OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
RAPIDES PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Alexandria, Louisiana
May 21, 2019
The Rapides Parish School Board of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, met in special session at 5:-30 o’clock p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at the regular meeting place of said board in the Rapides Parish School Board Office, 619 Sixth and Beauregard Streets, in Alexandria, Louisiana.
President Wilton Barrios called the meeting to order and on roll call the following members were present:
Wilton Barrios, President
Steve Berry, Member
Keith Breazeale, Member
Stephen Chapman, Member
Sandra Franklin, Member
Willard McCall, Member
Linda Burgess, Member
Mark Dryden, Member
Absent: Darrell Rodriguez, Vice-President
Mr. Nason Authement, secretary for the Board, was present for the meeting.
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Attorney Mr. James Downs was present for the meeting.
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The Invocation was pronounced by Mr. Mark Dryden after which Ms. Linda Burgess led in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
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(COPY OF OFFICIAL CALL WAS MAILED AND EMAILED TO EACH MEMBER OF THE RAPIDES PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AND TO THE MEDIA AND POSTED IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE AT THE MEETING PLACE OF SAID BOARD ON MAY 16, 2019)
Alexandria, Louisiana
May 16, 2019
Dear Sir/Madam:
By virtue of the authority vested in me by law and by reason of the fact that it is deemed necessary, advisable, and to the public interest that the Rapides Parish School Board be called in special session; now, therefore,
I, Wilton Barrios, President, do hereby give notice that the said board will meet in special session at its domicile at 619 Sixth and Beauregard Streets in the City of Alexandria, Louisiana, at 5:30 p.m. on
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
for the purpose of considering, acting upon, deciding, and if deemed advisable, submitting the following propositions, to wit:
1. Call to order
2. Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll call
4. Motion to discuss the distribution of the Excess Sales Tax – Mr. Wilton Barrios
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, Witness my official signature and the seal of the Rapides Parish School Board this 16th day of May 2019.
/s/Wilton Barrios
President
ATTEST:
/s/Nason Authement
Secretary
S E A L
Public comment was solicited prior to the vote on items during this meeting.
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Let the record reflect that Mr. Darrell Rodriguez arrived at the meeting at this time.
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A motion was made by Mr. Steve Berry and seconded by Mrs. Sandra Franklin to add to the agenda to direct the Superintendent or designee to retrieve the applications on the morning of June 10th and further have the Superintendent Search Committee meet at 5:15 p.m. followed by a special meeting of the RPSB. The Superintendent Search Committee will have staff open the applications and read the name of the applicants into the record. The applications will then be given to the superintendent for full vetting of the applicants - further on June 11th, the following will be available to the public: Applicant’s name – Qualifications - Resume’ - Work history
This will be posted on the RPSB website and available on written request for a dollar
($1.00) a page – Reason to add: Time Sensitive. (Item 5)
Discussion ensued.
On roll call the vote to add to the agenda was as follows:
AYE: Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Dryden
NAY: Ms. Burgess
ABSENT: None
THE MOTION WAS NOT ADDED DUE TO LACK OF UNANIMOUS VOTE.
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Item 6 was deleted.
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A motion was made by Mr. Darrell Rodriguez and seconded by Dr. Stephen Chapman to add to the agenda to schedule a meeting for the Superintendent Search Committee for 5:15 p.m. on June 12th followed by a Special Meeting of the RPSB. All applicants will be reviewed and recommendation of which applicants to be interviewed in the first round of interviews beginning on Monday, June 17th – 20th. Further, to direct the Superintendent/designee to schedule interviews with applicants on June 17th – 20th beginning at 5:15 p.m. each day (need to set a time frame for the interviews) – Reason to add: Time Sensitive. (Item 7)
On roll call the vote to add to the agenda was as follows:
AYE: Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Dryden, Ms. Burgess, Mrs. Franklin, Mr. Breazeale, Mr. Berry, Mr. McCall, Dr. Chapman, Mr. Barrios
NAY: None
ABSENT: None
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A motion was made by Mr. Willard McCall and seconded by Mr. Darrell Rodriguez to add to the agenda to reserve Monday, June 24th for any public forums – Reason to add: Time sensitive. (Item 8)
Discussion ensued.
On roll call the vote to add to the agenda was as follows:
AYE: Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Dryden, Ms. Burgess, Mrs. Franklin, Mr. Breazeale, Mr. Berry, Mr. McCall, Dr. Chapman, Mr. Barrios
NAY: None
ABSENT: None
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A motion was made by Mr. Darrell Rodriguez and seconded by Mr. Willard McCall to add to the agenda to set a Special Meeting of the RPSB on Thursday, June 20th at 5:30 p.m. to select the finalists for the Superintendent position to be interviewed on June 25th - Reason to add: Time Sensitive. (Item 9)
Discussion ensued.
