Port Allen, Louisiana

November 20, 2019

 

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

 

Present:            Jason Manola, President, Dr. Atley D. Walker,Sr., Ronald P. LeBlanc, Chareeka Grace, G. Alden Chustz, Jr., Michael A. Maranto, Teri Bergeron

Absent:   Craig Sarradet, Toby Sarradet, Leon Goudeau, Sr.

 

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Myla Broussard, Cohn Elementary student, and Roger Arvie, III., Lukeville Upper Elementary student.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the minutes of the regular board meeting held on October 16, 2019 be approved as presented.

 

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

Aye:                 Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mrs. Grace, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

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

 

The next item was Educational Presentations:  Head Start Director’s Monthly Report for October 31, 2019/Crystal Leon, Director

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the board does hereby approve and adopt the Head Start Director’s Monthly Report for October 31, 2019.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mrs. Grace, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

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

 

The next item was the Superintendent’s Report: a) Resolution of condolences for the family of Mrs. Ophelia Williams, retired teacher/Chamberlin Elementary School; the family of Mrs. Elley Williams, retired Cafeteria Technician/Lukeville Upper Elementary School.

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the members of the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board do hereby extend to the family of Mrs. Ophelia Williams, their feelings of sincere appreciation for the years of dedicated service to the students of West Baton Rouge Parish rendered by Mrs. Ophelia Williams, and

                                                                                                                                               

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

           

Be It Resolved, That the members of the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board do hereby extend to the family of Mrs. Elley Williams, their feelings of sincere appreciation for the years of dedicated service to the students of West Baton Rouge Parish rendered by Mrs. Elley Williams, and

 

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

 

The above resolutions were adopted by the following vote:

 

Aye:                 Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mrs. Grace, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

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

 

The next item was presentation of the following item on the Consent Agenda.

 

                                                CONSENT AGENDA

 

7.         Consideration of the request to approve and adopt the revised Student Fee Policy as revised by Charles Hardie,VI, Attorney for the Board, in accordance with the guidelines established in Act 240 (HB 517) of 2019/Wes Watts (Academics Committee Report 11/12/19)

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the board does hereby approve and adopt Consent Agenda Item #7, as presented this date.

                                                                                                                       

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mrs. Grace, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

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

 

 

Due to the lack of a quorum of members of the Finance Committee present at the meeting on November 12, 2019,  items  #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, and #13 were deferred for consideration on the End of Consent Agenda at the regular board meeting on November 20, 2019.

 

                                                END OF CONSENT AGENDA

8.         Presentation relative to the purchase of additional Cyber Liability Insurance coverage from McGriff Insurance Agency/Andre’Comeaux, Agent (The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.)

9.         Consideration of request to review and approve the monthly expenditures and financial reports for August, 2019 and September, 2019/ Jared Gibbs  (The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.)

10.       Consideration of the report relative to DS Bus Transportation Services insurance proposal information to review in preparation of contract renewal./Wes Watts  (The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.)

11.       Bond Issue Financial update./Wes Watts  (The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.)

12.       Discussion relative to a 13th check (supplemental payment) for employees to be paid in December/Jared Gibbs  (The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.)

13.       Annual Review of Superintendent/Executive Session/Jason Manola  (The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.)

 

The first item to be considered was #8: Presentation relative to the purchase of additional Cyber Liability Insurance coverage from McGriff Insurance Agency/Andre’ Comeaux, Agent. 

 

Whereupon, Dr. Tammy Seneca presented an update relative to the costs associated with the recent Cyber attacks and the necessity of securing a secondary policy in addition to the present one million dollars of coverage by LARMA.

 

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 the purchase of an additional $5,000,000 excess policy on top of our LARMA Cyber Liability Insurance coverage for $8,650 per year as presented by Mr. Andre’ Comeaux, Insurance Agent for the Board.

                                                                                                                                               

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mrs. Grace, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

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

 

The next item to be considered was #9: Consideration of request to review and approve the monthly expenditures and financial reports for August and September 2019/Jared Gibbs

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the board does hereby approve and adopt the monthly expenditures and financial reports for August 2019 and September 2019 as presented by Jared Gibbs, Supervisor of Business Services.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mrs. Grace, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

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

 

The next item to be considered was #10: Consideration of the report relative to DS Bus Transportation Services insurance proposal information to review in preparation of contract renewal./Wes Watts

 

Mr. Watts reported that the owners and representatives of DS Bus Transportation Services were going to meet with him on Thursday, November 21st at 10:00 A.M. as directed by Mr. Manola.   No action was taken at this time relative to the contract renewal.

 

The next item to be considered was #11: Bond Issue Financial Update/Wes Watts.

Mr. Watts presented information relative to the Construction Budget as of October 16, 2019.

No action was taken on this item.

 

The next item to be considered was #12: 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 Dr. Walker and seconded by Mrs. Bergeron:

 

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, 2019.  To receive the supplemental check, personnel must be employed on December 1, 2019.  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:                 Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mrs. Grace, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

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

 

The next item to be considered was #13: Annual Review of Superintendent/Executive Session/Jason Manola.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the board does hereby go into Executive Session for the Annual Review of the Superintendent.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mrs. Grace, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

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

 

Upon completion of the Executive Session, the following resolution was offered by Dr. Walker and seconded by Mrs. Bergeron:

 

Be It Resolved, That the Board return to Open Session.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mrs. Grace, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

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

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the Board approve a $6,000 per year Cost of Living Inflation raise, effective January 1, 2020, to be included in the two year contract extension approved for Superintendent Wes Watts at the October 16, 2019 board meeting.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

Aye:                 Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mrs. Grace, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

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

 

The next item to be considered was #14: Date of Committee meeting: December 10, 2019, Date of regular board meeting December 18, 2019.

 

The next item was #15: Any other business unanimously approved by the board for consideration.

 

The Chairman declared the floor open for public comment.

 

Whereupon, a parent requested to discuss certain issues at a specific school.

 

Superintendent Watts informed the Board that he and administrative personnel had met with the parent previously regarding the personnel issues she wanted to discuss.

 

Whereupon, President Manola informed the parent that the request to discuss a personnel matter in Executive Session would be on the December 18, 2019 board agenda.

 

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

 

Be It Resolved, That the meeting be adjourned.

 

The above resolution was adopted by the following vote:

 

Aye:                 Dr. Walker, Mr. LeBlanc, Mrs. Grace, Mr. Chustz, Mr. Maranto, Mrs. Bergeron, Mr. Manola

Nay:                 None

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

 

 

____________________                                    ___________________

Wesley Watts                                                   Jason Manola

Secretary-Treasurer                                         President