The December 4, 2025, Livingston Parish School Board meeting was as unsettled as the weather outside and grew increasingly dreary as the night went on. Conflicts, pointed comments, and lingering concerns colored a meeting focused largely on finances, construction projects, and performance-based promotions.
Board members Robert Seals and Cecil Harris first addressed bid authorizations for several construction projects.
Seals asked the board for authority to advertise bids for multipurpose buildings at Live Oak Elementary, North Live Oak Elementary, and South Live Oak Elementary. Before the vote, Seals told the board he appreciated “working here [because of] the way everybody is eager to work with one another to just make us [the school system] better at what we do.” The motion passed unanimously.
Harris followed with a request for authority to advertise bids for an addition to the S.T.E.M. Center in Denham Springs. Harris offered little additional comment, and the board unanimously approved the request.
Accountant Bridget Demonica then informed the board that the house slated for relocation in Holden had once again failed to receive any bids.
Demonica recommended placing the property back on the market using sealed bids at a 25% discount, lowering the starting bid to $52,500. The board unanimously approved the proposal, hoping the third attempt would produce results.
Superintendent Jody Purvis addressed new requirements under Act 705, which sets educational requirements for holding a school board seat.
While the specific requirements were not detailed for the public, Purvis thanked board members “for always going above and beyond and making sure you have those hours of credit and truly trying to educate yourself on what’s going on and make sure that you ensure you’re doing the best you can.” The requirements were unanimously ratified.
Purvis next presented performance-based contracts for approval, including Aimee Spearman as Principal at Walker Elementary and Ashley Sharp as Principal at Doyle High School.
Both contracts were approved through roll-call votes. Addressing the two principals, Purvis said the board recognizes how hard they work each day, adding that “the things that you deal with every day are tough, but you were made to do it, and we appreciate you and the job that each of you is doing.”
The final item of the night was a discussion of the proposed District Distribution Schedule for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. During public comment, parish resident Trey Cowell criticized the proposed schedule, saying it did not adequately account for less populated areas of the parish and citing what he described as uneven construction spending in recent years.
Following public comment, Dr. Ronald McMorris suggested moving forward with the second of two proposed distribution schedules and encouraged fellow members to support it.
Cecil Harris objected, saying the board should wait to vote until all members were present, noting the absence of Katelyn Cockerham and Bradley Harris.
After continued discussion, Board President John Link called for a roll-call vote on postponing action until the next meeting on December 18, 2025. The motion passed 5–2, placing the distribution decision on hold.
According to Purvis, once the board votes to approve a distribution schedule, it will take effect the same day.
