Livingston, La. — The Livingston Parish School Board gave a Holden house one last chance Thursday, voting to re-advertise the property at a floor price of $20,000 after yet another round of bidding drew zero offers.
The Livingston Parish School Board meeting on Thursday, March 4, opened with unanimous approval of the minutes from the previous board meeting on February 19.
The board then heard from Accountant Bridget Demonica and Supervisor of Child Nutrition Programs Sommer Purvis regarding several bids the school board will soon be advertising.
Demonica's items included custodial supplies for warehouse stock, food service disposables for warehouse stock, and gas and diesel for LPPS fuel stations.
Purvis addressed bids for food services for the 2026-2027 school year, covering ice cream products, frozen, refrigerated, canned, and packaged foods, branded pizzas, disposable products, milk and milk products, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
The board authorized advertising and bidding for each item listed.
The highlight of the bid discussions was Demonica's update on the sale of a house to be moved in Holden. The one-and-a-half-story wood-framed detached home — with over 1,780 square feet of living space, three bedrooms, and two-and-a-half baths — has drawn prolonged interest from the board due to a lack of interested buyers.
Even at its lowest listed price since going to market, no bids came in this past Tuesday. Demonica asked the board for authority to re-advertise the home at a starting bid of just $20,000. Board members agreed to give it one final chance — and if no bids are received, the Holden district will keep the property.
"It's a nicely structured home," Superintendent Jody Purvis said, "but part of the issue is the cost of moving it because of the size of the home."
"We're hoping somebody takes it," Board President Stephen Link added.
The board then heard reports from the curriculum and policy committee and the budget and goals committee on discussions held during their March 3 meetings.
The curriculum and policy committee reviewed policies on school board meeting notifications, surplus equipment sales, purchasing, emergency crisis management, recruitment, employee dismissal and conduct, and behavioral health support for students. Those policies had already been approved at the committee level before coming to the full board, which unanimously approved them.
The budget and goals committee presented the maximum 2026 budget revision, covering the school board's general funds, second sales tax, maintenance, sinking, construction, food service, disaster, federal, and state funds. All revisions were approved by both the committee and the full board.
Superintendent Purvis closed the meeting with remarks on the 2026 regular legislative session, which runs from March 9 through potentially June 1.
Purvis said the board will be "tracking some legislation as those things come up and… trying to make sure that we are staying on top of things and stay in contact with legislators to make sure we are advocating for our [school] system."
