all personnel had to be actively employed during the 2007-2008 fiscal year.

LaFleur also presented board members with a break down of the distribution and explained how excess collections from the net collections are deducted for the 2001 sales tax, which is 100 percent dedicated to salaries, and the 1967 sales tax, which is 65 percent dedicated to salaries. The total excess on the 2001 sales tax was $987,771.52, and the total excess on the 1967 sales tax was $957,053.58 for a total of $1,944,825.10, which was split between school employees.

Wayne Dardeau, school board president, asked to clarify if any of this money was given to board members. LaFleur said no.

LaFleur also reminded employees and retired personnel, who received letters to supply verification of dependants (spouses, children, etc.) for insurance purposes, must do so by November 30. She said the central office’s last working day in November is November 21, so please remember to bring documentation in early. If no documentation is received, coverage for dependants not verified would be lost as of December 1. The insurance company could ask the employee to repay any benefits they received as well as the state’s share. She said persons who may have had a dependant on their insurance at the beginning of the year but that dependant was no longer on the insurance also needed to bring documentation.

In her comments to the board, Superintendent Toni Hamlin said the district performance and school performance scores would be available Friday. She also personally and publically thanked her staff for their hard work during the recent bond election. She said the district fell short by 255 votes. She said they would continue to work on the issues and prepare for the future.