REGULAR MEETING OF THE
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 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 this the twentieth day of November 2014, in regular-session convened. The President called the meeting to order with the following members present:, Mr. David Tatman, President; 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 was 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.
School Board Member, Mary Lynch, gave the invocation. Cadet Major Paulette Kourouma, Broadmoor High School, accompanied by LTC Michael Stewart, Senior Army Instructor, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Approval of Minutes of the October 16, 2014, School Board Meeting, and the November 6, 2014, Committee of the Whole Meeting
By Vice-President Smith
Resolved, that, the reading of the minutes of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board meetings of October 16, 2014, School Board, and the November 6, 2014, Committee of the Whole, be dispensed with and that they be approved as published in the Official Journal.
Seconded by Mrs. Freiberg
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mrs. Bernard and Mr. Freeman were absent.)
Vice-President Smith requested that Item #20 be removed from the Consent Agenda and voted on at this time. There was no objection.
Approval of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement
By Vice President Smith
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) with the City/Parish of East Baton Rouge to provide for the construction of a new fire station in the Chaneyville Fire Protection District #7 and related matters.
Seconded by Mr. Arbour
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mr. Freeman was absent.)
Approval of Consent Agenda Items, Excluding Items, #10, #20, and #21
By Mrs. Bernard
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the Consent Agenda items, excluding items #10, #20, and #21.
Seconded by Mrs. Freiberg
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mr. Freeman and Vice-President Smith were absent.)
The following items were approved as part of the Consent Agenda:
Items approved by the Committee of the Whole for recommendation to the Board:
Approval of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System financial audit results for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014.
Approval of the Preliminary Actual Semi-Annual 2013-2014 Financial Tax Plan Update and the Proposed 2014-2015 Tax Plan Budgets for Propositions 1, 2, and 3.
Approval to renew a contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the EBR City Parish Government in the amount of $132,610.00 to provide adult education classes for inmates at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. (Funding Source: City Parish Grant).
Approval of the proposed budget for the AdvancED External Review Team visit in February 2015 in the amount of $20,000.00. (Funding Source: Department of Accountability, Assessment and Evaluation).
Authorization for staff to advertise, accept the low bid meeting specifications and make the award of a contract for the Classroom Improvements at McKinley High School, or reject any and all bids for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law; Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 38; Chapter 10.
Authorization for staff to advertise, accept the low bid meeting specifications and make the award of a contract for the Classroom Improvements at Belaire High School, or reject any and all bids for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law; Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 38; Chapter 10.
Authorization for staff to advertise, accept the low bid meeting specifications and make the award of a contract for the Roof Replacement at the Instructional Resource Center (IRC), or reject any and all bids for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law; Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 38; Chapter 10.
Authorization for staff to advertise, accept the low bid meeting specifications and make the award of a contract for the Roof Replacement on multiple buildings at the Transportation Complex, or reject any and all bids for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law; Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 38; Chapter 10.
Approval of a contract for Professional Services between the East Baton Rouge Parish School District and Core Advancement LLC, to develop an academic scope and sequence for Lee High School and a professional development scope and sequence to increase the number of secondary teachers certified to offer Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses in all district high schools to be presented for consideration by March 1, 2015, for an amount not to exceed $50,000.00.
Approval of the recommendation of Mr. Domoine Rutledge, General Counsel, EBRPSB, in the matter of: Rushika Chatman v. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, et al; Suit No.: 600,709; Division: D; 19th JDC.
END OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
Approval of Contract for Professional Services
By Mrs. Bernard
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve a contract for Professional Services between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Fusion Architecture, APC for Insurance Statement of Values for properties owned by East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, for an amount not to exceed $5,000 per facility.
Seconded by Mrs. Lynch
Discussion followed.
The following substitute motion was made.
By Ms. Lee
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve to defer approval a contract for Professional Services between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Fusion Architecture, APC for Insurance Statement of Values for properties owned by East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, for an amount not to exceed $5,000 per facility until the December 19, 2014 Regular School Board meeting. The Board also request additional information concerning the financial impact to the General Fund Budget.
Seconded by Dr. Nelson-Smith
The vote on the substitute motion was as follows:
Yeas: (6) Mr. Arbour, Ms. Lee, Mrs. Lynch, Dr. Nelson-Smith, Vice-President Smith, and Ms. Ware-Jackson
Nays: (4) Mrs. Bernard, Ms. Dyason, Mrs. Freiberg, and President Tatman
Abstained: (0) None
Absent: (1) Mr. Freeman
The substitute motion was declared adopted.
Approval of School Board Policies
By Mrs. Bernard
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the following School Board policy revisions and related matters: Term of Office (ABCC); School Board Meeting Rules of Procedure (BCB); Notification of School Board Meetings (BCBA); Minutes of Board Meetings (BCBG); Executive Sessions (BCBK); Substitute Personnel (GBRJ); Curriculum (ID); Instructional Materials (IFA); School Admission (JBC); and Employee Discipline (GBK), as amended.
Seconded by Mrs. Freiberg
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mr. Freeman was absent.)
Approval to Defer Staff to Advertise, Accept Low Bid and Make Award of Contract
By Mrs. Bernard
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve to defer approval for staff to advertise, accept the low bid meeting specifications, and make the award of a contract for the classroom improvements at Riveroaks Elementary School and Wedgewood Elementary School, or reject any and all bids for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law; Louisiana Revised Statutes; Title 38; Chapter 10 to the December 4, 2014 Committee of the Whole meeting.
Seconded by Mrs. Bernard
Discussion followed.
The following substitute motion was made.
By Ms. Lee
Resolved, that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby authorize expenditures to make necessary repairs and/or renovations to improve the health and safety conditions at Riveroaks Elementary School and Wedgewood Elementary School in an amount not to exceed two million ($2,000,000.00) dollars per campus for a total of four million ($4,000,000.00) dollars. Two million ($2,000,000.00) dollars would be used for future projects to be determined at a later date.
Seconded by Dr. Nelson-Smith
Discussion continued.
The substitute motion was withdrawn by the originator and seconder.
The vote on the original motion was as follows:
Yeas: (8) Mr. Arbour, Mrs. Bernard, Ms. Dyason, Mrs. Freiberg, Mrs. Lynch, Vice-President Smith, President Tatman, and Ms. Ware-Jackson
Nays: (2) Ms. Lee and Dr. Nelson-Smith
Abstained: (0) None
Absent: (1) Mr. Freeman
The original motion was declared adopted.
There being no further business, the Board adjourned by acclamation.
________________________
Dr. Bernard Taylor, Jr.,
Secretary/Treasurer to the Board