Guilford County Board of Education
Board Meeting
July 10, 2007

GUILFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
REGULAR MEETING
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

The Guilford County Board of Education met in a regular meeting on Tuesday, June 12, 2007, at 712 North Eugene Street, Greensboro, North Carolina. The following board members were present: Jeff Belton, Walter Childs, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan, Darlene Garrett, Deena Hayes, Garth Hébert, Dot Kearns, Amos Quick, Nancy Routh and Anita Sharpe (arrived at 8:05 p.m.) Also present were Superintendent Terry Grier and Attorney Jill Wilson.

Call to Order

Chairman Duncan called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence
Board member Nancy Routh led the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence.

Recognitions

GCS Employee of the Month for June 2007

The board recognized Angie Maynard, cafeteria manager at Alamance Elementary, as the district’s June Employee of the Month. Board member Deena Hayes presented Ms. Maynard with a certificate of recognition. In a prior ceremony, Ms. Maynard received a $50 gift card from Sam’s Club, which has partnered with GCS to support the employee recognition program.

GCS Volunteer of the Month for June 2007

The board recognized Debbie Maines, a volunteer at Northwood Elementary, as the district’s June Volunteer of the Month. Board member Walter Childs presented Ms. Maines with a certificate of appreciation. Ms. Maines received a $25 gift card from American Express, which has partnered with GCS to support the volunteer recognition program.

Spring Sports State Champions

The board recognized the 3A and 4A Track and Field individuals and the 2A/3A Men’s Lacrosse team as state champions.

Northwest High School “We the People” Recognition

The board recognized Northwest High and its “We the People” team for its top ten placement in national competition. Each year 51 teams travel to Washington, DC to compete for a place in the top ten and a chance to win the highly competitive championship. Board member Darlene Garrett presented team members with certificates of recognition.

Public Comments

Chairman Duncan called on members of the public who requested an opportunity to address the board.

Debbie Maines, 2145 Rivermeade Drive, High Point, NC 27265
Lora Farlow, 3600 Waldonbrook Road, Greensboro, NC 27407
Sheryl Baker, 7227 Branson Mill Road, Pleasant Garden, NC 27313
Joe Stafford, 4604 Forest Village Drive, Greensboro, NC 27406
Bill Mericka, 5963 Summit Avenue, Browns Summit, NC 27214
Dot Lambeth, 6080 Summit Avenue, Browns Summit, NC 27214
Joyce Leonard, 5924 Bluestem Circle, Greensboro, NC 27405
Dorothy Rohman, 12 Millpath Lane, Greensboro, NC 27407
Suzanne Seeger, Five Veranda Court, Greensboro, NC 27455
Susan Tysinger, 801 Blanton Place, Greensboro, NC 27408
Lori Gengenbach, 7223 Bulb Road, Julian, NC 27283
Linda Mozell, 4701 Whitby Place, Greensboro, NC 27406
Sandra Koritz, 1801 Murrayhill Road, Greensboro, NC 27406
Richard Koritz, 1801 Murrayhill Road, Greensboro, NC 27406

Approval of Agenda

Chairman Duncan asked board members to review the meeting agenda and called for a motion to approve or amend it.

Chairman Duncan asked that the board’s vote on the Personnel Action Report item under the consent agenda be postponed until after Closed Session.

Motion was made by Walter Childs, seconded by Nancy Routh, to approve the agenda as amended. The motion passed upon unanimous electronic vote.

Consent Agenda
Superintendent Grier presented the following Consent Agenda items:

A. Meeting Minutes
The minutes of the February 20 Joint Meeting with County Commissioners, May 7 Special Called Meeting, May 8 Regular Meeting, May 17 Special Called Meeting and May 24 Regular Meeting were presented for approval.

B. Personnel Action Report
The consent agenda included personnel actions as noted in the monthly personnel action report and addendum requiring board approval. A vote on the Personnel Action Report will be taken after Closed Session.

