PROCEEDINGS OF THE ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
RESERVE, LA - Meeting of March 25, 2010
The Chair called the meeting to order and read the following call:
HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD
Parish of St. John the Baptist
Dear Board Member:
Upon call of the President, the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board will meet in special session at Godchaux Grammar Cafeteria, 1600 Highway 44, Reserve, Louisiana, on Thursday, March 25, 2010, at 9:30 a.m.
An agenda for the meeting is attached.
Sincerely, s/Courtney P. Millet, Ph.D.
Superintendent/Secretary
The Chair called for a moment of silent meditation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS:
PRESENT: Messrs. Jack, Madere, Johnson, Wise, Bacas, Triche, Keller.
ABSENT: Messrs. Burl, Sanders, Jones, Ory.
There were 7 members present and 4 absent.
ITEM 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Meetings of March 18, 2010. A motion was made by Mr. Madere, seconded by Mr. Triche, to accept the minutes of March 18, 2010 as printed and published. There were no objections and the motion to approve the minutes carried. Messrs. Burl, Sanders, Jones, and Ory were absent.
ITEM 4. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT. Courtney P. Millet, Ph.D., Superintendent. Dr. Millet stated the following: “St. John the Baptist Parish School System fully supports the Safe Routes to Schools application. The project will involve construction of 6,000 linear feet of sidewalks on Louisiana Highway 44/628 West 5th Street in LaPlace, Louisiana, originating at the Emily C. Watkins School and terminating at John L. Ory School. Principals of both schools involved were consulted and approve of the project. This project will be constructed at no cost to the School Board.”
ITEM 5. EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS BY THE BOARD OR STAFF. a. None
ITEM 6. PERSONNEL MATTERS: Dr. Leigh Ann Beard, Director of Human Resources.
Personnel Changes. None.
The Chair stated that ITEM 8b would be addressed at this time.
ITEM 8b. Ms. Jackie Forest, Principal, Child Development Center - Request Board approval of Head Start Application. Ms. Forest stated that the grant application is for a 3 year period. Mr. Wise questioned whether the student population at Head Start is consistent. Ms. Forest replied that yes, it is consistent, and there is a waiting list. Mr. Wise asked why St. John is not expanding the program if there is in fact a waiting list. Mr. Triche stated that he asked the same question several years ago, and was told that there is only limited funds for Head Start. Ms. Forest replied that she would look into the issue of applying for more funding.
A motion was made by Mr. Wise, seconded by Mr. Triche to Madere to approve the Head Start Grant Application as presented.
Upon roll call, there were 7 Yeas (Jack, Madere, Johnson, Wise, Bacas, Triche, Keller), 0 Nays, and 4 Absent (Burl, Sanders, Jones and Ory) and the motion carried.
ITEM 7a. BUSINESS AND FINANCE: Mr. Felix Boughton, Executive Director of Business and Finance
a. Authorize administration to accept proposals on the annual audit of financial statements and school activity funds.
A motion was made by Mr. Madere, seconded by Mr. Triche, to authorize administration to accept proposals on the annual audit of financial statements and school activity funds. There were no objections and the motion to authorize administration to accept proposals on the annual audit of financial statements and school activity funds carried. Messrs. Burl, Sanders, Jones and Ory were absent.
b. Request from St. John Council on Aging, Inc. to waive fees for use of East St. John Elementary.
A motion was made by the entire Board to approve the request from St. John Council on Aging, Inc. to waive fees for use of East St. John Elementary and the motion carried. Messrs. Burl, Sanders, Jones and Ory were absent.
c. Mrs. Lorraine Jackson, Director of Child Nutrition - Request Board approval to advertise for bids for the School Year 2010-2011 for Bread, Milk, Staples, Frozen Food, Meat/Meat Products, Cleaning Supplies, Paper Supplies, Large and Small Equipment for Cafeterias.
A motion was made by Mr. Jack, seconded by Mr. Bacas to approve the request to advertise for bids for the School Year 2010-2011 for Bread, Milk, Staples, Frozen Food, Meat/Meat Products, Cleaning Supplies, Paper Supplies, Large and Small Equipment for Cafeterias. There were no objections and the motion carried. Messrs. Burl, Sanders, Jones and Ory were absent.
ITEM 8. OLD BUSINESS. a. Adopt Disclosure Policy on Service Contracts.
