BOGALUSA SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE-MEDIA CENTER

1705 SULLIVAN DRIVE

BOGALUSA, LOUISIANA

REGULAR BOARD MEETING

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE COMMITTEE MEETING

 

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING – AGENDA

 

Prayer – Mr. Odie Hughes

 

Call to Order – Mr. Paul Kates

 

Pledge - All

 

Roll Call _X_ President Kates, _X_Vice President Creel, _X_ Mrs. Breaux, __ Dr. Cook, _X__Mr. Hughes, _X_ Ms. Mitchell, _X_ Dr. Williams

 

1.         Approval of Minutes of Regular Board Meeting – June 26, 2023. Mr. Hughes made a motion.  Mr. Creel seconded the motion. The motion passed with unanimous approval.  

Public response – Roniqua Watkins, 707 Mississippi Avenue, Bogalusa, LA 70427 Watkins questioned the minutes not being posted on the website before the meeting.  The public cannot comment on the minutes if they are not posted.  Mr. Kates mentioned there was a delay with the posting and assured Watkins, the minutes will be posted on the website soon.      

 

2.         Board Officers and Committee Reports - None

 

3.         Recess to Public Session None

 

4.         New Business

 

a.         Child Nutrition – Lorene Randazzo

1.         Approval to award CNP bids for the 2023-2024 school year. Mr. Curtis made a motion.  Mr. Hughes seconded the motion.  The motion passed with unanimous approval.

Public response – Roniqua Watkins, 707 Mississippi Avenue, Bogalusa, LA 70427.  Mrs. Watkins wanted to know the offers' names and who was bidding. She had information Prairie Farms was a bidder, and there were two on the central office site and one hand-delivered from the Dairy Company.  Mr. Creel stated one was Gold Star Foods, the other was East Side Dairy DBA Prairie Farms, and lastly, Economical Janitorial Supply.  Mrs. Watkins also asked, “What is the current amount the board is being asked to approve across the bids?”  Mr. Kates asked the Child Nutrition Programs Supervisor, Ms. Randazzo, “What did she  submit?”  Ms. Randazzo said she included the bids on the solicitation for the year from July 2022 to June 15, 2023:  Gold Star Foods - $490,000.00.  East Side Dairy - $58,000.00. Capital City Produce - $49,000.00. Economical Janitorial - $56,000.00.

Mrs. Watkins questioned if the board was being asked to approve the total of $653,000.00 across the bids and if BCS could award other sole source awards throughout the year for fresh meats – and is BCS limited to what the offers provide.  The children are not receiving an actual piece of meat – everything is breaded. She asked again if we could purchase fresh meat or BCS limited to whatever the individuals give us for $490,000.00.

Mr. Kates replied, Mrs. Breaux spoke with Ms. Randazzo about changing some of the foods ordered for the children. 

Mrs. Watkins questioned, are we locked in only to change based on what the offers have to give, or does she have a lead way as a board or a lead way to offer any other contracts throughout the year to meet those needs?

Superintendent Hurst intervened and asked Mrs. Watkins to elaborate on what she meant when she said fresh meat.  Mrs. Watkins replied an actual chicken breast. In contrast, these companies tend to offer breaded-coated items.  No singular pieces of meat have been ordered or offered to our children.  None of the children have had chicken and rice.  They are served a bread-coated patty or some ground beef.

Dr. Williams asked if the patty was solid meat.  Mrs. Watkins commented she doesn’t know what it is – it’s coated.

Superintendent Hurst commented, from his experience, that when bids go out, we follow the identical bids as other school systems and all school systems that he is aware of that he has worked at in this area; everyone pretty much orders their food from the same companies.

Mrs. Watkins replied we have two butcher shops and two grocery stores in Bogalusa that provide fresh meat to the community.  She asked if we could give them an opportunity.

Superintendent Hurst stated, “No.”

Mrs. Watkins asked, “Why don’t we ask for innervation?”  Why repeat what other people are doing?

Mr. Hughes commented there are restrictions, guidelines, and risks. Superintendent Hurst added the bids have to be approved by the government.  When the bids are put out, anybody who is approved can bid.  School districts have never bought food from a local grocery store.  The state legislature will have to change the ruling on that issue.  Our Child Nutrition Supervisor has to abide by guidelines on the bid procedure.   

