ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

JANUARY 7, 2015

BREAUX BRIDGE, LOUISIANA

MINUTES

 

            The St. Martin Parish School Board convened on this day at 5:00 P.M. at the Administrative Office with the following members present:  Messrs. Russel C. Foti, President, Steve Fuselier, Aaron Flegeance, Burton Dupuis, James Blanchard, Richard Potier, Frederic Stelly, Floyd Knott, Mark Hebert, and Ms. Wanda B. Vital. 

 

            ABSENT:          None

 

            The meeting was called to order by Russel C. Foti, President.  Dr. Lottie P. Beebe, Superintendent, opened the meeting with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance.

 

            Mr. Mark Boyer, Board Attorney, swore in the existing and newly elected Board Members, as follows:

 

            Steve Fuselier, District I                                     Burton Dupuis, District VI

            Wanda B. Vital, District II                                   Richard Potier, District VII

            Aaron Flegeance, District III                               Frederic Stelly, District VIII

            James Blanchard, District IV                              Floyd Knott, District IX

            Russel C. Foti, District V                                    Mark Hebert, District X

 

            Board President Russel C. Foti opened the floor for nominations for President of the Board.  On the motion of Mr. Knott, seconded by Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Mark Hebert was nominated for the office of President and Mr. Richard Potier was nominated for the office of Vice-President.

 

The nominations for the offices of President and Vice-President were closed unanimously.

 

Mr. Mark Hebert was elected President and Mr. Richard Potier was elected Vice-President of the St. Martin Parish School Board for the year 2015.

 

Board President Mark Hebert made the following appointments:

 

          Aaron Flegeance, Education Committee Chairman

          Burton Dupuis, Finance and Insurance Committee Chairman

          Steve Fuselier, Transportation Committee Chairman

          Frederic Stelly, Maintenance Committee Chairman

 

Ms. Harriet Winters, custodian at Breaux Bridge Elementary School, was recognized as the December Employee of the Month sponsored by Southern Scripts.

 

Dr. Beebe presented Mr. Russel Foti with a plaque for his service as Board President during 2014.

 

Mr. Leonard Rainey, a Regional Director for Senator David Vitter, introduced himself to the Board.

 

The meeting was recessed for ten minutes for refreshments.

 

On the motion of Mr. Foti, seconded by Mr. Flegeance, and unanimously carried, consider and/or approve a resolution for the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) was added to the consent agenda.

 

On the motion of Mr. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Fuselier, and unanimously carried, consider and/or approve the Finance Committee recommendation in regards to a change order for St. Martinville Senior High astroturf in the amount of $16,700 was added to the consent agenda.

 

Consider and/or approve a resolution certifying President and Vice-President to conduct transactions for and on behalf of the School Board was removed from the consent agenda.

 

On the motion of Mr. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Potier, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the following consent agenda items:

 

a)     Minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 3, 2014

b)      

c)                Finance Committee recommendations:

1)     Form a committee, including Mr. Russel Champagne, Auditor, to discuss the possibility of purchasing busses without leasing

2)    Secure the firm of Kolder, Champagne, Slaven, & Company LLC to audit salaries/job descriptions

3)    Change Order for St. Martinville Senior High astroturf in the amount of $16,700

 

d)               Board resolution to conduct and negotiate three contracts with the Department of Health and Hospitals

 

e)               Memorandum of Understanding between Resource Management Services (RMS) and St. Martin Parish School System

 

f)                 Contract with EIS Medclaims to provide 3rd party billing services for the School Nurse Program, Direct EPSDT Services, and Transportation

 

g)               Policy revisions for inclusion in the St. Martin Parish School Board Policy Manual:

            DE, Indebtedness

            DFD, Tax and Bond Elections and Sales

            DFE, Cash Management and Investments

            DJE, Purchasing

 

h)               Resolutions expressing the condolences of the entire school system to the families of Carrie Simoneaux, Eddie Cormier, and Penny Harris

 

i)                 Personnel Changes:

j)                  

1)     Extra pay for Cecilia Senior High’s girls Assistant Volleyball (N. Wiltz)

2)     Extra pay for Breaux Bridge Senior High’s Assistant Football (H. Landry and T. Pierce)

3)     Request for extra employment pay for Patty Orgeron, Allison Guagliardo, and Candice Grivet for Stephensville Elementary’s After-Care Program for the months of November and December, 2014

4)     Request for extra employment pay for Angela Toncrey, Rena David, Tonia Theriot, Kate Gary, Theresa Blankenship, Regina Smart, Catherine Meche, Trisha Chauvin, and Cherie Foti for Parks Primary’s After-Care Program for the month of November, 2014

5)     Request for extra employment pay for Corita Andrus, Cabrini Benoit, Tracey Berard, Ashley Bonvillain, Dana Broussard, Brenda Davis, and Ashley Howard for Cecilia Primary’s After-Care Program for the month of December, 2014

6)     Extra pay for Breaux Bridge Senior High’s Cheer Coach (V. Comeaux)

 

k)     Resolution for the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP)

 

            On the motion of Mr. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Foti, and unanimously carried, the Board approved a resolution certifying the President and Vice-President to conduct authorized transactions for and on behalf of the School Board.

