§64. Zachary Community School Board and school system; creation; membership; qualifications; apportionment; election; powers, duties, and functions; system operation

            A.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, upon the appointment of members of the interim school board as provided in R.S. 17:64.1(C), there shall be established a separate school system and school board for the Zachary community in East Baton Rouge Parish, which shall be designated the Zachary Community School Board. The board shall be composed of nine members, one from each of the single-member districts provided for in Subsection B of this Section who shall meet the qualifications for office provided for in R.S. 17:52(E). Additionally, each member of the board shall meet the requirements of R.S. 17:52(D) specifying that school board members be able to read and write.

            (2) The geographic boundaries of the school system shall be as follows: Commence at a point at the bank of the Mississippi River at its nearest point to the boundary of East Baton Rouge Parish and East Feliciana Parish, south of Port Hudson National Cemetery, and proceed in a northerly direction along a line forming the boundary between East Baton Rouge Parish and East Feliciana Parish to a point north of U.S. Highway 61 and corner; thence continue in a northeasterly direction and then an easterly direction along the East Baton Rouge and East Feliciana Parish boundary line to the westerly bank of the waterbody known as Redwood Creek; thence proceed in a southerly direction following the meanderings of said creek, along its western bank to where it empties into the Comite River; thence proceed in a southerly direction along the western bank of the Comite River to a point just north of Charlton Road; thence proceed in a westerly direction on a line parallel to the northern boundary of Charlton Road to the eastern boundary of White's Bayou where it intersects at the northern point with Baker Canal; thence proceed in a southerly direction to the southernmost intersection of White's Bayou and Baker Canal; thence proceed in a westerly direction following the meanderings of the northern bank of the Baker Canal to La. Highway 19; continue in the same line across La. Highway 19, thence proceed in a southerly direction along the western boundary of Highway 19 to a point being the boundary line of the Baker City limits and the Baker School District, as set forth in the 1997 Baker School District proposal; thence continue to proceed in a westerly direction then northerly and then in a westerly direction along a line being a portion of the northern boundary of said Baker City limit/School District proposal line; thence proceed south along said line to the northern boundary of Groom Road; thence proceed along the northern boundary of said Groom Road to its intersection with La. Highway 964 (Old Scenic Highway) and continue in a westerly direction to the western boundary of La. Highway 964; thence proceed in a southerly direction along the western boundary of Highway 964 to its intersection with Springfield Road; thence proceed due west to the eastern bank of the Mississippi River; thence proceed in a northerly direction along the eastern bank of the Mississippi River to the point of beginning less and except any portion of said area located within the jurisdiction of the city of Baker School Board.

            (3) No appropriation of state funds shall be provided to provide assistance or support with the initial establishment of the Zachary community school system. Nothing in this Paragraph shall limit the participation of the Zachary community school system in the minimum foundation program or any other appropriation applicable to other public school systems in the state.

            B.(1) By not later than January 15, 2000, the governing authority of the city of Zachary shall develop and adopt a plan to divide the Zachary community school system into nine single-member districts from each of which one member of the Zachary Community School Board shall be elected. The districts shall be drawn in a manner such that each member of the Zachary Community School Board represents as nearly as possible the same number of persons, using population figures from the latest federal decennial census, and shall be effective in time for qualifying for office for a special election for school board members to be held at the time and place of voting for members of congress in 2000. School board members elected at this time shall take office at noon on the second Monday in January next following the election and serve until the taking of office of the school board members elected as provided in Subsection C of this Section.

            (2) Prior to the final adoption of the apportionment plan required by this Subsection, the governing authority of the city of Zachary shall order a public hearing on the proposed plan and shall cause to be published in its official journal at least twenty days prior to the date of such hearing, the time and place thereof, a general summary and map of the proposed plan, and the times and places where copies of the proposed plan are available for public inspection.

            C. Except as otherwise provided in Paragraph B(1) of this Section for the initial elected members of the board, each member of the Zachary Community School Board shall be elected at the time and place provided by law generally for parish school board members. The members of the Zachary Community School Board elected in 2002 shall assume office as otherwise provided by law generally for parish school board members and such members and their successors in office shall serve for four-year concurrent terms.

            D. Vacancies on the board shall be filled as provided by law generally for parish school boards.

            E.(1)(a) The organization of the Zachary Community School Board as well as the board's powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities shall be as provided by law generally for parish school boards.

            (b) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the board may borrow money in sums necessary to fund its budgeted expenditures for Fiscal Year 2002-2003. As evidence of these loans, the board may execute or cause to be executed notes or other evidences of indebtedness payable before the close of Fiscal Year 2003-2004 and pledge, as security therefor, their revenues for Fiscal Year 2002-2003, plus their revenues for Fiscal Year 2003-2004.

            (2) Compensation for board members and reimbursement for expenses shall be as provided by law generally for parish school board members.

            (3) The Zachary Community School Board shall adopt rules, regulations, and procedures consistent with law to effectuate this Section and to administer the duties, functions, and responsibilities of the board.

            F.(1) The Zachary Community School Board shall begin its initial year of actual operation providing for the education of students within its jurisdiction at the beginning of the 2001-2002 school year or any subsequent school year after the Zachary Community School Board complies with state and federal requirements for actual operation of a separate school system. Beginning at this time and thereafter, notwithstanding any provisions of law or rule or regulation to the contrary and pursuant to the duty and responsibility placed with the legislature by Article VIII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Louisiana to establish and maintain a public educational system and the authority granted the legislature by Article VIII, Section 10(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana to enact laws affecting parish school board systems in existence on the effective date of the constitution, all lands, buildings and improvements, facilities, and other property having title vested in the public and subject to management, administration, and control by the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board for public education purposes but located within the geographic boundaries of the Zachary community school system or used to provide student transportation services to such facilities, or both, shall be managed, administered, and controlled by the Zachary Community School Board.

            (2) In the absence of a mutual agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the Zachary Community School Board on questions of ownership of the lands, buildings and improvements, facilities, and other property having title vested in the public and subject to management, administration, and control by the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board for public education purposes but located within the geographic boundaries of the Zachary community school system or used to provide student transportation services to such facilities, or both, the Zachary Community School Board shall enter into arbitration proceedings to resolve such questions.

            Added by Acts 1999, No. 1027, §1, eff. Dec. 27, 1999; Acts 2001, No. 895, §1, eff. June 26, 2001; Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 49, §1, eff. April 18, 2002; Acts 2022, No. 374, §1.