East Baton Rouge Parish School Board

Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes

Thursday, May 1, 2025

A. Meeting Opening

1. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

The Invocation was led by School Board Member Nathan Rust, and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by School Board Member Mark Bellue.

2. Call to Order and Roll Call

Vice President Gaudet called the meeting to order at 5:01 p.m.

Members present were Mark Bellue, Dadrius Lanus, Cliff Lewis, Nathan Rust, Michael Gaudet, and Emily Soulé.

Carla Powell Lewis, Shashonnie Steward, and Patrick Martin were absent.

Others present were LaMont Cole, Superintendent; Adam Smith, Deputy Superintendent; Gwynn Shamlin Jr., General Counsel; Catasha Edwards, Chief Academic Officer; Taylor Gast, Administrative Director of Communications; Andrea O’Konski, Chief of Accountability and Assessments; James Crochet, Chief Business Operations Officer; John McCann, Interim Chief Operations Officer; Kelly Lopez, Chief Financial Officer; Kwesi Gilbert, Chief of Plant Operations; Stacey Dupre, Chief of Support and Special Projects; and Lisa Smothers, Chief Officer-Human Resources.

B. Information Only

1. Fiscal Transparency Report

C. Receive as Information

2. Transportation Report

D. Items for Consideration

1. Professional Services Contracts: Exceptional Student Services

Approval of professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following:

a) Deaf Resource Center of Greater Baton Rouge, LLC, in the amount of $80,000 to provide qualified sign language interpreter services to students. Funding Source: IDEA Part B

b) Dr. Kashunda L. Williams, LP, BCBA-D, NCSP, Sundry Behavioral Services in the amount of $60,000, to provide applied behavior analysis (ABA) services. Funding Source: IDEA Part B

c) Egan Healthcare Corporation d/b/a Egan-Ochsner HCBS River Parishes in the amount of $298,350 to provide nursing services to students with disabilities. Funding Source: IDEA Part B

d) Turner, LLC, in the amount of $1,211,600, to provide nursing services to students with disabilities. Funding Source: IDEA Part B

e) Pediatric Services of America, LLC d/b/a Aveanna Healthcare in the amount of $932,000 to provide nursing services to students with disabilities. Funding Source: IDEA Part B

Motion by Nathan Rust, second by Cliff Lewis.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Lewis, Rust, Soulé

Recuse: Gaudet

2. Demolition of Eden Park

Authorize staff to advertise, accept the low bid, meeting specifications, and make the award of contract for demolition of Eden Park, as specified in the "A Plan to Improve Facilities/Technology, Discipline, and Compensation in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System" (the "Plan") as revised through February 22, 2018, or reject any and all bids for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law.

Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Cliff Lewis.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Soulé

3. 2024-2025 General Fund Revised Budget

Friendly amendment to the consideration of a request for approval of the Revised 2024-2025 General Fund Budget for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System to the Full Board without recommendation.

Motion by Cliff Lewis, second by Emily Soulé.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Soulé

4. Grant

Approval of the FCC Cyber Security Program Grant agreement award, including release of a request for proposals, selection of a proposal, and authorization of the Superintendent and staff to execute a contract to provide equipment and services to enhance network and data security and related matters.

Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Nathan Rust.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Lewis, Rust, Gaudet, Soulé

E. Next Meeting Dates/Announcements

1. Announcement of Meetings

F. Adjournment

There being no further business, the Committee of the Whole adjourned by acclamation.