At Monday's meeting, the Manatee School Board approved a major reorganization of high level positions in the district that was proposed by new Superintendent Rick Mills. In other business, first readings were approved for two items that aim to derail nepotism in the district and "the influence of romantic and other personal relationships among staff in District decision making." Board also members heard pleas from several students, parents and personnel from Bradenton Charter School, who asked the board to give the school another chance before closing it down for failed performance.
AGENDA AMENDMENTS (5:45 p.m.)
1. Agenda Amendments - p.6
ATTENDANCE (5:45 p.m.)
2. Attendance - p.7
CALL TO ORDER (5:45 p.m.)
3. Call to Order - p.8
4. Color Guard - Braden River High School - p.9
5. Pledge of Allegiance - p.10
6. Invocation - p.11
7.Approval of the Orders of the Day - p.12 (passed unanimously)Attachment: Revised Agenda Item - Superintendent Direct Reports Org Chart.pdf
Attachment: Revised Agenda Item - National FFA Organization Manatee Co. Fair and State Fair Winners.pdf
Attachment: New Agenda Item - Proposed New Policy, 6.17, Nepotism.pdf
Attachment: 6.17.Nepotism, Rev 03-25-13.pdf
Attachment: New Agenda Item - Proposed New Policy, 6.18, Fraternization.pdf
Attachment: 6.18.Fraternization, 03-25-13.pdf
Attachment: M032513.pdf
STUDENT CELEBRATION (5:48 p.m.)
8. National FFA Organization Manatee County Fair and State Fair Winners - p.13
RECOGNITIONS
REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS (5:58 p.m.)
9. Celebrate School Library Media Month – April 2013 - p.14Attachment: Library Media Month Proclamation 2013.pdf
10. External Auditor Report - p.15 (story to follow)Attachment: M & J - Presentation of Financial and Compliance Audit Results.pdf
Attachment: M & J - Compliance Report on Auditor General Findings.pdf
Attachment: M & J - Excerpt from CAFR.pdf
PUBLIC COMMENTS (6:10 p.m.)
11. Public Comments - p.16
Linda Schaich commented on the external audit report presented during Monday's workshop, partly on the audit's various findings. "Mauldin & Jenkins...did find that sales tax monies were used for unauthorized expenses on printers for $918,000. But then they added that it went back 4 years. But they've never mentioned it in any of their other audits. So that really means that there's $3,700,000 that is owed from the general fund to the sales tax fund. That's a separate fund, and it's very specific about what you can spend it on...and a copier is not one of them."
Schaich went on to say: "For the general fund: what they have there is, at the end of last year, is a $2.4 million deficit. Last year Mauldin & Jenkins did not even mention that there was still a deficit in the health care fund, and that even this year, we do not have the reserve that's mandated by the state of Florida, and that would be $9.5 million. We probably haven't had that for 5-6 years ... I find it interesting that they did not mention it in the audit ... I found it would take $31 million to bring this budget into compliance."
Also during public comments, board members heard from several students, parents and personnel from Bradenton Charter School, who asked the board to give the school another chance before closing it down. The board, which listened to many emotional pleas, approved the closing of Bradenton Charter at the last regular meeting due the school's consistent educational underperformance. Board members empathized with the comments made during the session, though the decision regarding the school's fate had already been made.
The last person to come to the dais during comments was Elaine Graham, Chairperson of Take Stock in Children Manatee. Graham announced that on May 2, Take Stock will celebrate the graduation of 38 seniors. "These students have been mentored by outstanding volunteers donating as many as 1200 hours for each graduate per year," she said. Graham thanked the board for "keeping this project going."
APPROVAL OF MINUTES (6:25 p.m.) (passed unanimously)
12. Approval of Minutes - p.17Attachment: W032513.pdf
Attachment: M032513.pdf
CONSENT ITEMS (6:28 p.m.) (passed unanimously)
Approval of Consent Agenda
13. Approval of April 8, 2013 Consent Agenda - p.18
Purchase(s) Bids $100,000.00 and Under
14. Approval of Renewal (1) on Bleacher Repair Services, MCSD No. 12-0075-MR - p.1915. Approval of Renewal (1) on Proposal for Water Treatment Services, MCSD No.12-0073-MR - p.2016. Approval of Renewal (1) on the Use of TCPN Proposal for Furniture, Office and Instructional, MCSD No. 12-0079-MR - p.21
Purchase(s) Bids Over $100,000.00
17. Approval of Renewal (1) of the Use of US Communities Contract for Technology Products/Equipment and Technology Services/Solutions #RQ09-997736-42B,MCSD No. 13-0021-SM - p.22
Contracts and Grants
18. Approval of New Agreement Between the School Board of Manatee County and Bux Healthcare Inc. dba Family Pharmacy for Clinical Experience for Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) Pharmacy Technician Students for the 2013-2016 School Years - p.23
19. Approval of New Agreements Between the School Board of Manatee County and Various Providers for Clinical Experience for Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) Medical Assisting Students for the 2013-2016 School Years - p.2520. Approval of New Agreements Between the School Board of Manatee County and Various Providers for Clinical Experience for Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) Optometric Assisting Students for the 2013-2016 School Years - p.2721. Approval of New Agreements Between the School Board of Manatee County and Various Providers for Clinical Experience for Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) Orthopedic Technician Students for the 2013-2016 School Years - p.2922. Approval to Accept and Expend the Increase in Allocation to the Title 1, Part D, Local Agency Delinquent Program Grant for the 2012 – 2013 School Year - p.31Attachment: Title 1 N & D Amendment 2 FY13.pdf
Construction Services
23. Approval of Educational Plant Supplemental Survey for Owens Annex and Checkers Property Surplus and Disposal - p.33Attachment: 04.08.13 Checkers & Owens Spot 4.2.pdf24. Approval Resolution 13-01 for Parent Information Center Real Property Surplus and Disposal - p.34Attachment: 04.08.13 Exh A Res 13-01 PIC Property Surplus & Disposal.pdf25. Approval Resolution 13-02 for Instructional Materials Center Real Property Surplus and Disposal - p.35Attachment: 04.08.13 Exh A Res 13-02 IMC Property Surplus & Disposal.pdfHuman Resources26. Approval of the Appointments, Change of Assignments, Deceased, Promotions, Reappointments, Reassignments, Recommendations for Professional Service Contracts, Resignations, Retirements, Terminations and Transfers - p.36Attachment: Board Material - 04-08-13.pdf
INFORMATION ONLY
Leaves
27. Leaves for April 8, 2013 Board Meeting - p.37Attachment: Leaves 04-08-13.pdf
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS (Discussion Items Pulled from Consent)
NEW BUSINESS (Non-Consent Items) (6:30 p.m.)
