Port Allen, Louisiana 

June 21, 2017

A regular meeting of the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board was held this date with the following membership:

Present:           Jason P. Manola, President, Craig Sarradet, Toby Sarradet, Dr. Atley D. Walker,Sr., Ronald P. LeBlanc, Leon Goudeau,Sr., Rose A. Lee Roche’, G. Alden Chustz,Jr., Michael A. Maranto,

Absent:            Teri Bergeron

Mr. Manola led the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Invocation was presented by Dr. Atley D. Walker, Sr.

The next item was approval of the minutes of the regular board meeting held on May 17, 2017.

Whereupon, the following resolution was offered by Dr. Walker and seconded by Mr. Goudeau:

Be It Resolved, That the minutes of the regular board meeting held on May 17, 2017, be approved as presented.

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Mr. Craig Sarradet, Mr. Toby Sarradet, Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mr. Goudeau, Mrs. Roche’, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

Absent:             Mrs. Bergeron

The next item was educational presentations.  Whereupon, Superintendent Watts recognized Dr. Michael Wright, Principal, Port Allen Elementary School, effective July 1, 2017.

The next item was the Superintendent’s Report: 

a) Resolution of condolences for the family of  Coach Gene Allen Blanchard, former Coach at Port Allen High School   b) Resolution of condolences for the family of  Ms. Kim Hausey, Itinerant Elementary Choral Teacher  c) Ms. Herrise Morrison, retired Itinerant Reading Teacher

Whereupon, the following resolutions were offered by Mr. Maranto and seconded by Mr. Chustz:

Be It Resolved, That the members of the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board do hereby extend to the family of Coach Gene Allen Blanchard their feelings of sincere appreciation for the many years of dedicated and devoted service rendered by Coach Blanchard in the West Baton Rouge Parish School System, and

Be It Further Resolved, That the members of the Board do hereby offer their sincere sympathy and condolences to the family of Coach Gene Allen Blanchard.

Be It Resolved, That the members of the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board do hereby extend to the family of Ms. Kim Hausey,  Itinerant Elementary Choral Teacher their feelings of sincere appreciation for the many years of dedicated and devoted service rendered by Ms. Hausey in the West Baton Rouge Parish School System, and

Be It Further Resolved, That the members of the Board do hereby offer their sincere sympathy and condolences to the family of Ms. Kim Hausey.

Be It Resolved, That the members of the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board do hereby extend to the family of Ms. Herrise Morrison their feelings of sincere appreciation for the many years of dedicated and devoted service rendered by Ms. Morrison in the West Baton Rouge Parish School System, and

Be It Further Resolved, That the members of the Board do hereby offer their sincere sympathy and condolences to the family of Ms. Morrison.

The above resolutions were adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Mr. Craig Sarradet, Mr. Toby Sarradet, Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mr. Goudeau, Mrs. Roche’, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

Absent:             Mrs. Bergeron

The next item was presentation of the following items on the Consent Agenda:

8.         Consideration of request for approval and adoption of the WBR Technology Plan for 2017-18 as presented by Dr. Tammy Seneca/Finance Committee Report 6/13/17

9.         Consideration of request for approval of the final bid summary for the Food Service Bids for the 2017-18 school year as presented by Vivian Landry/Finance Committee Report 6/13/17

10.       Consideration of request for approval to adopt the revised School Wellness Policy/ Vivian Landry/Finance Committee Report 6/13/17

11.       Consideration of request for approval of adoption of a resolution by the board approving the disposition and the donation/transfer of the BES Head Start modular to the Regina Coeli Head Start located in Robert, Louisiana. Crystal Leon/Finance Committee Report/6/13/17

12.       Consideration of request for approval of participation in the Louisiana Workforce Commission Engage Out-of-School Program/Mary Arrasmith/Finance Committee Report 6/13/17

13.       Consideration of request for approval of the monthly expenditures and financial reports/Jared Gibbs/Finance Committee Report 6/13/17

14.       Consideration of request by Mr. Earl Kern, Program Manager, that the board authorize the Superintendent and Board President to sign a contract with the Joint Venture Architects for the design of the new Brusly High School./Finance Committee Report 6/13/17

15.       Consideration of request for approval to adopt a revised ITEP resolution as submitted by David Herskovits, Director of Southeast Development for the Eagle Solar Group./ Finance Committee Report 6/13/17

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

Whereupon, the following resolution was offered by Mr. LeBlanc and seconded by Mr. Toby Sarradet:

Be It Resolved, That Consent Agenda items #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, and #15 be approved and adopted as presented.

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Mr. Craig Sarradet, Mr. Toby Sarradet, Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mr. Goudeau, Mrs. Roche’, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mrs. Bergeron

The next item was End of Consent Agenda Item #16:

Consideration of a resolution recognizing and approving the execution of the Bond Purchase Agreement and Official Statement regarding the issuance andsale of General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2017, of Parishwide School District No. 3 of West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.

Mr. David Henderson, Bond Attorney, Foley & Judell, LLP, presented the legals relative to the execution of the Bond Purchase Agreement and Official Statement regarding the issuance and sale of General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2017, of Parishwide School District No. 3 of West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.

Mr. Henderson recognized Mr. Toby Cortez, Underwriter, Stifel, Nicolaus and Company and Mr. Jim Ryan, the board’s Municipal Advisor, Government Consultants, Inc.

Mr. Cortez informed the board that the market had picked up and the board would realize a savings of approximately $700,000 in charges over the lifetime of the bonds.  Mr. Ryan complimented Mr. Watts and Mr. Gibbs on their professionalism in their work ethics necessary to go through the process to sell the bonds at a good rate.

 Resolution

The next End of Consent Agenda Item was #17:

17.       Adoption of millage rates for the 2017 Tax Year/Jared Gibbs

Whereupon, Mr. Gibbs presented the proposed resolution for the millage(s) rates to be levied on the 2017 tax roll on all property subject to taxation by the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board.

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

Whereupon, the following resolution was offered by Dr. Walker and seconded by Mr. Toby Sarradet:

(Resolution)

The next item was consideration of End of Consent Agenda Item #18:

Organizational Items: Committee meeting date: 7/11/17 and Board Meeting date: 7/19/17.

The next End of Consent Agenda item was #13: Any other business unanimously approved by the board for consideration.

There being no further business to come before the board, the following resolution was offered by Mr. LeBlanc and seconded by Mr. Toby Sarradet:

Be It Resolved, That the meeting be adjourned.

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Mr. Craig Sarradet, Mr. Toby Sarradet, Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mr. Goudeau, Mrs. Roche’, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mrs. Bergeron

__________________                            _________________

Wes Watts                                               Jason P. Manola

Secretary-Treasurer                                    President