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The Monroe City School Board met in
regular session, Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. at the Monroe City School
Board Media Center, 2009 Auburn Avenue, Monroe, Louisiana 71201. The meeting was
called to order by the President. Prayer was offered Reverend James B. Johnson.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.
Item 4: Roll Call
Board Members Present
Mrs. Victoria "Vickie" Dayton
Mrs. Victoria "Vickie" Krutzer
Mr. James Mickey Traweek
Mr. Jessie Handy
Bishop Rodney McFarland, Sr.
Mrs. Stephanie Smith
Mrs. Brenda Shelling
Superintendent and Administrative Staff
Dr. James Dupree
Mrs. Derenda Flowers
Dr. Tammye Turpin
Mr. Andrew Hill
Mrs. Betty Carroll
Mrs. Vickie Irwin
Ms. Mamie Williams
Mrs. Julie Staley
Mr. Bobby Williams
Attorney L. Douglas Lawrence
Action Item 5 - Consent Agenda
Mrs. Krutzer stated that she would like the Monroe Dispatch, Free Press and The
News Star named as the official journal so all constitutes can be informed.
Mr. Traweek stated that agenda item D:E (Approval of the 2008-2009 Official
Journal) may need to be tabled so that quotes can obtained.
Attorney Lawrence noted that there can only be one official journal.
Mrs. Shelling asked that this item be moved from the consent agenda to the
regular agenda.
Mr. Handy noted that the minutes of May 6, 2008 need to be corrected to state:
"I am not in favor of the liaison contract because I feel as though Dr.
Mansfield can bring the community and Board together."
It was moved by Bishop McFarland and seconded by Mr. Handy, to move agenda item
5:E (Appointment of the Monroe Dispatch as the Official Journal for 2008-2009)
from the consent agenda and place it on the regular agenda as 7:E, correct the
May 6, 2008 minutes as noted by Mr. Handy, delete agenda item 9:A (School Based
Health Center Report), and approve the following consent agenda items:
5:A - Adoption of the Agenda
5:B - Adoption of the Board Minutes - May 6, 2008
5:C - Permission to advertise for School Food Service Products: milk, orange
juice, bread products, food products, delivered pizza, paper and cleaning
supplies
5:D - Permission to advertise for janitorial and instructional supplies
5:F - Human Resources Agenda
The motion carried on a unanimous vote.
Agenda Item 6 - President's Reports and Announcements
President Dayton thanked everyone for their attendance. The public was informed
on procedures for addressing the Board on agenda and non-agenda items. President
Dayton asked that all cell phones be turned off.
Action from the Superintendent
Agenda Item 7:A - Appointment of Project Director for Safe Schools/Healthy
Students Grant
It was moved by Bishop McFarland and seconded by Mr. Handy, to approve Dr.
Phedra Brantley as the project director for the Safe Schools/Healthy Students
Grant as recommended by the Superintendent.
The motion carried on a unanimous vote.
Action Item 7:B - Permission to Advertise for Principals at Carver and Clara
Hall
It was moved by Bishop McFarland and seconded by Mrs. Smith, to advertise for
principals at Carver and Clara Hall Elementary.
Mrs. Krutzer stated that she is hesitant to vote on this item because we are in
the process of hiring a new superintendent.
Mr. Handy asked how long the positions will be advertised.
Dr. Dupree replied, "At least three weeks."
Bishop McFarland stated that Carver and Clara Hall need permanent principals,
not temporary ones.
Mrs. Smith stated that she is in agreement with Bishop McFarland regarding the
hiring of permanent principals for those two schools. She further stated that it
doesn't matter who the new superintendent is; the children need stability.
Mrs. Shelling stated that she has mixed feelings because the demographic study
shows there is a population decrease on the Southside. She further stated that
it is a possibility that some schools may be combined. She asked that the Board
wait thirty days before advertising the positions.
Dr. Dupree stated that preparations for the next school year have already
started. He further stated that a principal needs to be hired as soon as
possible so they can begin staffing and ordering materials.
Mr. Traweek stated, "I am going to support this issue because Dr. Dupree is
still the Superintendent, and we must have faith and trust in him." He further
stated that the best applicants may be taken if we wait.
Bishop McFarland stated that we need to advertise as soon as possible so that we
can have a good pool of candidates. He then said, "We are not setting the agenda
for the new superintendent; we already have principals for the other schools.