C. School Nutrition Services - Contract Extension for Institution Food House (IFH) – Food, Supplies and Delivery of USDA Commodities
The consent agenda included a recommendation that the board approve the renewal of a contract with Institution Food House, Inc. (IFH), Hickory, NC, in the amount of $7,720,419.74, to provide food, supplies, storage and delivery of USDA commodities to the district. IFH was awarded a contract to provide food, supplies, storage and delivery of USDA commodities to the district on June 13, 2006. The amount of the contract was $11,456,449.04. This contract was for a one-year term, with the option to renew for up to four one-year periods. The service provided to date has been satisfactory. The renewed period for this contract would be July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008, and is estimated to cost the district $7,720,419.74.

D. School Nutrition Services – Piggybacking Contract for Food Safety, Sanitation System Services and Related Supplies
The consent agenda included a recommendation that the board approve the renewal of a contract in the amount of $221,400 to SFSPac Food Service Sanitation System, Chicago IL to provide food safety, sanitation system services and related supplies. North Carolina General Statute 143-129(g) allows school systems to piggyback on another municipality contract for the purchase of apparatus, supplies, materials or equipment.

Under this statute, School Nutrition Services requested board approval to piggyback on a contract awarded by Sampson County Schools for the food safety, sanitation system services and related supplies. The bid for these services and commodities was received on June 3, 2005, at the Sampson County Schools purchasing department. As required by the general statues, GCS was listed as a potential party to the contract.

SFSPac Food Service Sanitation System was awarded a contract to provide food safety, sanitation system services and related supplies to the district on May 25, 2006. The amount of this contract was $205 per month per food preparation site, for a total annual contract of $205,000. The contract included a renewal option.

The services and supplies provided to date have been satisfactory. The renewal period for this contract would be July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008, and is estimated to cost the district $221,400. The monthly cost per site remains $205. The increased cost is due to the addition of more school sites.

E. School Nutrition Services - Contract for Milk
The consent agenda included a recommendation that the board approve a contract with Pet Dairy of Winston Salem, NC, for milk for School Nutrition Services during the 2007-08 school year at a total cost of $2,470,057.87. One bid was received on May 15, 2007. Since this bid is for food, three bids are not required. The “three-bid” rule only applies to the first opening of construction bids over $300,000. Pet Dairy submitted the lowest responsible bid. This bid was submitted based on estimated quantities.

F. School Nutrition Services - Contract for Bread
The consent agenda included a recommendation that the board approve a contract with Flowers Baking Company of Jamestown, LLC, Jamestown NC for bread for the School Lunch Program during the 2007-08 school year at a total cost of $400,046.60. Two bids were received on May 15, 2007. Since this bid is for food, three bids are not required. The “three-bid” rule only applies to the first opening of construction bids over $300,000. Flowers Baking Company of Jamestown, LLC submitted the lowest responsible bid. This bid was submitted based on estimated quantities.

G. School Nutrition Services - Contract for Produce
The consent agenda included a recommendation that the board approve a contract with Foster-Caviness, Colfax, NC for produce for School Nutrition Services during the 2007-08 school year at a total cost of $822,223.75. Two bids were received on May 15, 2007. Since this bid is for food, three bids are not required. The “three-bid” rule only applies to the first opening of construction bids over $300,000. Foster-Caviness submitted the lowest responsible bid. This bid was submitted based on estimated quantities.

H. 2007-08 Insurance Coverage
The consent agenda included a recommendation that the board approve the following line of insurance coverage for fiscal year 2007-08:

Renewal quotes have not been received yet on the general liability, auto/garage keeper/garage liability, law enforcement liability, errors and omissions, excess worker’s compensation/employer’s liability, student athletic, voluntary student accident and middle/high school catastrophic lines of coverage at this time.

I. Southern Middle School Agreement
The consent agenda included information regarding a May 30 meeting between representatives from Guilford County Schools and the Guilford County Planning and Development Department. It also includes agreements/commitments aimed at improving working conditions/relationships between our respective staff members, completing thorough/detailed plan reviews and expediting the resolution of any building code compliance issues that arise.

