REGULAR MEETING OF THE
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014
5:00 P.M.
The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board met at the School Board Office at 1050 South Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 5:00 p.m. on the seventeenth day of July 2014, in regular-session convened. The Vice President called the meeting to order with the following members present: Mr. Tarvald A. Smith, Vice President; Mr. G. Thomas “Jerry” Arbour; Mrs. Connie Bernard; Ms. Jill C. Dyason; Mrs. Barbara Freiberg; Mrs. Mary Lynch; Ms. Vereta T. Lee; Dr. Kenyetta Nelson-Smith; and Ms. Evelyn Ware-Jackson. Mr. Craig Freeman, and Mr. David Tatman, President, were absent.
Others present were: Dr. Bernard Taylor, Jr., Superintendent; Mr. Michael Haggen, Deputy Superintendent for Innovation and Reform; Mr. Carlos Sam, Associate Superintendent; Dr. Herman Brister, Associate Superintendent for Student Support Services; Ms. Catherine Fletcher, Chief Business Operations Officer; Ms. Millie Williams, Interim Executive Director of Human Resources; Ms. Lizabeth Frischhertz, Chief Officer of Accountability, Assessment and Evaluation; and Mr. Domoine Rutledge, General Counsel.
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Reverend Gerald Robinson, gave the invocation. Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Railen Parker, McKinley High School, accompanied by Colonel James Bowie, Senior Army Instructor, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Approval of School Board Minutes of the June 19, 2014, School Board Meeting
By Mrs. Freiberg
Resolved, that, the reading of the minutes of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board Meeting of June 19, 2014, be dispensed with and that they be approved as published in the Official Journal.
Seconded by Mrs. Bernard
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mr. Freeman and President Tatman were absent.)
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Approval of the Proposed 2014-2015 General Fund Budget and Budget Resolution
By Mrs. Freiberg
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the Proposed 2014-2015 General Fund Budget and the Budget Resolution.
Seconded by Ms. Ware-Jackson
Discussion followed.
The following substitute motion was made.
By Dr. Nelson-Smith
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the Proposed 2014-2015 General Fund Budget and the Budget Resolution with the following modifications:
1. Page #37, Item #11 - change 4 weeks to 6 weeks on this item and globally, where applicable.
2. Page #49, Item #5 – change Superintendent to Board on this item and globally, where applicable.
Items requested will be reviewed by General Counsel to assure the requests comply with the law.
Seconded by Ms. Lee
The vote on the substitute motion was as follows:
Yeas: (6) Mr. Arbour, Mrs. Lynch, Ms. Lee, Dr. Nelson-Smith, Vice-President Smith, and Ms. Ware-Jackson
Nays: (3) Mrs. Bernard, Ms. Dyason, and Mrs. Freiberg
Abstained: (0) None
Absent: (2) Mr. Freeman and President Tatman
The substitute motion was declared adopted.
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Adoption of Resolution
By Mrs. Freiberg
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby adopt a resolution, as required by law for the Office of the Assessor, no later than June 1, 2014, for the purpose of levying millages effective on the 2014 Assessment Roll, with modifications if needed by General Counsel.
Seconded by Ms. Ware-Jackson
The vote on the motion was as follows:
Yeas: (7) Ms. Dyason, Mrs. Freiberg, Mrs. Lynch, Ms. Lee, Dr. Nelson-Smith, Vice-President Smith, and Ms. Ware-Jackson
Nays: (0) None
Abstained: (2) Mr. Arbour and Mrs. Bernard
Absent: (2) Mr. Freeman and President Tatman
The motion was declared adopted.
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Items #13 and #14 were requested to be taken out of order. There was no objection by the Board.
Approval of a Cooperative Agreement
By Mrs. Freiberg
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve a Cooperative Agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Capital Area Human Services District Baton Rouge regarding mental health center/children’s behavioral health services.
