School Board of Manatee County Regular Meeting Results August 22, 2011

BRADENTON -- The School Board unanimously approved a legislative platform for the Florida School Board Association. Superintendent McGonegal withdrew a contract for the sale of a surplus property when members said they were uncomfortable with excessive broker fees. From now on monthly financial reports will have a much more user-friendly format than previous documents.

AGENDA AMENDMENTS  (Unanimously approved)

1. Agenda Amendments

ATTENDANCE 

2. Attendance

CALL TO ORDER 

3. Call to Order

4. Pledge of Allegiance

5. Invocation

6. Approval of the Orders of the Day

STUDENT CELEBRATION
PUBLIC COMMENTS 

7. Public Comments

APPROVAL OF MINUTES 

8. Approval of Minutes (Unanimously approved)

RECOGNITIONS
REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS 

9. American Institute of Architects, Tampa Bay Chapter 2011 Design Award

• A Merit Award was presented by American Institute of Architects, Tampa Bay Chapter to Hoffman Architects, PA for Palmetto Elementary School.  Mr. Sheridan Dowling, Director of Construction Services, provided the Board with details regarding this honor.

CONSENT ITEMS 

Approval of Consent Agenda (Unanimously approved)

10. Approval of August 22, 2011 Consent Agenda

Purchase(s) Bids $100,000.00 and Under

11. Approval of Bid on Bus Body Repair, MCSD No. 12-0011-SM

Purchase(s) Bids Over $100,000.00

12. Approval of Bid for Fertilizer- Grounds Maintenance, MCSD No. 12-0013-MR

13. Approval of Bid for Pesticides-Grounds Maintenance, MCSD No. 12-0014-MR

Contracts and Grants

14. Approval of Lease Agreement Between the School Board of Manatee County and Manatee Glens for the Lease of Two Strands of Dark Fiber Optic Cable

15. Approval of New Agreement Between the School Board of Manatee County and Various Providers for Clinical Experience for Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) Optometric Assisting Students for the 2011-2014 School Years

16. Approval of the Agreement Between the School Board of Manatee County and the District Board of Trustees of State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota for School Bus Transportation Services for the 2011-2012 School Year

17. Approval of the Contract Between the School District of Manatee County and RMC Research, Incorporated for the 2011-2012 School Year

18. Approval of the Contract Between the School District of Manatee County and the American Institute for History Education, L.L.C. for the 2011-2012 School Year

19. Approval of Addendum to the Five Year Contract with Computer Automated Systems (CAS) for the Purchase of Special Education Automated System (SEAS) Annual Maintenance to Include Processing of Medicaid Claims at a Rate of $1.00 Per Paid Claim Line

20. Approval of the Contract with the Manatee County Health Department for Worksite Wellness Services for the 2011-2012 School Year

21. Approval of Renewal Contract with Manatee County Family YMCA - Young Men's Christian Association, Inc., to Provide YMCA School-Age Child Care, YMCA SACC - Before-and-or After-School Programs for Elementary Students During the 2011 - 2012 School Year

22. Approval of Renewed Agreements Between the School Board of Manatee County and Various Providers for Clinical Experience for Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) Nursing, Medical Assisting and Surgical Technician Students for the 2011-2014 School Years

23. Approval to Renew the Contract Between Amer-I-Can and the School Board of Manatee County for the 2011 - 2012 School Year.

24. Approval to Renew the Contract Between Carlton Palms Education Center, Inc. and the School Board of Manatee County for the 2011-2012 School Year

25. Approval of Memorandum of Agreement with Manatee County Family YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association, Inc.) to Provide Before- and-or After-School Programs for Middle School Students During the 2011 - 2012 School Year

26. Approval to Renew the Contract Between Children's Academy of Southwest Florida, Inc., and the School Board of Manatee County for the 2011-2012 School Year

27. Approval of the Professional Development for Arts Educators Grant, Project STAGE (Students, Teachers, and Artists: Goals in Education) Contract with the City of Sarasota (on behalf of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall) for the 2011-2012 School Year

28. Approval to Apply, Accept and Expend the New $52,245.00 Workforce Services for Youths Grant for 2011-2012

29. Approval to Apply, Accept and Expend the Farm Foundation Small Grant in the Amount of $5,000.00

30. Approval to Apply, Accept and Expend the Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement, Investing in Innovation Fund (I3) Grant in the Amount of $700,000.00

31. Approval to Increase Amount to Contract for Professional Services With Progressus Therapy LLC, and Community Rehab Associates Inc. for Speech and Language Pathology Services, and the School Board of Manatee County for the Remainder of the 2010 School Year

32. Approval to Renew and Expend the U.S. Department of Education Teaching American History, Foundations of Freedom Liberty Fellowship, Grant for the 2011-2012 School Year

33. Approval to Renew and Expend the U.S. Department of Education Teaching American History, Freedom and Democracy, Grant for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 School Years

Construction Services

34. Approval of Johnson Middle School - Indemnification Agreement for Grounds Maintenance Adjacent to Wall

35. Approval of Manatee Technical Institute - SR 70 Campus - Change Orders 1 and 2 - Agreement Between Owner and HCBeck, Ltd.