Are we going to vacate those positions and let the new superintendent come in
and move who he wants? No, we are not going to allow that to happen"
The motion carried on a majority vote. Mrs. Krutzer opposed.
Agenda Item 7:C - Permission to Advertise for An Assistant Principal at MLK
Dr. Dupree stated that it is the recommendation of Mrs. Debbie Blue to return to
an additional assistant principal instead of two Deans of Students.
It was moved by Mrs. Smith and seconded by Mr. Handy, to advertise for an
assistant principal at MLK.
Mrs. Krutzer asked what will happen to the Deans.
Dr. Dupree stated that they will return to teaching.
President Dayton stated that she is opposed tonight because she would like all
schools to be assessed for administrative needs.
The motion carried on a majority vote. President Dayton and Mrs. Shelling
opposed.
Mr. Traweek asked Dr. Dupree to look at the administration at Lee Jr. High
because their enrollment has tremendously increased.
President Dayton asked that the administration provide the Board with a report
on administrators for each school.
Agenda Item 7:D - Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreement with the City of
Monroe
Attorney Lawrence stated that this document was drafted to outline the
partnership with the City of Monroe in reference to the Liller Maddox Marble
Community Center Project. He further stated that the City of Monroe is
requesting that they be named as co-insurer on our policy.
President Dayton stated that this request is fair; they will hold us harmless
and we will hold them harmless. She further stated that we should be named on
their policy.
Mrs. Krutzer stated that she is concerned about the baseball field fitting on
the property. She further stated that the district should build a field behind
Carroll High School.
Mr. Traweek stated, "It is to our advantage to partner with the City of Monroe
on this project because they will provide upkeep of the property." Mr. Traweek
noted that all of the property behind Carroll High School is not owned by the
district.
Mr. Handy stated that this should not be delayed because the City will do what
is right in regards to the legal size of the field.
Mr. Traweek stated that we need to be concerned with Title IX. He further stated
we do need to be sure that the field will fit on that tract of land.
Mrs. Shelling stated, "I don't think we should put our money into a project that
we don't own. I will be in favor of building a baseball field on the school
site."
It was moved by Bishop McFarland and seconded by Mr. Traweek, to approve the
Intergovernmental Cooperative Endeavour Agreement with the City of Monroe.
The motion carried on a majority vote. Mrs. Shelling opposed.
Agenda Item 7:E - Appointment of the Official Journal for 2008-2009
It was moved by Mrs. Smith and seconded by Mr. Handy, to approve the Monroe
Dispatch as the official journal for 2008-2009.
Mrs. Shelling offered a friendly amendment to rotate the official journal,
beginning this year with the Monroe Free Press.
Mr. Handy asked if the official journal would rotate or if quotes would be
required.
Mrs. Shelling replied, "My motion is to rotate without quotes. We have used the
Monroe Dispatch for five years. Let's start with the Free Press, the News Star
World and then the Monroe Dispatch."
Mrs. Smith did not accept the friendly amendment. She stated, "I would like to
see the Free Press as the official journal for next year. I am in agreement with
the rotation, but I would like to deal with the item on the agenda, and that is
naming the Monroe Dispatch."
Mrs. Shelling offered an alternate motion to appoint the Monroe Free Press as
the official journal for 2008-2009.
Bishop McFarland stated that the Dispatch is named on the agenda, and it would
take two-thirds vote to add the Free Press or The News Star.
Mr. Traweek stated that we should do a RFP in order to be fair.
President Dayton asked how much the monthly fee is.
Mrs. Flowers stated that it depends on what is run. She further stated that the
cost is determined by the inch.
Mr. Handy said, "We should proceed with the recommendation of the Superintendent
and then start the rotation next year."
Mrs. Shelling asked why the Dispatch was selected.
Dr. Dupree replied, "The Dispatch was the official journal when I came into the
district and it continued."
Mr. Traweek stated that he is opposed because of the uncertainty of the cost.
Mr. Handy, Bishop McFarland and Mrs. Smith stated that they are in favor of
appointing the Dispatch because of the time limit on naming the official
journal.
Mrs. Shelling stated that she is opposed because she would like to see the
official journal rotated; beginning this year with the Free Press.
In favor: Mr. Handy, Bishop McFarland, Mrs. Smith
Opposed: Mrs. Dayton, Mrs. Krutzer, Mr. Traweek, Mrs. Shelling
The motion failed for a lack of a majority.