Seconded by Mrs. Bernard
The vote on the motion was as follows:
Yeas: (8) Mr. Arbour, Mrs. Bernard, Mrs. Freiberg, Mrs. Lynch, Ms. Lee, Dr. Nelson-Smith, Vice-President Smith, and Ms. Ware-Jackson
Nays: (0) None
Abstained: (1) Ms. Dyason
Absent: (2) Mr. Freeman and President Tatman
The motion was declared adopted.
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Approval of a Conjoint Agreement of Lease
By Mrs. Freiberg
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve a Conjoint Agreement of Lease as it relates to the J.K. Haynes Middle Charter School.
Seconded by Mr. Arbour
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mr. Freeman, Dr. Nelson-Smith, and President Tatman were absent.)
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Approval of Servitude Agreement
By Mr. Arbour
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve a Servitude Agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the East Baton Rouge Sewerage Commission for a Local Services Agreement/Cooperative Endeavor. The agreement serves as an acceptance of transfer of property ownership for the cash offer of $15,799.00 citywide and future Tara High School sewer improvements.
Seconded by Mrs. Freiberg
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mr. Freeman, Dr. Nelson-Smith, and President Tatman were absent.)
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Approval of a Servitude Agreement
By Mrs. Bernard
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve a Servitude Agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the East Baton Rouge Sewerage Commission for a Local Services Agreement/Cooperative Endeavor. The agreement serves as an acceptance of transfer of property ownership and temporary access of equipment for the cash offer of $26,561.00 citywide and future Christa McAuliffe Superintendent’s Academy sewer improvements.
Seconded by Mrs. Lynch
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mr. Freeman, Dr. Nelson-Smith, and President Tatman were absent.)
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Approval of a Contract
By Mrs. Freiberg
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve a contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the South Louisiana Charter Foundation, Inc. and its Board of Directors for the purpose of operating the South Baton Rouge Charter Academy.
Seconded by Ms. Ware-Jackson
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mr. Freeman, Dr. Nelson-Smith, and President Tatman were absent.)
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Approval of the First Amendment to Option and Lease Agreement
By Mrs. Freiberg
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby give approval of the First Amendment to Option and Lease Agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC/AT&T Mobility Corporation as it relates to the Lee High School site.
Seconded by Ms. Lee
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mrs. Bernard, Mr. Freeman, and President Tatman were absent.)
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Approval to Renew a Contract
By Mrs. Freiberg
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby give approval to renew a contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Unemployment Compensation Control Systems, LLC, (UCCS) for a period of two years, beginning July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2016.
Seconded by Mrs. Lynch
The vote on the motion was as follows:
Yeas: (7) Mr. Arbour, Ms. Dyason, Mrs. Freiberg, Mrs. Lynch, Ms. Lee, Vice-President Smith, and Ms. Ware-Jackson
Nays: (0) None
Abstained: (1) Dr. Nelson-Smith
Absent: (3) Mrs. Bernard, Mr. Freeman, and President Tatman
The motion was declared adopted.
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Approval of Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook and Discipline Policy for 2014-2015 School Year
By Mr. Arbour
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook and Discipline Policy for the 2014-2015 school year for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, with noted changes.
Seconded by Dr. Nelson-Smith
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mrs. Bernard, Mr. Freeman, and President Tatman were absent.)
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Approval of Settlement of a Law Suit
By Mr. Arbour
Resolved, That, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby accept the recommendation of Mr. Domoine Rutledge, General Counsel, East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, in the matter of: “Shirley D. Barber Individually and as Natural Tutrix of the Minor Asia D. Scott vs. Penny S. Thomas, ACE American Insurance Company and EBRPSB, Suit No.: 619,730; Section 24; 19th JDC.
Seconded by Dr. Nelson-Smith
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mrs. Bernard, Mr. Freeman, and President Tatman were absent.)
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There being no further business, the Board adjourned by acclamation.
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Dr. Bernard Taylor, Jr.
Secretary/Treasurer to the Board