Mrs. Watkins said last year, over $ 1.1 million dollars was spent of this budget toward all of the school food, and we keep having the same conversations as we start the year.  We get the same offer.  When will the public get to review the bids beforehand so they will know what is being bid on?  When will the public get more detailed information when the contracts come to the board for bid? Such as how much money is out of the budget for purchasing.  The public needs to be informed to speak on the matter.

Mrs. Watkins also questioned the selection criteria. 

Ms. Randazzo stated two respondents used the central bidding auction site.  Gold Star Foods DBA Pond’s Foods in Ponchatoula, LA.  Due to the cost of participating on the auction website, the other company supplying their bid did so through the central office bidding site, Economical Janitorial of Harahan, LA.  A company did not use the website; they hand-delivered the bid to the central office before the 1:00 p.m. deadline.   We solicited bids at the beginning of the month for Capital City Produce, and there were very few respondents.  Capital City is the company that responds.   Ms. Randazzo again clarified that only one company responded to each category. 

 

b.         Special Education – Dr. Marie Goff

                        1.         Approval for Service Contract Renewals for 2023-2024:

                                    a.         EIS Med-claims.

                                    b.         Schultz Physical Therapy.

                                    c.         St. Nicholas Pediatric Therapy, LLC.

                                    d.         Soliant Health, LLC

Ms. Mitchell made a motion.  Dr. Williams seconded the motion.  The motion passed with unanimous approval.

 

c.         Finances & Business – Deloris Walker

1.         Approval of June 30, 2023, Revised Budgets and Financial statements:  General Fund, Food Service, Special Revenue, and School Activities. Dr. Williams made a motion.  Mr. Creel seconded the motion.  The motion passed with unanimous approval.

            Public response – Roniqua Watkins, 707 Mississippi Avenue, Bogalusa, LA 70427.  She stated there is no proposed draft budget available on the website.  She could print the last budget, dated April 19, 2023.  Mrs. Watkins asked what the difference was in the overall totals being approved tonight to start the school year per the difference of last year.    

            Mrs. Walker presented Mrs. Watkins with a copy of the revised budget being voted on and informed her of the following information:  The district started out with $25,522,000.00 in revenues and a revised budget of $26,625,000.00.

            Expenditures are listed on page 24 of the budget packet.  The district projected the 23 fiscal year budget was $24,441,000.00 compared to projected expenditures of $25,550,000.00.  The Projected assets are a projection because we still have receivables coming in.  All of the district's June 30th expenditures have been paid.  If we get a bill after June and the purchase order was written in June, it’s included in the June 30th expenditures as payable.  The June 30th expenditures are not solidified until the August meeting.

 

2.         Approval for the District to pay 50% of bus operators’ insurance cost-effective 23/24 school year. Mr. Curtis made a motion.  Mr. Hughes seconded the motion.  The motion passed with unanimous approval.

            Mr. Hughes questioned what the bus insurance would cost the district.  Mrs. Walker replied the premium would go up to 25%. A surplus will go toward the premium to lower the premium.

 

3.         Approval to accept bid for Long Avenue School.  – No bids were received.

 

d.         Approval of Forethought Policy Update July 2023.  Policies in this issue: EBBC: School and Student Safety; EDDB: Carpool and Bus Line Safety; EBBD, JB:  Continuous Learning; IDCJ,

JBA, JBD, JBE, JD: Attendance; JB, JBA, JDD, JGFC, JQA: Student Absences and Excuses;

GAMC: Corporal Punishment; JGCD: Administration of Medication; BC, BCBB, BCBD, BCBI, EBBD: Teleconference/Remote Participation in School Board Meetings; BCAD, BCB, BCBD, BCBK: Public Participation in School Board Meetings. 

Mrs. Breaux made a motion.  Mr. Hughes seconded the motion.  The motion passed with unanimous approval.

Public response – Roniqua Watkins, 707 Mississippi Avenue, Bogalusa, LA 70427.   Wanted to know the changes to Public Participation in School Board Meetings.  Why is it not posted on the school’s website?

Superintendent Hurst’s stated we cannot post unapproved minutes on the school’s website.  The policy is that anyone who meets ADA requirements shall be allowed to participate virtually in a board meeting.  So, if we get a request from someone who has a disability that has been approved, then we will have to provide access to the board meeting virtually.

