ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

APRIL 3, 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. Russel C. Foti, President, Steve Fuselier, Jimmy Durio, Mike Clay, Richard Potier, Frederic Stelly, Floyd Knott, Mark Hebert, Mrs. Wanda B. Vital, and Ms. Edna M. Johnson.  

            ABSENT:          None

 

            The meeting was called to order by Russel C. Foti, President.  Mr. Allen Blanchard, Jr., Superintendent, opened the meeting with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance. 

 

            Mr. Vincent Derouen, Teacher/Coach at St. Martinville Senior High, was recognized as the March Employee of the Month sponsored by Southern Scripts.

 

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

a)     Minutes of the following meetings:

1)     Finance Committee Meeting of March 13, 2019

2)     Regular Meeting of March 13, 2019

b)     Request for waiver of sales tax penalties:

1)     Approval of Waiver

2)     Denial of Waiver

c)     Requests from St. Martin Parish Government:

1)     To utilize School Board Service Facilities for a summer program from May, 2019 through July, 2019

2)     To utilize current bid prices and vendors from 2019-2020 school year

d)     Revisions to the Leave without Pay Policy  (attached as Exhibit A)

e)     Rescinding prior action giving Joseph Carnell permission to use property for Youth Sports in Parks

f)       Resolution in opposition of all proposed legislation that transfers the administration and collection of local sales & use taxes to the Louisiana Department of Revenue  (attached as Exhibit B)

g)     Proclamations/Resolutions:  (attached as Exhibit C)

1)     Designating April 7-13, 2019 as National Library Week

2)     Designating April 8-12, 2019 as Violence Prevention Week

3)     Designating April 29-May 3, 2019 as Attendance Awareness Week

4)     Designating May 6-10, 2019 as Teacher Appreciation Week

h)     Request for extra employment pay for Kate Gary, Regina Smart, Trisha Chauvin, Cherie Foti, and Catherine L. Meche for Parks Primary’s After-Care Program for the month of February, 2019

i)       Request for extra employment pay for Angela Watson, Cedric Theyard, Lisa Alexander, Catherine Wesley, Cora Clement, Latonia Cretian, Hannah Bergeron, and Celeste Robin for Teche Elementary’s After-Care Program for the month of February, 2019

j)       Request for permission to advertise for End of Course Summer Remediation Teachers

 

On the motion of Mr. Stelly, seconded by Mr. Hebert, and unanimously carried, the

 

Board approved the following Finance Committee recommendations:

 

a)     Remain with United Medical Resources (UMR) as the Third Party Administrator (TPA) for the administration of our medical plan and Southern Scripts for our pharmacy plan

b)     The Group Health Insurance rate proposal submitted by Gallagher Benefit Services, which includes no rate increase for group health, but a few benefit changes

c)     Breaux Bridge High and Cecilia High’s Flood Insurance Renewal Premium submitted by Brown and Brown of Louisiana, LLC

d)     Awarding Teche Elementary Building B Asbestos Abatement project to the low quoter, Asbestos Tech, Inc., with a total quote of $4,956.00 which is the base quote amount

e)     Awarding College and Career Readiness Center Welding Equipment to the low quoter, Welder’s Equipment, Inc., with a base quote of $149,970.00

f)       Awarding St. Martinville High School Parking & Drive Upgrades Phase II/St. Martinville Primary Parking & Drive Upgrades project to the low bidder, JC Construction, LLC with a base bid of $887,000.00, alternate #1 of $77,800.00, alternate #2 of $33,000.00 and authorize the Superintendent and the St. Martinville area Board Members to accept alternate #3 of $77,500.00 for a total bid of $1,075,300.00 

g)     Awarding St. Martinville Junior High Site Drainage Improvements project to the low bidder, EL Habetz Builders, with a total base bid of $92,400.00

h)     Awarding Teche Elementary New Parking and Classroom Building project to the low bidder, Southern Constructors, LLC with a base bid of $563,800.00, alternate #1 of $22,000.00, alternate #2 of $16,700.00 and alternate #3 of $16,700.00 for a total bid of $619,200.00

i)       Awarding Early Learning Center Parking & Drive Upgrades project to the low bidder, Garden City Construction Co., Inc. with a base bid of $812,800.00, alternate #1 of $71,100.00, alternate #2 of $28,700.00 and alternate #3 of $59,000.00 for a total bid of $971,600.00

j)       Authorizing administration to receive proposals for the installation of the welding shop equipment at the College and Career Readiness Center

k)     Acceptance of the proposal moving current classroom contents for the Early Learning Center to the new facility (proposal was received from the current contractor on site doing construction)

l)       Award Substantial Completion for the following: 

1)     BBJH – Gym Reroof (Substantial Completion:  March 25, 2019)

2)     CHS – Football Field Site Prep & Drainage Improvements (Final Substantial Completion:  March 18, 2019)

i.       A Partial Substantial Completion for the field/track subgrade was previously accepted by the owner to allow the separate field/track work by others to commence.

m)    Allowing the maintenance department to buy the cores for the locking system parishwide for integration of the remainder of the doors in the parish to a central lock and key system. The majority of the labor for the installation of the locking mechanisms will be installed by the maintenance department staff. Recommended by maintenance department and administration, project architect and project manager. In order to maintain the security and continuity of the locking system to establish more controlled campus safety, the locking mechanisms are being purchased from the manufacturer and vendor who has provided the majority of the locking systems on the campuses. The devices would be funded through the 2013 bond parishwide doors and hardware budget.

n)     Reconsider acceptance of the Group Health Insurance rate proposal submitted by Gallagher Benefit Services and recommended the following (2/3 vote needed to reconsider an agenda item):

1)     To accept the Group Health Insurance rate proposal submitted by Gallagher Benefit Services, which includes no rate increase for group health and use the group health fund balance to absorb the cost for the benefit changes

 

On the motion of Mr. Stelly, seconded by Mr. Hebert, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the new superintendent’s employment contract.

 

On the motion of Mr. Hebert, seconded by Mr. Potier, and unanimously carried, the Board approved a policy requiring employees who voluntarily transfer to a position with a lower salary to accept the lower salary unless reviewed and approved by the St. Martin Parish School Board.

 

            On the motion of Mr. Hebert, seconded by Mr. Durio, and unanimously carried, the Board approved to utilize the tax exempt form for bond projects.

 

No action was necessary for the pending litigation, Thomas v. St. Martin Parish School Board, Civil Action No. 11314 (W.D.La.).

 

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

 

 

_____________________________                               _________________________________

SECRETARY                                                                        PRESIDENT