The St. Tammany Parish School Board passed a resolution supporting bus drivers' request to the state Legislature to increase their operation and maintenance allowance due to the rise in those costs over the past few years.

The vote came at a special meeting Tuesday.

Tim Miller, spokesman for the bus drivers, had previously requested the board's support, citing the rising cost of diesel fuel and tires as just some of the costs they have had to absorb over the past few years. Diesel fuel alone has risen 43 percent since last year, with costs rising almost daily. Last year the fuel was $2.64; it is now $3.79 in the Gulf Coast region. The resolution states that "the St. Tammany Parish School Board hereby urges the State of Louisiana to provide additional funding to the school bus operational expense allowance in order to help owner/operators continue maintaining safe, reliable school buses."

In addition, copies of the resolution and minutes of the board meeting will be sent to every member of the St. Tammany Parish Legislative delegation and all other members of the Louisiana Legislature.

In other matters, the School Board approved a bid for the new high school athletic facilities. Included in the project is a new artificial turf field. After some discussion, the artificial turf was approved as a pilot program and will be evaluated from time to time for use in other projects.

The base bid for the project including the artificial turf football field totaled $11,109,000 and was awarded to Polk Construction Corp., in Columbia, Miss.

The board also presented a proclamation by Gov. Bobby Jindal naming March 20, 2008, as Louisiana Retired Teachers Day to honor those who have devoted their careers to educating and training Louisiana's youth and adults.

The next regular School Board meeting is April 10 with a business and administrative committee as a whole meeting scheduled for April 3 and a human resources and curriculum committee as a whole meeting scheduled for April 17.