Bogalusa School Board Office-Media Center

Bogalusa, Louisiana

Regular Board Meeting

September 12, 2013

5:30 P.M.

Proceedings of the Bogalusa School Board, Taken At A Regular Meeting That Was Held On Thursday, September 12, 2013

The Bogalusa School Board met in a Regular Board Meeting at the Bogalusa City School Board Office Media Center located at 1705 Sullivan Drive, Bogalusa, Louisiana, on Thursday, September 12, 2013 beginning at 5:30 P.M. The purpose of the meeting was to address all matters that were presented on Monday night, September 9, 2013, at the Committee Meeting, regarding the post-opening of schools for the 2013-2014 School Year.  The agenda included a presentation.

1.)        Call to Order

President Mr. Paul Kates called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M.

2.)        Pledge of Allegiance

Superintendent Willie “Toni” Breaux led the Pledge of Allegiance.

3.)        Prayer

Dr. Brad Williams delivered the opening prayer.

4.)        Roll Call

There were present: President: Mr. Paul Kates; Members:  Mr. Curtis Creel, Mr. Calvin Hymel, and Dr. Brad Williams

There was absent:  Vice President-Rev. Raymond Mims; Members-Mrs. Eleanor Duke, and Mr. Adam Kemp

5.)        Presentation: Honorable Mayor Charles Mizell-City of Bogalusa

Statement from President Kates-“At this time we’ll move on. We were supposed to have a presentation by our Mayor, be he emailed me, and called me, and told me he was going to meet with Mrs. Breaux and Mrs. Walker today.  Did he?”  “No, what happened was, he called yesterday, and I was in a meeting, and he wanted to meet at one-thirty (1:30pm); but I had a meeting from one to four (1:00pm-4:00pm), so I set it up for Monday, at four o’clock (4:00pm),” says Superintendent Breaux.  “So we’ll move on with that.  We’ll pass that up,” concluded President Kates.

At this point President Kates continued with the agenda items.

6.)        Approval of Minutes of Regular Board Meeting-August 22, 2013

It was motioned by Mr. Creel, seconded by Mr. Hymel to approve the minutes.  The motion was carried 4-0, with Vice President Mims, and two (2) Board Members absent.

7.)        Board Officers and Committee Reports

There were no reports at this time.

8.)        Recess to Public Session

There were no individuals that came forward to address the Board or public at this time.

9.)        New Business  

 A.)       Approval of 2013-2014 Contract between Southeastern Louisiana University and Bogalusa City Schools District for Dual Enrollment services

It was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Hymel to approve the contract.  The motion was carried 4-0, with Vice President Mims, and two (2) Board Members absent.

B.)        Grant permission for Bogalusa High School JROTC to attend the following out-of-state competitions, i.e., Gulfport High School Drill Competition in Gulfport, MS on Saturday, September 28, 2013; Brandon High School Rifle Competition, in Brandon, MS, on Saturday, October 12, 2013; Gulfport High School Rifle Competition in Gulfport, MS, on Saturday November 16, 2013. 

It was motioned by Mr. Creel, seconded by Mr. Hymel to grant permission.  The motion was carried 4-0, with Vice President Mims, and two (2) Board Members absent.

C.)        Approval of 2013-2014 General Funds Budgets. 

It was motioned by Mr. Hymel, seconded by Mr. Creel to approve the Budgets.  The motion was not carried 4-0, with Vice President Mims, and two (2) Board Members absent, at this point.

Statement from Mrs. Walker-“President Kates, we need to add  General Fund Budget, Food Service Budget, Special Revenue, and Capital Improvement Fund Budget to that statement.”  Ms. Adams stated that it was an oversight.

The motion was carried at this point 4-0, with Vice President Mims, and two (2) Board Members absent.

D.)        Approval of Financial Statements for July and August 2013, i.e., General Fund, Food Service, Special Revenue, Capital Improvement Fund and School Activities. 

It was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Hymel to approve the financial statements.  The motion was carried 4-0, with Vice President Mims, and two (2) Board Members absent.

E.)        Approval of the 2013 Louisiana Compliance Questionnaire Audit. 

It was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Hymel to approve the Questionnaire Audit.  The motion was carried 4-0, with Vice President Mims, and two (2) Board Members absent.

F.)        Grant permission to discard additional District Wide Fixed Assets, i.e., General Fund, Food Service, IDEA-B, and Title Programs.  

It was motioned by Mr. Hymel, seconded by Dr. Williams to grant permission, IDEA-B Fixed Assets.   General Fund, Food Service, and Title Programs, did not submit any Fixed Assets. The motion was carried 4-0, with Vice President Mims, and two (2) Board Members absent.

G.)        Approval of the Louisiana Public Schools Risk Management Agency (LARMA) Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Bodily Injury Resolution.  

It was motioned by Mr. Creel, seconded by Mr. Hymel to approve this line item.  The motion was carried 4-0, with Vice President Mims, and two (2) Board Members absent.

