ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
APRIL 5, 2017
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. Burton Dupuis, President, Steve Fuselier, Aaron Flegeance, James Blanchard, Russel C. Foti, Richard Potier, Frederic Stelly, Floyd Knott, Mark Hebert, and Ms. Wanda B. Vital.
ABSENT: None
The meeting was called to order by Burton Dupuis, President. Dr. Lottie P. Beebe, Superintendent, opened the meeting with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance.
Mr. Rubin Hypolite, Custodian, was recognized as the March Employee of the Month sponsored by Southern Scripts.
Consider and/or approve awarding substantial completion for the Old St. Martinville High School Demolition will be discussed in Executive Session.
The following items were removed from the agenda:
a) Board Member’s request – Discussion of allowing students to do Virtual at JCEP and test in Breaux Breaux
b) Consider and/or approve the request from St. Martin Parish Government to utilize current bid prices and vendors from 2016-2017 school year
On the motion of Mr. Flegeance, seconded by Mr. Potier, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the following consent agenda items:
a) Minutes of the following meetings:
1) Finance Committee Meeting of March 8, 2017
2) Regular Meeting of March 8, 2017
b) Request for waiver of sales tax penalties for Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Inc.
c) Request for permission to call for bids on the following:
1) Bread and Bread Products
2) Milk and Related Products
3) Milk and Related Products (Stephensville)
4) Paper & Chemical Products
5) Small Equipment & Supplies
6) Janitorial Products
d) Request from St. Martin Parish Government to utilize School Food Service facilities for a summer program tentatively from May, 2017 through July, 2017
e) Interagency Agreement between Acadiana Area Human Services District-Developmental Disabilities Section and St. Martin Parish School Board
f) Request to reschedule the June 7 Board meeting to June 14
g) Proclamations/Resolutions: (attached as Exhibit A)
1) Designating April 3-7, 2017 as Violence Prevention Week
2) Designating April 9-15, 2017 as National Library Week
3) Designating May 1-5, 2017 as Teacher Appreciation Week
4) Expressing the condolences of the entire school system to the families of Wilson Landry and Terry Soignier
h) Personnel Changes:
1) Request for extra employment pay for Lisa Alexander, Cora Clement, Latonia Cretian, Tonia Smith, Cedric Theyard, Angela Watson, and Catherine Wesley for Teche Elementary’s After-Care Program for the month of February, 2017
2) Request for extra employment pay for Corita Andrus, Cabrini Benoit, Ashley Breaux, Brenda Davis, Anne-Laure Dijoux, Grace Sloane, and Brooke Thibodeaux for Cecilia Primary’s After-Care Program for the month of February, 2017
3) Request for extra employment pay for Tina Prejean, Kayla Menard, Kimberly Sullivan, and Monique Arceneaux for Breaux Bridge Elementary’s After-Care Program for the months of January and February, 2017
4) Request for extra employment pay for Kate Gary, Theresa Blankenship, Regina Smart, Catherine Guidry Meche, Trisha Chauvin, and Cherie Foti for Parks Primary’s After-Care Program for the month of February, 2017
5) Advertisement of the Extended School Year Services (ESYS) Personnel Summer of 2017
The City of Breaux Bridge rescinded their proposal for the lease of the former Special Services Facility at 701 West Bridge Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517.
On the motion of Mr. Foti, seconded by Mr. Hebert, and carried, the Board postponed the proposal from SMILE Early Head Start for the lease of the former Special Services Facility at 701 West Bridge Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 until next month.
OPPOSED: Mr. Potier
A motion was made by Mr. Hebert and seconded by Mr. Knott to approve Option 1 as the 2017-2018 School Calendar for St. Martin Parish Schools.
A substitute motion was made by Ms. Vital to approve Option 3 as the 2017-2018 School Calendar for St. Martin Parish Schools. The substitute motion was then voted on and died for lack of a second.
A substitute motion was made by Mr. Foti and seconded by Mr. Flegeance to approve Option 2 as the 2017-2018 School Calendar for St. Martin Parish Schools. The substitute motion was then voted on and failed, as follows:
FOR: Mr. Foti and Mr. Flegeance
OPPOSED: Mr. Fuselier, Ms. Vital, Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Potier, Ms. Stelly, Mr. Knott, and Mr. Hebert
The original motion was then voted on and unanimously carried.
On the motion of Mr. Hebert, seconded by Mr. Foti, and carried, the Board approved the following Finance Committee recommendations:
a) Insurance renewal proposal submitted by Brown and Brown of Louisiana, LLC including general liability, property, flood, etc.
b) Proposed budget for the 2017 Summer STEM Academy for St. Martinville Primary and the Early Learning Center.
c) 2013 and 2016 Bond items:
1) Authorizing Poché Prouet to proceed through Contract Documents and accept proposals for Early Learning Center Kitchen Floor Asbestos Abatement project. The project budget is $5,000 and is being funded by 2016 Bond ELC Construction Funds.
2) Authorizing Structure Design Group to proceed through Contract Documents and accept proposals for Parks Primary Restroom Renovations project. The project budget is $100,000 and is being funded by 2016 Bond PP Construction Funds.
3) Awarding Breaux Bridge Primary/Breaux Bridge Elementary Additions & Renovations project to the low bidder, Minvielle Lumber Company, with a base bid of $4,093,000.00 and $110,000.00 to add alternate #1 and $47,000.00 to add alternate #2 bringing the total bid to $4,250,000.00. The project budget is $4,338,012 and is being funded by 2016 Bond BBP & BBE Construction Funds.
