Port Allen, Louisiana

April 18, 2018

                                   

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

 

Present:           Jason P. Manola, President, Toby Sarradet, Dr. Atley D. Walker, Ronald P. LeBlanc, Leon N. Goudeau, Rose A. Lee Roche’, Michael Maranto (Mr. Maranto came in at 5:45 p.m. and shown absent on votes until that time.)  Teri Bergeron

Absent:            Craig Sarradet, Alden Chustz,Jr.

 

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

 

The following student led the Pledge of Allegiance:  Quinn Cormier, Chamberlin Elementary School.

 

The next item was approval of the minutes of the regular board meeting held on March 21, 2018.

 

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 March 21, 2018, be approved as presented.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Mr. Manola, Mr. Toby Sarradet, Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mr. Goudeau, Mrs. Roche’, Mrs. Bergeron

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mr. Craig Sarradet, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto

 

The next item was Educational presentations.

a)    Mrs. Mary Arrasmith introduced the following members of the 2017-18 DOW-WBR FIRST Robotics Competitors from BHS and PAHS:

BHS: Mason Acosta, Peyton Braud, Celeste Denova, Michelle Denova, Enrique Flores, Noah Friley, Jaysie Grisaffe, Ethan Landry, Jackson Mayeux, Joseph Mayeux, Dru Payment, Landin Zimmerle   

PAHS: Shelby Moore, Dustin Guillot, Austin Guillot, Heber Saravia, Madison Sanders, Jesse Kelly, Synthia Torres, Bucky Gonzales, George Thibodeaux

Mrs. Arrasmith presented a two minute video of the teams participation in competition at the Bayou Regionals and each team presented a demonstration with their team robots following the demonstrations.  Each student was presented a certificate.

b)    Head Start Directors Monthly report. 

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

Whereupon, the following resolution was offered by Mrs. Roche’ and seconded by Mrs. Bergeron:

 

Be It Resolved, That the board does hereby approve and adopt the Head Start Directors Monthly Report.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                   

Aye:                 Mr. Toby Sarradet, Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mr. Goudeau, Mrs. Roche’, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mr. Craig Sarradet, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto

 

The next item was the Superintendent’s Report:   Resolution of condolences to the family of Mr. John Banks, retired Band Director/Music Teacher/Cohn High and Brusly High Schools.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the members of the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board do hereby extend to the family of Mr. John Banks their feelings of sincere appreciation for the many years of dedicated service that Mr. Banks rendered to the students in the West Baton Rouge Parish School System, and

 

Be It Further Resolved, That the members of the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board do hereby express their sincere sympathy and condolences to the family of Mr. John Banks.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Mr. Toby Sarradet, Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mr. Goudeau, Mrs. Roche’, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mr. Craig Sarradet, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto

 

b) Presentation of  the Annual LWCC Worker’s Compensation Insurance Dividend Program check for 2017 in the amount of $120,760/Darren Kimball, Regions Insurance Company.

 

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

CONSENT AGENDA

7.         Consideration of approval of the request by Mrs. Sharon Lair to participate in the LEAP 2025/EOC Summer Remediation Program

            (Academics Committee Report4/10/18)

8.         Consideration of request for approval of the WBR Credit Recovery Summer Program submitted by Mrs. Sharon Lair.

            (Academics Committee Report 4/10/18)

9.         Consideration of request for approval of a specialized summer enrichment program (SPARK) Mrs. Sharon Lair

           (Academics Committee Report 4/10/18)

10.       Consideration of request for approval to participate in Titles I, II, III, IV, V, IDEA Part B and Preschool Flow Through Funds for 2018-19

           (Academics Committee Report 4/10/18)

11.       Consideration of request for permission to participate in the Summer Feeding Program/ Port Allen Elementary School-Open Site/Mrs. Vivian Landry

           (Academics Committee Report 4/10/18)

12.       Consideration of request for approval and adoption of the monthly expenditures and financial reports/Jared Gibbs

           (Finance Committee Report 4/10/18)

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the board does hereby approve Consent Agenda items  #7,  #8,  #9, #10  #11, #12 as presented.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Mr. Toby Sarradet, Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mr. Goudeau, Mrs. Roche’, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mr. Craig Sarradet, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto

 

The next item was End of Consent Agenda Item #13. Update by Mr. Heath Morris, Sugar West, relative to the 2017 crop production on Section 16 Farmland./Jared Gibbs.

Mr. Morris reported that the 2017 cane production was a record year and it was also a good year for the soybeans.  He requested release from liability on 33 to 40 acres of the property presently leased on the proposed construction site of the new school. He also reported that the board would receive an increase from the Sugar West Section 16 Farmland lease due to new terms in the contract.  

Mr. Watts informed the board that the board’s attorney and the attorney for Sugar West would  define these details in the contract.

 

Mr. Maranto came in at 5:45 p.m.

 

The next item was End of Consent Agenda Item #14: Review of the Purchase Agreement document relative to the purchase of the land from Harry L. Laws & Company/Cinclare. (to be used for the site of the new BHS) Wes Watts (deferred from Finance Committee meeting on 4/10/18)

 

Mr. Watts reported that Mr. Drew Maciasz was meeting with the attorneys for Harry L. Laws & Company/Cinclare to review certain items in the purchase agreement document.  Mr. Charles Hardie, board attorney, will review the final revised document.  A meeting will be scheduled to review the agreement document once it has been reviewed by the above attorneys.   

 

The next item was End of Consent Agenda Item #15:  Update on new bond sales/Wes Watts (deferred from Finance Committee meeting on 4/10/18)

Mr. Watts reported that this item would be discussed at a meeting in May.

 

The next item was End of Consent Agenda Item #16: Quarterly report on building program by Mr. Earl Kern, Program Manager.  Mr. Kern reminded the board members that the ground breaking ceremony at Port Allen High School was scheduled for April 19th at 9:00 A.M. 

 

Mr. Kern presented the April 10, 2018 bid tabulation sheet for Northside School. The bids were higher than the $20,000,000 budgeted for the new school.  He informed the board that several of the bids were close to the same amount.  Mr. Kern reported that under Louisiana Law the board has the right to award to the lowest bidder.  The low bidder was Deumite Construction,LLC with the base bid in the amount of $21,300,000.  Mr. Watts informed the board that they would need to increase the budgeted amount from $20,000,000 to $23,645,000 for the Northside School and accept the low bidder. 

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

Whereupon, the following resolution was offered by Mr. Maranto and seconded by Mrs. Roche’:

 

Be It Resolved, That the original budgeted amount for Northside School be increased from $20,000,000 to $23,645,000, and

 

Be It Further Resolved, That the board accept the low bid of Deumite Construction in the amount of $21,300,000 less the deductive alternates plus the value engineering to lower the cost of the project.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

 

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

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mr. Craig Sarradet, Mr. Chustz

 

The next item was End of Consent Agenda item #15: Committee Meeting Date: 5/08/18

Board Meeting Date: 5/16/18.

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the meeting be adjourned.

 

 

 

Jason P. Manola                                              Wesley Watts

President                                                         Secretary-Treasurer