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Patterson High's Steven Boudreaux, top photo, is one of the first seven St. Mary Parish students who received technical diplomas from South Louisiana Community College while still in high school. Boudreaux receives a gift bag from Andre Perez, SLCC's executive director of economic initiatives, at Thursday's St. Mary Parish School Board meeting. In the bottom photo, Dr. Caronda Bean, director of dual enrollment, speaks to the students. Three students studied information technology: Nicholas Mire and Kaden Palmer of West St. Mary and Boudreaux. Four studied industrial marine electronics: Kaleb Verret of Morgan City High, Lance Ladoucer of Centerville High, and Trent Do and Malikai Robertson of West St. Mary

The Review/Bill Decker

The St. Mary School Board honored its Employees of the Month at Thursday's meeting. Shown from left are Centerville cafeteria manager Tammy Martin; Patterson Junior High resource teacher Amanda Rosado Beall; and West St. Mary science teacher Lauren Demby.

The Review/Bill Decker

CENTERVILLE -- For the second time in two months, the St. Mary Parish School Board on Thursday rejected an attempt to reclaim its power to say yes or on applications for industrial tax exemptions.

Also Thursday, the School Board approved new a new electoral district map (see related story); launched an effort to make security modifications at five campuses, including Berwick and Patterson high schools; and approved the calendar for the 2022-23 school year.

Exemptions

The board voted 6-5 against member Wayne Deslatte's attempt to change the way applications under the Louisiana Industrial Tax Exemption Program are considered.

The state program offers an 80% exemption from local property taxes for new industries and expansions at existing enterprises for up to 10 years. The state Board of Commerce and Industry once made the decisions, but after complaints about oversight and lost revenue, the rules were changed to give affected local governments the power to accept or reject applications.

That led to concerns that potential employers would be discouraged by the need to apply to multiple local boards. So Parish President David Hanagriff received permission to make the exemption decisions on behalf of municipalities, the School Board and the Sheriff's Office if an economic analysis showed a positive impact.

Last fall, the analysis showed a small negative impact from a small Metal Shark expansion creating two jobs with a payroll of $73,000, so Hanagriff went back to the local authorities. Franklin and the Sheriff's Office approved an exemption for Metal Shark, but the School Board said no.

Metal Shark got the expansion anyway after officials discovered that they'd missed a 30-day decision deadline.

Later, on Feb. 10, School Board President Kenny Alfred introduced a resolution that would have rescinded the decision to give its approval power to Hanagriff. That resolution failed on a 5-5 vote. Deslatte was absent due to illness.

Deslatte brought the resolution back Thursday, and again health played a role in the measure's failure by a 6-5 vote.

Board member Roland Verret, who voted to take back approval power in February, voted against Deslatte's resolution Thursday without intending to.

Verret said Friday that he suffers from a hearing loss for which he's seeking treatment. That and exhaustion prevented him from following much of the debate Thursday, he said Friday.

"I was confused ...," Verret said in an interview. "I didn't mean to stir anything up."

Verret and fellow members Joseph Foulcard, Tammie Moore, Pearl Rack, Alaina Black and Dwight Barbier voted against the resolution. Voting for it were members Deslatte, Ginger Griffin, Michael Taylor, Kenny Alfred and Marilyn LaSalle.

Friday's debate followed the lines drawn in February: the School Board's authority and need for tax revenue vs. cutting red tape and projecting a business-friendly image.

Deslatte, a former Board of Commerce and Industry member, said Thursday that he believes too many exemptions are being rubber-stamped.

In an interview Friday, Deslatte said the state has given authority to make exemption decisions to local governments.

"The School Board has the well-being of students and education as its function," Deslatte said. "That's the primary function. That is not the primary function of the parish.

"To give them, the parish, the power that was given to us by Baton Rouge doesn't seem right to me."

He also questioned Hanagriff's commitment to tax revenue to support teacher pay after the president's opposition to the recently passed 0.45% sales tax.

But Foulcard argued for the need to be inviting to potential businesses.

"They want to go one place [for approval]," Foulcard said. "They don't want to go every place."

Evan Boudreaux, the parish's economic development director, told board members he understands their desire to make their own exemption decisions.

But "I think we should come together and reform the process," Boudreaux said.

Also Thursday:

--The board accepted the low bid for construction of security alterations at five parish schools.

Del-Con of Berwick won the contract with a bid of $514,000 for the work at Berwick, Patterson and Centerville high schools, Lagrange Elementary and St. Mary Alternative School.

The School Board administration had estimated the work would cost $540,000.

Those schools are the last five in the parish to undergo the work, designed to direct school visitors to the office rather than allowing immediate access to common areas.

--The board adopted a calendar for the next school year. Students will come back from summer vacation Aug. 10. The last full day of class will be May 25.

Christmas vacation will be Dec. 22-Jan. 4, and the Mardi Gras break will be Feb. 20-24. The Easter holiday will be April 7-14.

The emergency days for making up time after unexpected school closures are Jan. 3-5 and Feb. 23-24.

Nicole B. “Nickie” Daigle, 55, a resident of Morgan City, passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by her family on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

Nickie was born on September 4, 1966 in Morgan City, the daughter of David G. Broussard and Jeanine Dupuis.

Nickie enjoyed being in the outdoors planting flowers and tending to her garden, she had a true green thumb. She also had a love for music and a passion for cooking, and loved cooking for her family when everyone was together.

She will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her husband, David Daigle of Morgan City; one daughter, Brittany Crouch of Morgan City; one step-daughter, Sarah Daigle of Pierre Part; four grandchildren, Jaydon Crouch, Avery Dupre, Haley Chandler and Hayes Chandler; her mother, Jeanine Dupuis Gray of Morgan City; her father, David G. Broussard and wife Cheryl of New Orleans; one sister, Majella Bailey and husband Jimmy Jr. of Morgan City; four nieces, Meaghan Giroir, Brea Stephens, Amber Bailey and Reilee Bailey; mother-in-law, Helen Billiot of Morgan City; step sister, Lesley Lapeze and husband James of New Orleans.

Nickie was preceded in death by her grandparents, Olive Hebert and Frank and Sophie Dupuis; step father, Donald Gray; father-in-law, Cleveland Billiot II.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at Twin City Funeral Home with Father Henry Sebastian officiating. A visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service, and following the services, Nickie will be laid to rest in the Morgan City Cemetery.