On roll call the vote to add to the agenda was as follows:
AYE: Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Dryden, Ms. Burgess, Mrs. Franklin, Mr. Breazeale, Mr. Berry, Mr. McCall, Dr. Chapman, Mr. Barrios
NAY: None
ABSENT: None
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A motion was made by Mr. Darrell Rodriguez and seconded by Mr. Willard McCall to add to the agenda to set a Special Meeting of the RPSB to interview the finalists on Tuesday, June 25th at 5:15 p.m. and negotiate a contract on salary, benefits, term and performance objectives – Reason to add: Time Sensitive. (Item 10)
Discussion ensued.
On roll call the vote to add to the agenda was as follows:
AYE: Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Dryden, Ms. Burgess, Mrs. Franklin, Mr. Breazeale, Mr. Berry, Mr. McCall, Dr. Chapman, Mr. Barrios
NAY: None
ABSENT: None
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A motion was made by Mr. Darrell Rodriguez and seconded by Mr. Willard McCall to add to the agenda to set a Special Meeting of the RPSB on Thursday, June 27th at 5:30 p.m. to have each finalist address the RPSB for 3-5 minutes, followed by a selection of the Superintendent – Reason to add: Time Sensitive. (Item 11)
Discussion ensued.
On roll call the vote to add to the agenda was as follows:
AYE: Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Dryden, Ms. Burgess, Mrs. Franklin, Mr. Breazeale, Mr. Berry, Mr. McCall, Dr. Chapman, Mr. Barrios
NAY: None
ABSENT: None
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A motion was made by Mr. Willard McCall and seconded by Mr. Darrell Rodriguez to add to the agenda to establish a voting method to: (1) Select the finalist and (2) Select the Superintendent - Reason to add: Time Sensitive. (Item 12)
Discussion ensued.
On roll call the vote to add to the agenda was as follows:
AYE: Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Dryden, Ms. Burgess, Mrs. Franklin, Mr. Breazeale, Mr. Berry, Mr. McCall, Dr. Chapman, Mr. Barrios
NAY: None
ABSENT: None
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A motion was made by Ms. Linda Burgess and seconded by Mr. Darrell Rodriguez to
Discussion ensued.
A substitute motion was made by Mrs. Sandra Franklin and seconded by Ms. Linda Burgess to distribute all future surplus salary funds from the 1967 ½ cent sales tax, and the 1987 one-cent sales tax to all contracted employees on a ratio of 2:1 for all positions requiring a college degree and for all positions whose job description and assigned duties include the instruction of pupils in courses in traditional or nontraditional classroom situations for which daily pupil attendance figures for the school system are kept and a ratio of 1:1 for all other positions.
Discussion ensued.
An amended motion made by Mr. Darrell Rodriguez and seconded by Ms. Linda Burgess to approve the above motion and that it is effective today, May 21, 2019.
On roll call the vote on the amended motion was as follows:
AYE: Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Dryden, Ms. Burgess, Mrs. Franklin, Mr. Breazeale, Mr. Berry, Mr. McCall, Mr. Barrios
NAY: Dr. Stephen Chapman
ABSENT: None
THE AMENDED MOTION WAS ADOPTED BY MAJORITY VOTE.
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Items 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 were discussed in globo.
A motion was made by Dr. Stephen Chapman and seconded by Mr. Darrell Rodriguez
to accept items 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.
Discussion ensued.
An amended motion was made by Dr. Stephen Chapman and seconded by Mr. Darrell Rodriguez on item 7 to schedule a meeting for the Superintendent Search Committee for 5:15 p.m. on June 12th followed by a Special Meeting of the RPSB. All applicants will be reviewed and recommendation of which applicants to be interviewed in the first round of interviews beginning on Monday, June 17th – 20th. Further, to direct the Superintendent/designee to schedule interviews with applicants on June 17th – 20th beginning at 5:15 p.m. each day (need to set a time frame for the interviews) and first round will be ten (10) applicants maximum for interviews and to amend item 8 to in include a meet and greet from 5:30 to 6:00 and a forum at 6:00 for questions for finalists and amend item 10 to include select three (3) finalists for the positon of Superintendent and to amend item 12 to include selection method as follows:- that with ten (10) applicants, Board Members will vote for 3 each round and the applicant with the least votes will be eliminated and then to continue and vote until there are only three (3) applicants as finalists.
Discussion ensued.
On the amended motion by Dr. Stephen Chapman and seconded by Mr. Darrell Rodriguez, the Board voted unanimously to approve the items listed above with the amendments.
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Pursuant to motion duly carried, the Rapides Parish School Board adjourned.
/s/Wilton Barrios
President
ATTEST:
/s/Nason Authement
Secretary
S E A L