Port Allen, Louisiana

November 28, 2018

 

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

 

Present:            Jason Manola, President, Craig Sarradet, Dr. Atley D. Walker,Sr., Ronald P. LeBlanc, Rose A. Lee Roche’, Michael A. Maranto, Teri Bergeron, Toby Sarradet (came in at 5:40 p.m. during agenda item #12: Update on Building Program/Earl Kern/Program Director)

Absent:             Leon Goudeau, Sr., G. Alden Chustz, Jr.

 

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Grant Cicero, Brusly Elementary School student, and McKenly Martin, Cohn Elementary School student.

 

Whereupon, the following resolution was offered by Dr. Walker and seconded by Mrs. Bergeron:

 

Be It Resolved, That the minutes of the regular board meeting held on October 17, 2018, be approved as presented.

 

Whereupon, the above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

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

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mr. Toby Sarradet, Mr. Goudeau, Mr. Chustz

 

The next item was Educational Presentations:

a) Head Start Director’s Monthly Reports for September 30, 2018 and October 31, 2018/Crystal Leon, Director

b) Head Start Annual Report for 2017-18/Crystal Leon, Director

c) Adoption of a resolution authorizing Superintendent Wesley S. Watts, Secretary Treasurer of the WBR School Board, to enter into any and all contractual obligations on behalf of the Board, relative to Kim Eckert, State Teacher of the Year for 2017-18, Fellowship Contractual Obligations with the Louisiana Department of Education.

 

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 board does hereby approve and adopt the Head Start Director’s Monthly Reports for September 30, 2018, and October 31, 2018 and the Head Start Annual Report for 2017-18 submitted by Crystal Leon, Head Start Director.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

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

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mr. Toby Sarradet, Mr. Goudeau, Mr. Chustz

 

Whereupon, the following resolution was offered by Mrs. Bergeron and seconded byMr. Craig Sarradet:

 

Be It Resolved, That the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby authorize Superintendent Wesley S. Watts, Secretary-Treasurer of the WBR School Board, to enter into any and all contractual obligations on behalf of the Board, relative to Kim Eckert, State Teacher of the Year for 2017-18, Fellowship Contractual Obligations with the Louisiana Department of Education.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

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

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mr. Toby Sarradet, Mr. Goudeau, Mr. Chustz

 

The next item was the Superintendent’s Report:

a) Resolution of condolences to the family of Mrs. LueBertha Thomas, retired teacher/Port Allen Elementary School. 

b) Announced the Dedication Ceremony at 10:00 A.M., Tuesday, December 4, 2018, of the Cohn Alumni Park site and the marker presented by the Historical Association at Cohn Elementary School.

c) Update on opening of BHS Health Clinic; PAHS Health Clinic not opened as of this date.

d) Chamberlin Elementary School will be visited by Dr. Keith Leger, Stand for Children La/CABL, on Monday, December 10, 2018 from 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M.

e) Brief report that there was an ongoing investigation involving an incident at a school in the Brusly area.

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

Whereupon, the following resolution was offered by Mrs. Roche’ 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 Mrs. Lue Bertha Thomas their feelings of sincere appreciation for the years of dedicated service to the students of West Baton Rouge Parish rendered by Mrs. Thomas, and

                                                                                                                                               

Be It Further Resolved, That the members of the Board do hereby express their sincere sympathy and condolences to the family of Mrs. Thomas.

           

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

 

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

Nay:                 None

Absent:             Mr. Toby Sarradet, Mr. Goudeau, Mr. Chustz

 

Due to the absence of a quorum of members of the Finance Committee at the meeting on November 13, 2018,  items #7, #8, #9, #10, #11 and #12 were deferred for consideration on the End of Consent Agenda at the regular board meeting on November 28, 2018.

 

                                                END OF CONSENT AGENDA

 

7.         Consideration of request to review and approve the monthly expenditures and financial reports/Jared Gibbs

8.         Discussion relative to a 13th check (supplemental payment) for employees to be paid in December/Jared Gibbs

9.         Consideration of request to review the School Facility Use Request Policy & Fee Schedule updated by Superintendent Watts

10.       Consideration of request that the Board adopt a resolution approving Reliant Technologies Incorporated for participation in the Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP) Jason Manola

11.       Consideration of request to approve certain pending Policy Updates revised by Forethought Consulting, Inc.

12.       Update on Building Program/Earl Kern, Program Director

 

The first item to be considered was #7: Consideration of request to review and approve the monthly expenditures and financial reports./Jared Gibbs, Supervisor of Business Services.