All levitative changes go through a company called Forethought.  Once they make the changes, Forethought takes the laws, interprets them, and instructs board systems on how to put them into the policy. 

Mrs. Watkins asked how someone could attend a meeting virtually.

Superintendent Hurst replied he has spoken with his technology team and advised them to see what other school districts are doing to accommodate virtual attendants.

Mrs. Breaux questioned if a virtual attendant could still speak during a public session.

Superintendent Hurst and Mr. Kates responded, yes.

Mrs. Watkins questioned the Teleconference/Remote Participation in School Board Meetings for the board policy.  Superintendent Hurst explained if there was a hurricane and the board needed to meet remotely, they didn’t have to ask for permission. 

Mrs. Watkins asked for the specific language being voted on in the Public Participation in School Board Meetings policy.  A copy was provided to her.  Mrs. Watkins asked if the board members get an ADA compliance waiver or is it just for the public? Can the policy be made for the outside of an emergency, and does it need to be reflected in the policy?

Superintend Hurst commented there are specific guidelines for board members to be physically at meetings.  If there is an issue or disaster, yes, but LSBA will guide us on what to do.

Mrs. Watkins inquired about the proper procedures for submitting a request to have the meetings streamed.  Will one have to ask for a request each meeting, or can one request be made to have the meetings streamed?

Superintendent Hurst stated that if a person makes a request every month, it will need to be addressed, but if it is needed for one meeting, it can be done.  The request can be made via email or in writing by contacting the board’s secretary.

 

5.         Executive Session

1.         Legal matter - Dr. Williams made a motion.  Mr. Hughes seconded the motion.  The motion passed with unanimous approval.

           

            Meeting called to order - Mr. Creel made a motion.  The motion passed with unanimous approval     

 

6.         Superintendent Report – Dr. Byron Hurst.  Superintendent Hurst showed the district’s commercial, themed: Are You Ready, to the board.  Different schools participated in this commercial, showing their school pride and spirit.  Most schools advertise about their football team or basketball team.  As a district, we will be advertising more on academics.     

           

7.         Board Members’ Comments -  Mr. Kates mentioned the board will be in Baton Rouge on August 1, 2023, for a Retreat with the Louisiana School Board Association.

            Mr. Hughes commended Superintendent Hurst on his communication skills.  “We are more united than we have been and getting more things done.”

            Mr. Breaux said she is sorry she has to be the negative factor but believes she is improving. Mrs. Breaux said she is disappointed with some of the supervisors because they think the money they have been given to run a program is their personal money.  Mrs. Breaux was a Title I Supervisor, so she knows how it goes, and the schools are supposed to determine how they want to spend their money.   Mrs. Breaux believes if someone has a vendetta against someone, that person should not be able to determine what amount of funds that person should be granted.  Everyone (departments) at the schools should profit from the funds.

            Mrs. Breaux said she is not holding back anymore and would do the same for anybody else if they were right.  Breaux stated her son does an excellent job.  He asked for a new smartboard last year but did not receive it.  He was issued a used smartboard that was not functioning correctly and was small.  He then asked the supervisor for a better smartboard, but his request was ignored.  The supervisor advised him to email his request, but he still wasn’t heard.  When another used smartboard was located within the district, the supervisor refused to give him the smartboard for his class.  Mrs. Breaux is very displeased with the supervisor’s actions regarding releasing funding for supplies and education reimbursements.  

            Curtis Creel thanked the board for allowing him to attend the Southern Regional Leadership Conference in Arkansas.  There were three “dyno-might” speakers at the conference.  He attended the Discipline and Attendance Session and the Employee Relations Session, etc.   He left the conference with a quote, “Student outcomes don’t change until adult behaviors change.”   Mr. Creel concluded our problems in the BCS are not unique; they are everywhere.  This is Creel’s last term, and he is committed to moving this system forward.    

            Cathy Mitchell commended Superintendent Hurst for how he communicates with the board and keeps them informed of what’s happening in the district.

 

8.         Adjourn – 6:42 p.m.

 

______________________________                             ______________________________

President Paul Kates                                                                 Dr. Byron Hurst, Superintendent

 

Bogalusa City School Board does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disabilities, or veteran status. We are an equal-opportunity employer.