 

            Mr. Russell Champagne with Kolder, Champagne, Slaven & Company presented the audit report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014.  On the motion of Mr. Foti, seconded by Mr. Flegeance, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the audit report from Kolder, Champagne, Slaven & Company for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014.

 

            On the motion of Mr. Foti, seconded by Mr. Dupuis, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the following 2009 and 2013 Bond projects:

 

a)              Change Directive or Change Order for Breaux Bridge Elementary New Kitchen and Dining Renovations for approximately $15,000 for unforeseen underground electrical lines.  Superintendent authorized the work to proceed in order to not hold up progress of project.

 

b)              Acknowledge the award of the contract for Cecilia High School New Classrooms project to the low bidder.  The Superintendent was authorized at the December 2014 Board meeting to award the contract if bids are within the available budgets (funded by 2009 and 2013 Bonds).  Architect’s estimate of probable cost is $1,228,845.

 

c)              Acknowledge assignment of Purchase Orders issued/requested:

 

1)     BBP and BBE Drainage Analysis required by City of Breaux Bridge - $5,000/Architectural and Engineering (amendment to contract)

 

Consider and/or approve purchasing property next to Teche Elementary School was tabled.

 

On the motion of Mr. Knott, seconded by Mr. Stelly, and unanimously carried, the Board approved revisions to the Student Dress Code policy as follows:

 

ELEMENTARY AND JUNIOR HIGH UNIFORM CODE

 

Coats & Jackets: PRE-K - 6 Coats and jackets of any color (zip or pull-over) are acceptable. Hoods may not be worn in the building or in classrooms. No long, below the knee dusters or trench coats allowed.

 

Coats & Jackets: 7 - 8 Solid color: black or navy

School issued jackets are permissible (letter jacket, A-team, band, etc.). Coats, jackets, and sweaters (open front, zip, and button) are now allowed to be worn in the building and classrooms. No long, below the knee dusters or trench coats allowed.

 

HIGH SCHOOL UNIFORM CODE

 

Coats, Jackets, & Sweaters: Solid color: black or navy

School issued jackets are permissible (letter jacket, A-team, band, etc.). Coats, jackets, & sweaters (open front, button, and zip) are now allowed to be worn in the building and classrooms. No long, below the knee dusters or trench coats allowed.

On the motion of Mr. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Foti, and unanimously carried, the Board went into Executive Session.

 

On the motion of Mr. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Potier, and unanimously carried, the Board came out of Executive Session.

 

On the motion of Mr. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Fuselier, and carried, the Board approved to follow the recommendation of the administration regarding Student A.

 

OPPOSED:       Mr. Potier and Mr. Flegeance

 

A motion was made by Mr. Blanchard and seconded by Mr. Fuselier to follow the recommendation of the administration regarding Student B.

 

A substitute motion was made by Mr. Potier and seconded by Ms. Vital to allow the student to return to his/her regular school setting.  The substitute motion was then voted on and failed, as follows:

 

FOR:                Mr. Potier and Ms. Vital

OPPOSED:       Mr. Fuselier, Mr. Flegeance, Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Dupuis, Mr. Stelly, Mr. Knott, Mr. Hebert, and Mr. Foti

 

The original motion was then voted on and carried.

 

FOR:                Mr. Fuselier, Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Dupuis, Mr. Stelly, Mr. Knott,  Mr. Hebert, and Mr. Foti

 

OPPOSED:       Mr. Flegeance, Mr. Potier, and Ms. Vital

 

A motion was made by Mr. Blanchard and seconded by Mr. Knott to follow the recommendation of the administration regarding Student C.

 

            A substitute motion was made by Mr. Potier and seconded by Ms. Vital to allow the student to return to his/her regular school setting.  The substitute motion was then voted on and failed, as follows:

 

            FOR:                Mr. Potier, Mr. Flegeance, and Ms. Vital

OPPOSED:       Mr. Fuselier, Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Dupuis, Mr. Stelly, Mr. Knott, Mr. Hebert, and Mr. Foti

 

The original motion was then voted on and carried.

 

FOR:                Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Dupuis, Mr. Stelly, Mr. Knott, Mr. Hebert, and Mr. Foti

 

OPPOSED:       Mr. Potier, Mr. Flegeance, Mr. Fuselier, and Ms. Vital

 

On the motion of Mr. Potier, seconded by Mr. Stelly, and unanimously carried, the Board adjourned.

                       

 

_____________________________                              _________________________________

SECRETARY                                                                PRESIDENT