ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

JANUARY 9, 2019

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. Steve Fuselier, Jimmy Durio, Russel C. Foti, Mike Clay, Richard Potier, Frederic Stelly, Floyd Knott, Mark Hebert, Mrs. Wanda B. Vital, and Ms. Edna M. Johnson.  

            ABSENT:          None

 

            Mr. Richard Potier, Vice-President, called the meeting to order.  Mr. Allen Blanchard, Jr., Interim Superintendent, opened the meeting with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance.

 

            Interim Superintendent Al Blanchard, Jr. opened the floor for nominations for President of the Board.  A motion was made by Mr. Stelly and seconded by Mr. Knott to nominate Richard Potier for the office of President.

 

            A substitute motion was made by Mr. Fuselier and seconded by Mrs. Vital to nominate Russel C. Foti for the office of President.

 

            The motions were then voted on and the substitute motion carried, as follows:

 

            FOR:    Mr. Fuselier, Mrs. Vital, Ms. Johnson, Mr. Durio, Mr. Foti, and Mr. Clay

            OPPOSED:       Mr. Potier, Mr. Stelly, Mr. Knott, and Mr. Hebert

 

            The nominations for the office of President were closed unanimously.

 

            Mr. Russel C. Foti was elected President of the St. Martin Parish School Board for the year 2019.

 

            Board President Russel C. Foti called for the acceptance of nominations for Vice-President of the Board.  A motion was made by Mrs. Vital to nominate Steve Fuselier for the office of Vice-President.

 

            A substitute motion was made by Mr. Knott to nominate Frederic Stelly.  Mr. Stelly respectfully declined.  Mr. Stelly nominated Richard Potier for the office of Vice-President.  Mr. Potier respectfully declined.  Mr. Potier nominated Steve Fuselier for the office of Vice-President.

 

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

 

            Mr. Steve Fuselier was elected Vice-President of the St. Martin Parish School Board for the year 2019.

 

Board President Russel C. Foti made the following appointments:

            Mike Clay, Finance and Insurance Committee Chairman

            Jimmy Durio, Education Committee Chairman

            Richard Potier, Maintenance Committee Chairman

            Steve Fuselier, Transportation Committee Chairman

            Al Blanchard, Russel C. Foti, Mark Hebert, Bond Change Order Approval Committee

           

Mrs. Karen Dupont, Librarian at St. Martinville High School, was recognized as the December Employee of the Month sponsored by Southern Scripts.

 

A motion was made by Mr. Potier and seconded by Mr. Fuselier to add the following items to the agenda (unanimous vote needed to add an agenda item):

a)     Consider and/or approve request for waiver of liability insurance and $200 deposit for the 2019 Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration

b)     Executive Session – Discussion of transfer of Student A

 

The motion was then voted on and failed, as follows:

 

FOR:  Mr. Fuselier, Mrs. Vital, Ms. Johnson, Mr. Durio, Mr. Foti, Mr. Clay, Mr. Potier

OPPOSED:       Mr. Stelly, Mr. Knott, and Mr. Hebert

 

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

 

a)     Minutes of the following meetings:

1)     Finance Committee Meeting of December 5, 2018

2)     Regular Meeting of December 5, 2018

3)     Special Meeting of December 19, 2018

b)     Request for waiver of sales tax penalties

c)     Request for Industrial Tax Exemption for Peppers Unlimited of Louisiana, Inc.

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

1)     DFD, Tax and Bond Elections and Sales

2)     DJE, Purchasing

e)     Park Agreement between the St. Martin Parish School Board and Morgan City for Stephensville Elementary

f)       Renewal of Memorandum of Understanding between the LSU School of Social Work and St. Martin Parish School Board

g)     Resolutions:  (attached as Exhibit A)

