St. Mary Parish School Board to take steps toward new school, imprrovements

The first steps toward construction of a new school building for Patterson Junior High will be taken during Thursday’s meeting of the St. Mary Parish School Board.
Voters authorized a 15-mill property tax to replace Patterson Junior High and to add a multi-purpose building to Hattie Watts Elementary. The tax supports a $21 million bond issue, which will be repaid over 20 years.
The bond issue was supported by 73 percent of the vote.
The board is expected to approve a resolution canvassing the election returns and authorizing the incurring of debt.
Afterward, they plan to appoint architect Morgan City Jim Firmin to plan the dual construction projects.
To accommodate the expansion, the board is expected to approve obtaining quotes for the demolition of an adjacent building and concrete slab as well.
The junior high is plagued with interior walls separating from exterior walls, cracks in interior and exterior walls, moisture problems and inadequate flooring. Exterior brick cracking results in water hazards, flooding and insect infestations as well as expensive loss of heating and cooling.
Student population growth has surged in the Patterson community, leaving schools without additional classroom space to access in the event of future expansion.
Also on the agenda, the board is asked to grant permission to rededicate more than $7,000 in leftover funds from the Bayou Vista Elementary playground project to purchase Learn Pads.
Prior to the regular board meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, maintenance committees for Districts III (Morgan City area) and I (Franklin area) and will meet at 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively.
District III’s agenda includes a construction update on the Morgan City High School library, consideration of funding window wall replacements at J.B. Maitland and M.E. Norman elementary schools and funding a school resource officer for Morgan City schools.
The resource officer would be funded at no more than $20,000 annually through a partnership with the Morgan City Police Department.
In District I, the committee will consider declaring Crowell gym, the adjoining former cafeteria building at Crowell and vacant property as surplus and advertising it for sale.
All three meetings will be held at the Central Office Complex in Centerville and are open to the public.