By KERI CHAMPION

Staff Reporter

No nonsense and no argument was the order of business at the St. James Parish School Board meeting on Tuesday.

Meeting business items went widely unopposed by all parties as the school board passed several resolutions on the agenda.

The need for new athletic facilities at both high schools in the parish dominated financial and maintenance matters at the meeting.

Much of Lutcher High School’s athletic building burned during a fire in mid-2006 and a proposal to accept the bid of R & K Contractors was approved that would allow the company to remove the debris from the area at a cost of $18,000.

The board also passed a resolution to advertise for bids for the new Lutcher High athletic facility, a new St. James High athletic building and the Science and Math Academy classroom and laboratory. Legal counsel Ricky Babin informed the board that bids must be accepted for at least 30 days after the announcement is published prior to making a decision.

The board voted to issue three certificates of payments to architect Perry Segura for the drawing of plans and for completion of research for the three buildings.

At an estimated cost of $950,000, the school board would have to provide roughly 7.16 % or $17,005 for the Lutcher High School facility. The St. James High School athletic facility would cost the board $14,085, and the class and laboratory for Science and Math Academy is estimated at $11,174.25.

The estimated costs above would cover the preparation of plans and specifications to begin the projects for a total cost of $42,264.87 for the three projects.