 

Whereupon, Mr. Jared Gibbs, Supervisor of Business Services, presented the monthly expenditures and financial reports for September, 2018.

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the board does hereby approve and adopt the monthly expenditures and financial reports for September, 2018, as presented by Jared Gibbs, Supervisor of Business Services.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

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

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mr. Toby Sarradet, Mr. Goudeau, Mr. Chustz

 

The next item to be considered was #8: Discussion relative to a 13th check (supplemental payment) for employees to be paid in December/Jared Gibbs, Supervisor of Business Services.

 

Whereupon, Mr. Gibbs presented a report on the cost of implementing a 13th check (supplemental payment) for all employees.

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the board does hereby approve a 13th check (supplemental payment) in the amount of $400 to be paid in December to all full-time employees.  Supplements will be pro-rated to part-time employees and employees hired after August 31, 2018.  To receive the supplemental check, personnel must be employed on December 1, 2018.  The supplemental checks shall be funded from the EFID except administrative personnel shall be paid from the property tax fund.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

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

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mr. Toby Sarradet, Mr. Goudeau, Mr. Chustz

 

The next item to be considered was #9: Consideration of request to review the School Facility Use Request Fee Schedule updated by Superintendent Watts.

 

Board members reviewed the schedule and requested that this item be presented at a later date for further discussion.

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the board does hereby defer consideration of this item to a later date for further discussion.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

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

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mr. Toby Sarradet, Mr. Goudeau, Mr. Chustz

 

The next item to be considered was #10: Consideration of request that the Board adopt a resolution approving Reliant Technologies Incorporated for participation in the Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP) Jason Manola.

 

Whereupon, Mr. Manola introduced Ms. Jamie Hanks, Executive Director of the West Baton Rouge Chamber.  Ms. Hanks introduced Mr. Barry Hugghins, CEO, of Reliant Technologies, Incorporated, to address the board relative to his request to participate in the Industrial Tax Exemption Program and to give an overview of the company’s product, etc.

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

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

 

(Insert ITEP resolution for Reliant Technologies)

 

The next item to be considered was #11: Consideration of request to approve certain pending Policy Updates revised by Forethought Consulting,Inc. (A packet of revised policies pending approval by the board was delivered to the members of the board for review.)  Superintendent Watts informed the board that he was going to present Policy JGCF: Behavioral Health Services for Students at the committee meeting on December 11, 2018 for approval.  (Superintendent Watts and Mrs. Callie Kershaw were finalizing procedures for this policy.)

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

Whereupon, the following resolution was offered by Mrs. Bergeron and seconded by Dr. Walker:

 

Be It Resolved, That the board does hereby approve and adopt the pending policies presented this date.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

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

Nay:                 None

Absent:             Mr. Toby Sarradet, Mr. Goudeau, Mr. Chustz

 

Mr. Toby Sarradet came in at 5:40 P.M.

 

The next item to be considered was #12: Update on Building Program/Earl Kern, Program Director.

Whereupon, Mr. Kern presented the following information:

a)     Brusly Elementary School: 99.8% Completed – Working on Punch List

b)     Cohn Elementary School: A few Punch List items remain to be completed; aluminum letters “Cohn” to be installed on the stage have not arrived yet.  Three memorial plaques, the original and two others to be installed.

c)     Port Allen High School: Entrance to the building and the Activity Center in progress only on the days when school is not in session.  Work on the Auxillary Gym is in progress.

d)     Caneview: Due to the rain, the schedule for pouring concrete had to be cancelled and rescheduled when weather permits.

e)     Port Allen Elementary School Addition and Renovations: Charles Carter Construction Co. was awarded the bid for the project on October 18, 2018. The bid came in below the anticipated cost budgeted for the project.

f)       Lukeville Upper Elementary School: Upgrading Technology wiring to CAT 6A and replacing all intercom wiring and speakers; the current Administration Building and Library will become a Nurse and Guidance area as well as two classrooms; new building will house Administration, Media Center/Library, and Makerspace area;replacement of Sewer line.

g)     New Brusly High School: Held pre-bid meeting prior to bid opening date.  Dirt being moved on tract.  Presented a power point of the new Brusly High School.

 

The next item to be considered was #13: Date of Committee meeting: December 11, 2018; Date of regular board meeting December 19, 2018.

 

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

 

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, Mrs. Roche’, Mr. Maranto, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

Absent:            Mr. Goudeau, Mr. Chustz

 

 

____________________                                    ___________________

Wesley Watts                                                   Jason Manola

Secretary-Treasurer                                            President