4) Awarding Breaux Bridge Elementary Asbestos Abatement project to the low quoter, Asbestos Tech, Inc., with a base quote of $25,825.00. The project budget is $45,000 and is being funded by 2016 Bond BBE Construction Funds.
5) Awarding Cecilia Jr High Gym Roofing project to the low quoter, Morcore Roofing, LLC, with a total base quote of $114,000.00. The project budget is $274,000 and is being funded by 2013 Bond Parishwide Roofing Funds.
6) Awarding St. Martinville Primary Remaining Restroom Upgrades project to the low bidder, JC Construction, LLC, with a base bid of $264,000.00 and $48,800.00 to add alternate #1, bringing their total bid to $312,800.00. The project budget is $315,000 and is being funded by 2013 and 2016 Bond St. Martinville Primary Construction Funds.
7) Awarding Parks Primary HVAC Upgrades project to the low bidder, Air Plus, LLC, with a base bid of $240,000.00. The project budget is $300,000 and is being funded by 2013 Bond Parishwide HVAC Funds.
8) Awarding Parks Middle HVAC Upgrades project to the low bidder, Air Plus, LLC, with a base bid of $279,800.00. The project budget is $384,000 and is being funded by 2013 Bond Parishwide HVAC Funds.
9) Awarding JCEP Asbestos Abatement project to the low quoter, Asbestos Tech, Inc., with a base quote of $51,758.00. The project budget is $70,000 and is being funded by 2016 Bond Parishwide JCEP Construction Funds.
10) Test and Balance at BBHS, SMHS, & SMJH project: Accepting Alternate No. 1 in the amount of $24,600 to provide test and balance services at Cecilia High School in addition to the three schools in the base bid (Low bidder, Tech Test, Inc., with a base bid of $82,300 and $24,600 to add alternate #1, bringing their total bid to $106,900). Project is funded by 2013 Bond Parishwide HVAC Funds.
ABSTAINED: Mr. Stelly
On the motion of Mr. Blanchard, seconded by Ms. Vital, and carried, the Board approved the following Finance Committee recommendations with regard to the Group Health Insurance proposal submitted by Gallagher:
a) Option C, which is 100% from Health Fund Balance
b) “Setting aside” $334,367 of the group health fund balance for future stop loss funding. This is the savings in stop loss premiums by increasing our exposure limit to $250,000 from $175,000.
c) Implementation of a $75 Monthly Spousal Surcharge effective July 1, 2017
d) Retiree Medicare Advantage Offering effective January 1, 2018
FOR: Mr. Hebert, Mr. Blanchard, Ms. Vital, and Mr. Fuselier
RECUSED: Mr. Knott, Mr. Stelly, Mr. Dupuis, Mr. Flegeance, Mr. Foti, and Mr. Potier
On the motion of Mr. Flegeance, seconded by Mr. Fuselier, and unanimously carried, the Board approved amending item III-A of the Construction Protocol to allow the Superintendent, Board President, and Board Vice-President to approve getting permission to obtain quotes for projects less than $25,000.
The Board discussed the following:
a) Protocol for janitorial services
b) Incentive plan for employees with perfect attendance
On the motion of Mr. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Flegeance, and carried, the Board approved the request for waiver of liability insurance and $200 deposit for the New Day Basketball Team.
OPPOSED: Mr. Hebert
ABSTAINED: Mr. Knott and Mr. Fuselier
Mr. James Blanchard expressed concerns regarding School Board policies pertaining to employees being suspended with pay and students who test positive for drugs.
Consideration of action and/or vote, as necessary, regarding pending litigation, Thomas v. St. Martin Parish School Board, Civil Action No. 11314 (W.D.La.) was removed from the agenda.
On the motion of Mr. Foti, seconded by Mr. Flegeance, and unanimously carried, the Board went into Executive Session.
On the motion of Mr. Flegeance, seconded by Mr. Fuselier, and unanimously carried, the Board came out of Executive Session.
On the motion of Mr. Foti, seconded by Mr. Flegeance, and carried, the Board approved negotiations with and retention of special counsel to pursue environmental damage claim on behalf of the St. Martin Parish School Board.
OPPOSED: Mr. Stelly and Mr. Potier
RECUSED: Mr. Fuselier
No action was necessary for the matter entitled “Gerald Castille vs. St. Martin Parish School Board, Supreme Court of Louisiana, 2016-C-1028.
A motion was made by Mr. Flegeance and seconded by Mr. Fuselier to follow the recommendation of the administration regarding the student discussed in Executive Session.
A substitute motion was made by Mr. Potier and seconded by Mr. Knott to give the student a ten (10) day out-of-school suspension and a contract for 9 months for any incidents that occur within the duration of the contract. The substitute motion was then voted on and failed, as follows:
FOR: Ms. Vital, Mr. Flegeance, Mr. Potier, and Mr. Knott
OPPOSED: Mr. Stelly, Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Hebert, Mr. Foti, and Mr. Fuselier
The original motion was then voted on and carried.
OPPOSED: Mr. Potier
On the motion of Mr. Foti, seconded by Mr. Blanchard, and unanimously carried, the Board approved awarding substantial completion for the Old St. Martinville High School Demolition.
On the motion of Mr. Foti, seconded by Mr. Blanchard, and unanimously carried, the Board adjourned.
_____________________________ _________________________________
SECRETARY PRESIDENT