H.)        Grant permission to hold a Special Board Meeting on Monday, September 30, 2013 to adopt Levying Bogalusa City School District’s Millages. *This was presented by Mrs. Deloris Walker at the Regular Board Meeting held on Thursday, August 22, 2013.   

It was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Creel to grant permission.  The motion was carried 4-0, with Vice President Mims, and two (2) Board Members absent.

10.)        Personnel-Karla McGehee

There were no Personnel Agenda presented during the Committee Meeting or Regular Board Meeting.

11.)        Superintendent Comments-(Mrs.) Willie “Toni” Breaux

Superintendent Breaux stated that she had no comments.

12.)        Board Members Comments

Mr. Curtis Creel-“Okay, y’all ready?  I just have one concern.”  Mr. Creel then went into detail regarding there was no intercom at Central Elementary, according to his wife who is a substitute teacher, and was there on that day, in a fifth grade classroom. “It seems that in the efforts to provide a clean, safe, conducive environment to educate our children, apparently we forgot something,   There is no intercom.  She had to depend on a held-hand Walkie-Talkie that disrupted her class time, all day long.”  Mr. Creel continued to voice his concern. “That is something that we need to address ASAP, if we’re not already, said Mr. Creel.”  Superintendent Breaux stated, “We are.  And, that’s really a Mr. Vic and Mrs. Walker’s thing.  But, what it is, they just moved into the new building.  They’ve just completed those, and they are in the process of putting in an intercom system.  I was at the high school today.  Mrs. Walker had ordered a new system for there; and they were installing that as I was there.  Also, in our meeting this week Mrs. Lawrence was saying that in the portables, they didn’t have any systems in there.  All we have right now until they can get them in, are Walkie-Talkies, and I told her that I would call and get the extras, and I did.  Ms. Lois has those in her office for Mrs. Lawrence to check out in the morning.  Ms. Greely said she needed two (2).  I don’t know, maybe Deloris can talk to you more about it, but they said they are working on it. We have a new facility; you know we just got into the facility right at the opening of school, and everything is not complete; and the fifth grade classrooms were still being worked on.  They had them in another place pending the completion of the fifth grade classrooms.  But, I will talk to Mr. Vic, and I will see if I can have it rushed.  Also, a line was cut by mistake, which caused another problem. They were trying to install something and cut some lines.  That’s was also the reason why Mrs. Jefferson and Mrs. Beninato could not move over to the A- Building, because when we renovated, we had rooms built, but they had no access to internet, nor did they have access to intercoms; and we have taken care of that part.  Mrs. Walker do you have anything you want to say on that,” said Superintendent Breaux?  “No, uh, Mr. Vic is in the process of moving those intercoms.  He had some to move, because I asked him if we needed to purchase some new ones for Central, and he said at this present time Freedom Alarm will move some we had already,” said Mrs. Walker.  Mr. Creel continued, “You know I kind of feel like, maybe I might be a little bit of the blame too, because as involved as I was with that construction, I assumed that when the guy was there doing the technology and everything else, that intercom communication would’ve been a part of that.” A Bogalusa High School employee, Mrs. Linda Pittman, in the audience spoke stating that it was stated by one of the men working with the intercom at Bogalusa High School, in the presence of Mr. Vic, that when they investigated, the wires that ran wherever, were old, and needed to be replaced.  “So, our teachers haven’t had intercoms either. He promised me; so they were working on it at 4:30pm, when I left.  He said that they’re doing all they could to get it fixed as soon as they could,” said Mrs. Pittman.  “This day and time, safety is number one,” said Mr. Hymel.  “Well, I’ll give you a call tomorrow and let you know the status of where we’re at on it, and bring you up-to-date on it,” added Mrs. Walker.  “And, I talked to Mr. McKinley and Mrs. Pittman the day before yesterday  I guess, about the cleanliness,” said Mr. Creel.   He continued to expound on, and give some insight to some concerns involving the students also.  Superintendent Breaux stated that this was one of the things that were included in the Weekly Digest that she sends out every week.  She added that she would put some plans in place, and inform the Board of the plans.

At this point, due to the Washington Parish Free Fair holiday, and the possibility of school festivals on Thursday, October 31, 2013, it was a majority Board consensus that the October Board meetings would be held Monday, October 28, 2013-Committee Meeting and Wednesday October 30, 2013-Regular Board Meeting.  The meetings will convene at 5:30PM, in the School Board Office Media Center, located at 1705 Sullivan Drive, Bogalusa, Louisiana.

President Kates asked if there were any more comments.  There were none, and he adjourned.

13.)        Adjourn

There being no further business to address or comments, President Kates adjourned at 6:00PM.

________________________________                                        ____________________________

(Mrs.) Willie E. Breaux, superintendent                                        Mr. Paul D. Kates

Secretary                                                                                  Board President