1)     Louisiana School Board Recognition Month, January 2019

2)     Certifying President and Vice-President to conduct transactions for and on behalf of the School Board

h)     Request for extra employment pay for Corita Andrus, Ashley Breaux, Brooke Champagne, Brenda Davis, Ashley Melancon, and Grace Sloane for Cecilia Primary’s After-Care Program for the month of November, 2018

i)       Request for extra employment pay for Tina Prejean, Kayla Webb, Kimberly Bourque, and Monique Arceneaux for Breaux Bridge Elementary’s After-Care Program for the month of November, 2018

j)       Request for extra employment pay for Kate Gary, Regina Smart, Catherine L. Meche, Trisha Chauvin, Cherie Foti, and Julie Laviolette for Parks Primary’s After-Care Program for the month of November, 2018

k)     Request for extra employment pay for Angela Watson, Cedric Theyard, Lisa Alexander, Catherine Wesley, Cora Clement, Latonia Cretian, Celeste Robin, and Hannah Bergeron for Teche Elementary’s After-Care Program for the month of November, 2018

l)       Breaux Bridge High’s Assistant Girls Basketball Coach

 

On the motion of Mrs. Vital, seconded by Mr. Stelly, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the following Finance Committee recommendations:

 

a)     Personnel overtime request

b)     Issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for medical and pharmacy administration services for the Group Health Benefit Plan

c)     Mark Boyer, Board Attorney, research bus driver pay and report back to the Committee

d)     Use of available E-Rate funds to fund the 2019-2020 E-Rate projects

e)     Issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for network and internet connections

f)       Authorizing Architectural Solutions to advertise for Cecilia Jr High Old Metal Gym Renovation project, contingent upon accepting the plans. The project is being funded by

2016 Bond CJH Construction Funds.

g)     Awarding Cecilia Jr High School Old Metal Gym HVAC Upgrade project to the low quoter, M&H Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc, in the amount of $94,800. Quotes were received December 3, 2018 at 10am. The project is being funded by 2016 Parishwide HVAC Construction Funds.

h)     Awarding Notice of “Acceptance for Beneficial Use” prior to Substantial Completion if authorized by the Board President, Board Vice President, Superintendent, Principal, Architect and Project Manager for the BBJH Campus Renovations Phase 2. Substantial Completion will be presented at the next Board Meeting.

i)       Awarding Substantial Completion for the following:

1)     BBE – Breaux Bridge Elementary Parking Upgrades – Phase II

2)     BBHS – Breaux Bridge High Baseball Drainage Repairs

3)     SMHS – St. Martinville High School Student Parking

4)     SMHS – St. Martinville High School SPED Rm & SB Locker Rm

5)     SMHS – St. Martinville High School Portable Demolition

6)     BBE/JCEP – Breaux Bridge Elementary Bldg B & E and JCEP Gym Reroofing

 

On the motion of Mr. Fuselier, seconded by Mr. Potier, and carried, the Board approved to adopt a resolution ordering and calling a special election to be held in St. Martin Parish School District, Louisiana, to authorize the renewal of a special tax therein; making application to the State Bond Commission in connection therewith; and providing for other matters in connection therewith.

 

OPPOSED:       Mr. Knott

 

            Mr. Russell Champagne with Champagne & Company presented the audit report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018.

 

            On the motion of Mr. Potier, seconded by Mr. Fuselier, and unanimously carried, the Board approved granting years of experience to newly hired non-certified personnel.

 

            On the motion of Mr. Fuselier, seconded by Mrs. Vital, and unanimously carried, the Board went into Executive Session.

 

            On the motion of Mr. Fuselier, seconded by Mrs. Vital, and unanimously carried, the Board came out of Executive Session.

 

No action was necessary for the following items discussed in Executive Session:

 

a)   Pending litigation, Thomas v. St. Martin Parish School Board, Civil Action No. 11314 (W.D.La.)

b)   Salary Audit

c)   Salary concerns for St. Martin  Parish School Board employee

d)   Possible litigation pertaining to Cecilia High School construction project

 

On the motion of Mr. Foti, seconded by Mrs. Vital, and unanimously carried, the Board adjourned.

 

_____________________________                               _________________________________

SECRETARY                                                                    PRESIDENT