Mr. Boughton stated that the Executive Committee met on March 19, 2010 to discuss and revise a policy on Disclosure of Service Contracts. The committee made several revisions to the policy that was originally presented, namely to include disclosure on all service contracts as opposed to just insurance contracts, and disclosure of all felony convictions of any sole proprietor, stockholder, principal partner or corporate officer.
Mr. Jones arrived at 9:44 a.m. and was recorded as present.
DISCLOSURE POLICY ON SERVICE CONTRACTS INCLUDING INSURANCE
It is the policy of the St. John School Board that all service contracts, including all insurance contracts, that the following shall be disclosed with a signed affidavit attesting to the disclosure:
All fees/commissions and any fee/commission splitting agreements, which includes a breakdown by agent. Fees/commissions are considered any fee that is related to the cost of that service.
All subcontractors and employees who provide services for the service contract and furnish a copy of all subcontracts.
All felony convictions of any sole proprietor, any stockholder, any principal partner and any corporate officer.
If during the term of the service agreement, any of the above changes, these changes shall be reported to the board within 30 days of the change.
If this disclosure policy is not followed, the Board may consider this as non compliance and 1) not award the contract; or 2) cancel an existing contract.
A motion was made by Mr. Madere, seconded by Mr. Triche, to adopt the disclosure policy on service contracts as presented. Upon roll call, there were 8 Yeas (Jack, Madere, Jones, Johnson, Wise, Bacas, Triche, Keller), 0 Nays, and 3 Absent (Burl, Sanders, and Ory) and the motion carried.
9. NEW BUSINESS. a. Mr. Russ Wise, Board Member - Adopt resolution supporting BESE’s request for 2.75% growth factor added to the minimum foundation program. Mr. Wise stated that Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) develops a formula to determine the cost of a minimum foundation program (MFP) of education in all public schools and annually appropriate funds accordingly. The resolution is declaring that St. John the Baptist Parish School Board is in support of the BESE request for the growth factor of 2.75% to be added to the MFP.
WHEREAS, Article VIII, Sec. 13 (B) of the Louisiana Constitution provides that the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) shall annually develop a formula to determine the cost of a minimum foundation program (MFP) of education in all public elementary and secondary schools and requires the Louisiana Legislature to annually appropriate funds sufficient to fully fund the cost to the state of such a program, and
WHEREAS, Those funds are vitally important for continuation of educational services to students and, in many instances, have already been budgeted and/or expended by school districts, and
WHEREAS, The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) has requested that the State Legislature add a growth factor of 2.75% to the minimum foundation formula, and
WHEREAS, School Boards, because of the state of the economy, are facing reductions in local revenues while simultaneously facing mandated increases in spending in several areas, including retirement,
NOW, THEREFORE, WE THE ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH SCHOOL BOARD,
do hereby declare our support of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary (BESE) request for the growth factor of 2.75% to be added to the minimum foundation program.
The vote, in open meeting, on the within resolution was as follows:
YEAS:
NAYS:
ABSENT:
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board in regular session duly convened on April 1, 2010 and that the same has not been rescinded or repealed.
Reserve, Louisiana, this first day of April 2010.
/s/Gerald Keller
Gerald J. Keller, Ph.D., President
St. John the Baptist Parish School Board
/s/Courtney P. Millet
Courtney P. Millet, Ph.D.Secretary/Treasurer
St. John the Baptist Parish School Board
A motion was made by Mr. Wise, seconded by Mr. Jones, to adopt the resolution supporting BESE’s request for 2.75% growth factor added to the minimum foundation program. There were no objections and the motion carried. Messrs. Burl, Sanders, and Ory were absent.
b. Mr. Lloyd LeBlanc, Board Attorney - Legal Update. None.
ITEM 10. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS: a. Committee Reports. None.
ITEM 11. BOARD-RELATED ITEMS OF INTEREST. Dr. Keller stated that due to the fact that April 1st is the evening before the Easter Holiday on April 2nd and Central Office and all schools are closed, we will cancel the April 1st meeting. Most business scheduled for the April 1st meeting was addressed on today’s special meeting agenda.
ITEM 12. ADJOURNMENT: The agenda having been completed, and there being no further business, Mr. Madere offered a motion for adjournment, seconded by Mr. Jones. There were no objections. The meeting adjourned at 9:50 a.m.
/s/Gerald Keller
Gerald J. Keller, Ph.D., President
St. John the Baptist Parish School Board
/s/Courtney P. Millet
Courtney P. Millet, Ph.D.Secretary/Treasurer
St. John the Baptist Parish School Board