Vermilion Parish School Board OKs loan to build Kaplan softball indoor hitting facility

Kaplan High School moved closer to getting an indoor air-conditioned hitting facility.
On Monday, the School Board Committee As a Whole approved loaning the Kaplan High Softball Program $250,000 to build a new indoor hitting facility next to the softball field.
The school board approved loaning the softball program the money, and softball head coach Brittney LeBeouf agreed to pay back the loan over 25 years. LeBeouf said she would pay $8,000 to $10,000 a year.
At Thursday night’s regular school board meeting, the school board is expected to give the final approval for the loan.
LeBeouf, the daughter of school board member Laura LeBeouf, attended the meeting with a printed breakdown of how much the building will cost. She told the board members that she got bids for the construction, air conditioners, cement, turf and electrical work.
The total cost of the building will be around $250,000.
But before the school board approved the loan, a couple of board members had questions about the school system loaning money to different athletic programs.
“This project is awesome,” said school board member Jason Roy. “The Kaplan softball program is strong. I have no problem loaning the program the money. You have done your homework.”
Roy said the school board should consider the future in case another high school wants to borrow $250,000 to build something. Last year the school board approved loaning the North Vermilion Baseball Program $250,000 over 15 years to put lights on the baseball field.
School superintendent Tommy Byler tried to convince Coach LeBeouf to take out a $250,000 loan for 20 years instead of 25 years. He asked what happens if a school wants a loan for 30 years? She told Byler that the program was comfortable with a 25-year loan with a payment of $10,000 a year.
Because the school board loaned the North Vermilion baseball program $250,000 over 15 years and the Kaplan softball program $250,000 over 25 years, school board member Kevin Meyers requested the school board to come up with a written plan to loan school programs money.
He also worries that other school programs will approach the board about borrowing money.
“Do we have a plan in place?” Meyers asked. “At what point do we draw the line?”
Byler said the school board does not have a lending policy.
Meyers suggested tabling the $250,000 loan until the school board can write a loan policy. His idea was not approved.
The school board has a plan in place that if 2/3 of the loan is paid, the school board will cancel the other 1/3 of the loan. In other words, if the softball program pays $165,000 of the $250,000 loan, the school board will erase the additional $85,000 debt.
The committee voted 6-0 to approve the loan. However, school board member Laura LeBeouf recused herself from voting because of the family relationship she has with Coach LeBeouf.
School board member Chris Hebert was not at the committee meeting.