28. Recess the Regular Meeting and Call to Order of the Special Meeting of the Manatee County School Board Leasing Corporation - p.38
29. Special Meeting of the Manatee School Board Leasing Corporation - p.39 (passed unanimously)
30. Adjourn the Special Meeting of the Manatee School Board Leasing Corporation and Reconvene the Regular Meeting - p.40
31. Approval of Superintendent's Direct Report Organizational Chart - p.41 (passed unanimously) Full Story
Attachment: School District Organization, 04-03-13.pdf
32. Approval of Positions and Job Descriptions for Superintendent's Direct Reports - p.43 (passed unanimously)Attachment: Deputy Superintendent for Instruction, 040813.pdf
Attachment: Executive Director for EL, MS, HS, 040813.pdf
Attachment: Deputy Superintendent for Operations 040813.pdf
33. Approval of Budget Amendments for February 2013 - p.45 (passed unanimously)Attachment: Budget Amendment Report February 2013.pdf
34. Acceptance of the Year to Date Financial Statements through February 2013 - p.46 (passed unanimously)Attachment: February 2013.pdf
35. Approve or Deny the Request for Reimbursement of Attorneys’ Fees Made by Board Members in Connection with Allegations of a Violation of Public Records Law - p.47Attachment: Memo re Reimbursement.pdf (Request to remove item from agenda passed 4-1, with Gause dissenting. Carpenter advised that the item "may come back" in a later meeting for discussion.)
36. Approval of Advertising a Notice of a Proposed New Rule, Policy 6.17, Nepotism, and Setting a Public Hearing on the Proposed New Rule at the Board Meeting Scheduled My 13, 2013 (passed unanimously)Attachment: 6.17.Nepotism.Rev 03-25-13.pdf
Speaking about the new rule being proposed, Assistant Superintendent of District Support Services Scott Martin said that it would "not prohibit relatives from working in the district." Instead, he said, the rule would ensure that a relative does not supervise a relative, and thus possible complications that would result from such a professional relationship could be avoided. Martin also said that the rule uses a broad definition of the word "relative".
37. Approval of Advertising a Notice of a Proposed New Rule, Policy 6.18, Fraternization, and Setting a Public Hearing on the Proposed New Rule at the Board Meeting Scheduled May 13, 2013 (passed unanimously)Attachment: 6.18.Fraternization, 03-25-13.pdfThe board followed the first reading of the new nepotism rule with approval of a first reading for a new rule that will seek to derail "the influence of romantic and other personal relationships among staff in District decision making".Martin said the policy is intended to "cover times when employees engage in romantic relationships." He said that the board was not attempting to prevent such relationships from happening, just that the persons involved would now be obligated to report their relationship to a supervisor, so management could try to ensure that complications in the workplace are avoided.
38. Approval to Solicit RFP (Request for Proposal) to Provide Legal Services to the School Board of Manatee County, Florida (motion to approve solicitation of RFP passed unanimously; workshop on providing legal services to the school board will be on Saturday April 20th)
SCHOOL BOARD WORKFLOW (7:40 p.m.)
39. School Board Workflow Items - 49
SCHOOL BOARD PROPOSED AGENDA ITEMS (7:42 p.m.)
40. School Board Proposed Agenda Items - p.50
BOARD COMMENTS (7:44 p.m.)
41. Board Comments - p.51
Barbara Harvey said, "If you look at a policy that will address the needs of our families and schools - when members of our police force want to question children at our school, parents would want to know about the situation and would want to be there with the child...as a parent, I'd like for creating a policy in regards to this."All board members made comments in support of the Bradenton Charter students that came to speak on behalf of their school.Robert Gause congratulated the Palmetto High School Rowing Club "as they rowed those raceboats to a first and three third place finishes" recently in competitions against other teams.
Karen Carpenter credited Assistant Superintendent Bob Gagnon and his staff for their involvement in the current Riverwalk exhibit.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT (8:10 p.m.)
42. Comments by Rick Mills - p.52
The superintendent thanked the board and community members for "all of the support I've gotten in the district." Mills also said, "We've had to make some really tough decisions that are very necessary to move us forward as a school district and to get us fiscally healthy. I've sent out a message today and one on Friday around some issues of the re-organization (of top level district positions) ... I just want to ease concerns that we are not taking money from schools ... the funds (used for the re-organization) are restricted funds."
ADJOURNMENT (8:15 p.m.)
Adjournment of Meeting
43. Adjournment - p.53
Comments
No comments on this item
Only paid subscribers can comment
Please log in to comment by clicking here.