36. Approval of Agreement Between the School Board of Manatee County and City of Palmetto for Continued Use of Storage Building

37. Approval of Manatee Technical Institute - SR 70 Campus - Florida Power and Light Permanent Utility Easement

38. Approval of Southeast High School - Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Upgrades and Renovations - Change Orders 12 and 13 - Agreement Between Owner and Skanska USA Building, Inc.

Finance

39. Approval of Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) Check List for Collection via Automated Recovery Systems (ARS)

40. Approval of Interim Budget Amendments for June 2011

Food Service

41. Approval to Contract with Just for Girls, PACE Center for Girls, AMI Kids, and Easter Seals to Provide Meals for Their Students

42. Approval to Contract with Imagine North Manatee, Imagine-Lakewood Ranch, Oasis Middle School, Palmetto Charter School, Richard Milburn Academy, Sheriff's Youth Ranch Charter, and Manatee County Headstart to Provide Meals to Their Students

Human Resources

43. Approval of the Appointments, Change of Assignments, Deceased, Promotions, Reappointments, Reassignments, Recommendations for Professional Service Contracts, Resignations, Retirements, Terminations and Transfers

INFORMATION

Leaves

44. Leaves for August 22, 2011 Board Meeting

ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS

45. Appointments

OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS (Discussion Items Pulled from Consent)
NEW BUSINESS (Non-Consent Items) 

46. Approval of a New School Secretary II Position for the Manatee Technical Institute (MTI), North Campus (Unanimously approved)

• Secretarial services will be required at the new Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) North Campus.  The School Secretary II will maintain the enrollment, financial, and other required data for the MTI North Campus programs.  MTI North will be on the space previously occupied by Palmetto Elementary; the campus will be portables that were already at the site.
• This MTI location will provide the financial aid, counseling, admissions, placement, etc., services provided for students at the MTI Main and East campus locations as required by our accreditation with the Council on Occupational Education. The requested North Campus support staff of one School Secretary II will be responsible for entering all this student data into MTI's records.  The School Secretary II will process purchase orders, enter financial data into the MTI Blue Bear system, prepare payroll, and other duties typically required of the Senior School Secretary; however, since the beginning size of the North Campus is small, the amount to data will be less.  Based on the projected enrollment, MTI has requested a School Secretary II.
• The implementation of secretarial support for the MTI, North Campus supports the EdVantage Strategic Objective: Life-Long Learning.

47. Approval of a New Financial Aid Specialist Position for Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) (Unanimously approved)

• The number of students who qualify for federal financial aid has grown in the past five years.  During school year 2006-07, Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) had a staff of four and disbursed $545,933 to 269 recipients.  By school year 2009-10, the staff had been reduced to three; during that year they disbursed $2,295,487 to 676 recipients.  During school year 2010-11, the staff of three disbursed $2,533,984 to 748 recipients.  We anticipate even higher numbers in school year 2011-12.

Year            Staff Recipients  $Disbursed

2006-07       4        269              $ 545,933

2009-10       3        676              $2,295,487

2010-11       3        748              $2,533,984

• The new Financial Aid Specialist Position will serve MTI Main, MTI East, and MTI North based on each location's financial aid needs.
• The implementation of additional financial aid staff for Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) supports the EdVantage Strategic Objective: Life-Long Learning.
• The Superintendent recommends approval of a new Financial Aid Specialist position for Manatee Technical Institute (MTI).

48. Approval of Manatee County School Board Submission of Proposals for Florida School Boards Association 2012 Legislative Platform (Unanimously approved)

• The 2012 Legislative Session will convene on Tuesday, January 10, 2012. In order to represent school districts appropriately in Tallahassee, the Florida School Boards Association (FSBA) must begin to develop its legislative platform now. 
• The first step in this process is to gather school districts proposals for legislative changes that would impact public education statewide.  Board Members, the Superintendent, and DELTA (District Educational Leadership Team Assembly) have submitted proposals for consideration.  In order to be considered by the Legislative Platform Committee and the Legislative Committee, all platform proposals must be approved by the school board, and must be received in the FSBA office by Friday, August 26, 2011.  A summary of the proposals follows:

 Funding Initiatives

1.   Develop and implement an adequate statewide funding system based on performance and accountability measures for workforce education programs administered by school district technical/career centers.