Bishop McFarland stated that because of the time limit, an official journal
needs to be named tonight.
It was moved by Bishop McFarland and seconded by Mrs. Shelling, to add to the
agenda the approval of the official journal for 2008-2009.
The motion carried on a unanimous vote.
It was moved by Mrs. Shelling and seconded by Mrs. Smith, to appoint the Monroe
Free Press as the official journal for 2008-2009.
Mr. Handy stated, "I would like to see this item tabled because we still don't
know the cost. We should get quotes from other newspapers."
Mr. Traweek stated, "I don't have a problem with any of the newspapers; I just
want to know how much it is going to cost the district."
It was moved by Mrs. Shelling and seconded by Mrs. Smith, to amend the motion to
appoint the Free Press as the official journal for 2008-2009 and not exceed fees
previously paid to the Monroe Dispatch for equivalent services.
Mr. Handy and Bishop McFarland opposed.
The motion carried on a majority vote.
Agenda Item 8:A - 2008-2009 Extended School Calendar
Mrs. Irwin presented the extended school calendar for 2008-2009. She noted that
the calendar is based on teacher calendar days. The intent is to align the
extended calendar with the number of days that teachers work. Teachers will work
nine extra minutes per day and five less days per year.
Mrs. Shelling stated that with this calendar a day absent from work will not
equal one day but will equal a day plus a fraction of a day. She further stated
that employees may not know all the particulars about the extended days.
Mrs. Irwin stated that it will affect the daily rate of pay.
Mrs. Shelling stated that she would like the administration to get feedback from
employees.
No action was taken on this agenda item.
Agenda Item 8:B - 2008-2009 Federal Title and IDEA Budgets
Dr. Tammye Turpin presented the budgets. Dr. Turpin noted that the consolidate
application for Title and IDEA budgets must be submitted by June 1st and
approved by July 1st. There are fifty-two budgets imbedded in Title I. The
district is guaranteed 90% of the previous years funding and this year budgets
are based on that. Dr. Turpin also noted that there will be no Title V funding
this year
Mrs. Krutzer inquired about Title III funding.
Dr. Turpin stated that there are not enough English as a second language
students. She further stated that there must be a $10,000 minimum allocation to
get those funds. The district does not meet that standard but students are
serviced through Title I.
On a motion by Mrs. Shelling that was seconded by Mrs. Krutzer, the Board
approved the 2008-2009 Federal Title and IDEA budgets as presented by the
administration.
The motion carried on a unanimous vote.
Agenda Item 9:A - School Based Health Center Report
Deleted
Agenda Item 10 - Board Committee Updates
Agenda Item 10:A - Berg Jones Lanes Sidewalk Project
Mrs. Shelling stated that this proposed project will place sidewalks down Berg
Jones Lane and will accommodate all schools on that street. She further stated
that the State of Louisiana have funds available for this project. Mr. Rowan is
asking the Monroe City School Board, Ouachita Parish School Board and the City
of Monroe to partner in this project.
Bishop McFarland noted that he will be out of town for the June 17th Board
meeting. He asked if the meeting could be moved.
After a brief discussion, it was the consensus of the Board to move the June
17th meeting to June 24th and to change the summer Board meetings to 5:00 p.m.
Agenda Item 11 - Superintendent's Announcements and Updates
Dr. Dupree thanked everyone for a great school year. He also wished staff and
students a safe summer.
Agenda Item 12 - Public Input on Non-Agenda Items
Mr. Paul Roberts addressed the Board on his employment at Carroll Jr. High. He
stated that he brought concerns to the Board two months ago, and nothing has
been done. He further stated that he wants closure on this matter.
President Dayton asked Attorney Lawrence and Dr. Dupree to look into the
concerns of Mr. Roberts and report back to the Board.
Ms. Gloria Walker addressed the Board on 4th and 8th grade LEAP promotion. She
asked if the district will follow what the state is doing regarding promotion.
Ms. Walker also asked the Board to look at re-zoning.
Dr. Dupree stated that the district will allow whatever flexibility the state
will allow.
Action Item 13 - Adjournment/Recess
There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting adjourned
at 9:05 p.m. on a motion by Bishop McFarland and seconded by Mr. Handy.
The motion carried on a unanimous vote.
Mrs. Victoria Dayton,
President
Dr. James A. Dupree, Superintendent
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