The Jeff Davis Parish School Board is exploring the possibility of providing future stipends to its employees, contingent upon the availability of funding.

During Tuesday’s Finance Committee meeting, Finance Director Christin LeGros presented the board with options for proposed future employee stipends.

Given the $2.2 million surplus in the 2023-2024 budget year, three stipend options, with varying amounts for certified and support personnel, were outlined.

The first option mirrored previous stipends, with certified employees receiving $2,000 and support personnel receiving $1,500, for a total estimated cost of just over $1.7 million.

The second option would provide $1,500 to certified employees with support personnel receiving $1,000, for a total estimated cost of $1.4 million.

The third option, proposed $1,000 for certified employees and $750 for support personnel, for a total cost of $1.2 million.

Concerns were raised about the possibility of a deficit this year.

LeGross noted that an unexpected $650,000 increase in health benefits and a loss of nearly half a million dollars in Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) funds from the state due to declining enrollment have contributed to some uncertainty.

While federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Funds (ESSER) may offset some expenses, LeGros cautioned that the board’s financial picture is likely to change as the year progresses.

Some board members expressed a desire to wait until the budget is clearer before committing to stipends.

“I would like us to see how we shake out before we even talk about introducing stipends or bonuses,” Board member David Does said.

Superintendent John Hall said the board has worked hard to reduce the budget in recent years, and emphasized the desire to ensure that current jobs are secure before issuing stipends.

“We are fortunate that the surplus is not an accident,” Hall said. “It is a lot of hard work that actually started several years ago and has led into this. It’s not something that just showed up and we have it.”

He asked the board to allow him and the financial director more time to work with the budget, noting that February and March are too early to project an accurate budget.

“Everything kind of comes together over the summer, but we have a $600,000 bill that we have to pay that we didn’t know we had to pay last year for medical insurance,” Hall said. “If you give us some time to get our budget straight. I’d really hate to give a stipend, then be in the red and have to start making cuts.”

“I don’t feel comfortable doing it right now,” Hall continued. “I think this summer, we’d have a better understanding and if there is a surplus I’d ask that we’d use it to be right first to make sure that the jobs we have are secure.”

LeGross said a clearer picture of the budget and any potential deficit should be available by May or June.

Board member Greg Bordelon asked the board to revisit the topic of stipends at its strategic planning meeting in March.

“I know everybody here is for it but want to see where we are at,” Bordelon said.

The last employee stipend was distributed in 2024.