2.   Modify Section 1003.03 F.S. to eliminate the penalty for non-compliance of the Class Size Amendment if the School District has made a good faith effort to meet class size and make good decisions for the academic achievement of students.

3.   Implement a means to collect sales tax on appropriate Internet purchases.

4.   Amend 1002.33 (6)(c) f.s. (Charter Schools) to provide for local school boards to have the final decision making authority over the application for charter status in the local school district. 

5.   A proposed addition to Florida Statutes Section 1013.64.  The new language creates Subsection (3) within Section 1013.64 entitled the Public Education Renewable Energy Construction Account. Funding from this account would be used to encourage a K-12 education construction program that increases the use of renewable and/or alternative energy sources and cost effectiveness through retrofitting educational plants.

6.   Provide funding for County Governments to train and equip Civilian Emergency Response Teams (CERT) at each hurricane shelter.

7.   Fund the operating cost of the Class Size amendment as required by the Constitutional amendment approved by voters in November 2002. These operating costs should be funded through a dedicated funding source other than local property taxes as is being done now.

 Procedural Initiatives

 8.   By adding a new Section 201.032 to Florida Statues Chapter 201 entitled the Florida District School Board Documentary Surtax Act, district school boards would be authorized to levy a documentary surtax in lieu of an educational facility impact fee. The language provides that a district school board can levy only one of these two (2) fees and requires that the revenue be expended on maintaining existing capital facilities or providing new facilities to accommodate orderly development.

9.   Repeal statutory requirement that school districts must begin school calendar no earlier than 14 days before Labor Day.  The authority on school start and end dates should return to District School Boards.

Local Initiatives

10. Review and update hazardous walking conditions guidelines so that middle school and high school students have the same level of safety and FTE funding as elementary school students.

49. Approval of Contract for Sale for the Checkers-Owen’s Annex Property to Gold Glove Ventures, LLC. (Withdrawn)

• In July 2010, the School Board approved Resolution 10-01 to surplus Checkers-Owen’s Annex property, which was deemed unnecessary for educational or ancillary purposes.  The property was subsequently advertised for sale.  An offer was recently received from Gold Glove Ventures, LLC, which was reviewed by staff and deemed acceptable.
• The Checkers-Owen’s Annex property consists of two parcels; one vacant and one with office buildings consisting of approximately 7,500 square feet. The offer received was for $2,200,000.00 with a net proceeds to the School District of $1,800,000.00.  Upon approval of this contract, the buyer will have an initial due diligence period of 60 days and may cancel the contract for any reason.  If the contract survives, the buyer will have an additional 120 days to diligently pursue final approvals and permitting from the applicable government agencies.
• Should the buyer complete all due diligence, and obtain final approvals and close on the property, the buyer would grant a 60-day lease, at no cost, to the School District in order to allow staff and equipment to be relocated.
• The goal of the Department of Construction Services continues to be to provide quality environments for safe and effective student learning.
• The Superintendent recommends approval of Contract for Sale for the Checkers-Owen's Annex Property to Gold Glove Ventures, LLC.

50. Approval to Grant an Administrative Hearing Requested by Employee Treva Mattscheck and Suspend Employee without Pay Pending Administrative Hearing (Removed)

• Mattscheck, a custodian for Freedom Elementary School allegedly made threats to do physical harm to Principal James Mennes. His intensity and demeanor caused enough concern in Mattscheck’s co-workers who were present when the comment was made, that all three co-workers reported it to administration.
• The Superintendent recommends to grant the request for a hearing and suspend the Employee without pay effective August 23, 2011, pending the outcome of the hearing. 

51. Approval of the Format of the Monthly Financial Statements (Unanimously approved)

• Pursuant to SBE Rule 6A-1.008, Florida Administrative Code, the Monthly Financial Statements must be submitted to the Board in a form as prescribed by the school board. 
• Based on a staff-recommended format, a new version of the Monthly Financial Statements is being presented for the 2011-2012 fiscal year for the Board’s consideration.  Board approval of this item includes one-time consideration of the format.  Subsequent Monthly Financial Statements will follow this format. 
• The Superintendent recommends approval of the format for the Monthly Financial Statements.

BOARD COMMENTS 

52. Board Comments

SCHOOL BOARD WORKFLOW 

53. School Board Workflow

SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY COMMENTS 

54. Comments by John Bowen

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT 

55. Comments by Tim McGonegal

ADJOURNMENT 

Adjournment of Meeting

56. Adjournment