ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

NOVEMBER 6, 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, Floyd Knott, Mark Hebert,

Mrs. Wanda B. Vital, and Ms. Edna M. Johnson.  

            ABSENT:          Mr. Frederic Stelly       

            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. 

            Lillian Suire and Callie Delcambre, Custodians at Catahoula Elementary, were recognized as the October Employees of the Month sponsored by Southern Scripts.

            Consider and/or approve a resolution supporting the application for the Headstart program was removed from the consent agenda.

            On the motion of Mrs. Vital, seconded by Mr. Clay, and carried, the Board approved the following consent agenda items:

a)     Minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 2, 2019

b)     Request for Industrial Tax Exemption for Louisiana Sugar Cane Cooperative, Inc.  (RECUSED:  Mr. Fuselier)

c)     Agency Participation Agreement with the Office of Debt Recovery

d)     Request for permission to call for bids on School Nutrition Equipment

e)     Chromebook Donation Agreement for Virtual Learning students

f)       Board resolution to negotiate contracts with Greenway Health and Change Healthcare

g)     Memorandum of Understanding between the Town of Henderson and St. Martin Parish School Board

h)     School Fees/Supplies Policy  (attached as Exhibit A)

OPPOSED:       Mr. Knott

ABSENT:          Mr. Stelly

On the motion of Mrs. Vital, seconded by Ms. Johnson, and carried, the Board approved a resolution supporting the application for the Headstart program.

            OPPOSED:       Mr. Hebert and Mr. Knott

            ABSENT:          Mr. Stelly

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

a)     Updating the Maintenance Salary Schedule to include a salary for Master Plumber

b)     Acceptance of an expedited plan to relocate JCEP to the old Early Learning Center campus in St. Martinville via separate proposals, without using contingency funds.  Below are the proposals received thus far.  More proposals are currently being requested based on the expedited plan needs.  Acceptance and funding of these upcoming proposals may be contingent upon remaining funds.

1)     Fire Alarm:  LA Special Systems for $4,505

2)     Intercom:  LA Special Systems for $3,540

3)     Fiber:  LA1Connect for $5,128

4)     Structural Cabling:  LA1Connect for $1,258

5)     Fencing:  Daily’s Fence Co. for $20,000

c)     Acceptance of the following proposals required for the Cecilia Junior High School Sprinkler System Repairs:

1)     Francis Fire Sprinkler, LLC for $18,800

2)     Accel Protection & Technologies, LLC for $3,500

d)     Acceptance of a change order in the amount of $34,026.50, including a request for an additional 104 contract days to be included in the current Cecilia Junior High School Old Metal Gym Renovations project, contingent upon Board Member Mark Hebert receiving the information he requested and Board Attorney Mark Boyer reviewing the contract.  Available Construction Funds for CJHS is $43,306.

e)     Awarding Substantial Completion for the Teche Elementary New Classroom Building, Renovations and Parking

f)       Accept the pilot for the outstanding bond project item for Cecilia High School Concession

g)     Assignment and modification of professional contracts and construction funds of remaining 2013/2016 Bond Program Funds and/or Contingency

1)     Superintendent, Staff and Board to prioritize needs to be considered funding with remaining bond construction funds and contingency to present at the December Board meeting.  (any projects currently funded to complete Bond requirements will remain in the individual school funding and are not included as remaining bond construction funds)

h)     Postpone authorization of PW HVAC Contingency funds and in the case of an emergency, use general fund maintenance funds.  Contingencies will be reviewed at a later date.

i)       Postpone the acceptance and award of bids or proposals for the new storage building at Teche Elementary

j)       Approval to proceed through Contract Documents and Advertisements for Bids or Proposals for the following.  Cecilia Primary Building D (A&E) will be revisited once contingency is reviewed. 

1)     Available PW Roofing Construction Funds of $825,673 plus PW Roofing Contingency of $66,106 totals $891,779

2)     2016 Bond Program – PW Roofing projects in order of priority per SB Maintenance Dept.

i.                 PP:  Admin. Building A (A&E)

ii.                PM:  Cafeteria/Classroom Building B (A&E)

iii.               BBJH Campus:  Virtual School (A&E)

iv.              CP:  Building A (A&E)

v.                CP:  Building B (A&E)

ABSENT:          Mr. Stelly

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

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

            ABSENT:          Mr. Stelly

            On the motion of Mr. Hebert, seconded by Mr. Durio, and unanimously carried, the Board approved to follow the recommendation of the attorney regarding the potential resolution of the matter entitled Stella Noel vs. St. Martin Parish School Board, Docket No.: 17-04829; Dist.: 09; Office of Workers’ Compensation.

            ABSENT:          Mr. Stelly

            A motion was made by Mr. Potier and seconded by Mr. Knott to allow the student discussed in Executive Session to return to school.

            A substitute motion as made by Mr. Clay and seconded by Mr. Durio to follow the recommendation of the administration for the student to complete the duration of the expulsion at JCEP.  The substitute motion was then voted on and carried, as follows:

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

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

            ABSENT:          Mr. Stelly

            On the motion of Mr. Fuselier, seconded by Mrs. Vital, and unanimously carried, the Board approved to grant the request for the employee payroll and insurance concern.

            ABSENT:          Mr. Stelly

            A motion was made by Mr. Clay and seconded by Mr. Durio to grant the request regarding the salary concern for the two employees discussed in Executive Session and reimburse back to September.  The motion was then voted on and failed, as follows:

            FOR:    Mrs. Vital, Mr. Potier, Ms. Johnson, and Mr. Foti

            OPPOSED:       Mr. Hebert, Mr. Knott, Mr. Clay, Mr. Durio, and Mr. Fuselier

            ABSENT:          Mr. Stelly

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. Fuselier, seconded by Mr. Durio, and unanimously carried, the Board adjourned.

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SECRETARY                                                                      PRESIDENT