Monday brought a wet and stormy night outside but inside the Winn Parish School Board meeting room, news was good when the auditor gave a detailed report on the district’s finances then concluded that the findings are unmodified.  “It is a clean audit.”

Supt. Alfred Simmons observed that it is a point of pride that the school district has maintained this standard of excellence through the years.  He laid much of the credit on business manager Jennifer Vidrine who, like her predecessor Tami Austin, “realizes it’s important to get it right up front rather than coming back to fix it later.”

The board agreed to call an election on the April 27 ballot, seeking a parishwide maintenance as well as general obligation bonds for Consolidated District 11 (the Dodson/Sikes area).  “In general, we are going to the people to ask their approval for this needed tax,” said the superintendent.

In early action, the board voted to maintain the leadership by its president and vice president when they approved Joe Lynn Browning in the lead role with Patrick Howell as vice president.

Joe Llaine Long complained about the lack of outside lighting at schools.  She said the board needs to ask the mayor for assistance and repairs of city lights in those areas.  “And we need to take care of those that we’re responsible for.”

Simmons also advised that his office will keep an eye on threatening weather over coming days.  “If it’s just cold, no we won’t close schools, unless there are situation where it’s not safe.  We will be watching and monitoring conditions.”  He also observed that there is a lot of COVID and flu going around the community.  “We know how fast-moving these can be.”