Motion was made by Kris Cooke, seconded by Dot Kearns, to approve the consent agenda as presented. Consent agenda items A, F, H and I passed upon unanimous roll call vote. Consent agenda items C, D, E and G passed upon majority roll call vote of 9-0-1 as follows: Ayes – Jeff Belton, Walter Childs, Kris Cooke, Darlene Garrett, Deena Hayes, Garth Hébert, Dot Kearns, Amos Quick and Nancy Routh; Abstain – Alan Duncan. A vote on consent agenda item B will be taken following Closed Session.

Staff Reports

Eastern High School Update
Dave Burnett, executive director of facilities, presented to the board an update on Eastern High School.

Board member Anita Sharpe arrived at 8:05 p.m.

Consideration for the Naming of Northern Area Elementary School
Dave Burnett, executive director of facilities, presented to the board a recommendation that the board study and support the proposed name Northern Elementary School and, following a period of public comment, consider approval of the nomination or direct the administration to request the project team to provide any further information as may be required by the board in order to more fully consider the request and to make a decision. The project team working on the new Northern area elementary school has received input from the community about an appropriate name for the new school. The community submitted numerous names for consideration. Following a full review of suggested names and the criteria for selection, the project team has reported out a recommendation of Northern Elementary School.

Chairman Duncan called on members of the public to share comments regarding their support of proposed names. One person from the project team spoke in support of the name Northern Elementary School, three people in support of the name Randall Jarrell Elementary School and three people in support of the name D.M. Chrismon Elementary School.

Board discussion regarding the proposed names of Randall Jarrell Elementary School and D.M. Chrismon Elementary School followed.

Motion was made by Darlene Garrett, seconded by Garth Hébert, to study and support the name Northern Elementary School and, following a period of public comment, consider approval of the nomination or direct the administration to request the project team to provide any further information as may be required by the board in order to more fully consider the request and to make a decision.

A substitute motion was made by Dot Kearns, seconded by Amos Quick, to study and support the name Randall Jarrell Elementary School and, following a period of public comment, consider approval of the nomination or direct the administration to request the project team to provide any further information as may be required by the board in order to more fully consider the request and to make a decision.

A second substitute motion was made by Anita Sharpe, seconded by Alan Duncan, to study and support the name D.M. Chrismon Elementary School and, following a period of public comment, consider approval of the nomination or direct the administration to request the project team to provide any further information as may be required by the board in order to more fully consider the request and to make a decision. The motion failed upon majority electronic vote of 9-to-2 as follows: Nays – Jeff Belton, Walter Childs, Kris Cooke, Darlene Garrett, Deena Hayes, Garth Hébert, Dot Kearns, Amos Quick and Nancy Routh; Ayes – Alan Duncan and Anita Sharpe.

A vote was then taken on the first substitute motion supporting the name Randall Jarrell Elementary School.

The motion passed upon majority electronic vote of 6-4-1 as follows: Ayes – Jeff Belton, Walter Childs, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan, Dot Kearns and Amos Quick; Nays –Darlene Garrett, Garth Hébert, Nancy Routh and Anita Sharpe; Abstain – Deena Hayes.

Approval of Proposed 2007 Bond Referendum
Joe Hill, facilities, led the board in a continued discussion regarding the approval of the proposed 2007 bond referendum projects.

Mr. Hill distributed proposed bond project lists which reflected suggestions made at the May 24 board meeting by Chairman Duncan and board member Dot Kearns. After further discussion by the board, the following project list was developed.

Motion was made by Anita Sharpe, seconded by Darlene Garrett, to approve the 2007 Bond Projects as shown above. The motion passed upon majority electronic vote of 8-to-3 as follows: Ayes – Jeff Belton, Walter Childs, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan, Darlene Garrett, Garth Hébert, Nancy Routh and Anita Sharpe. Nays – Deena Hayes, Dot Kearns and Amos Quick.

Board Discussion

Nominations to the GTCC Board of Trustees

Chairman Duncan led the board in a discussion regarding approval of the nomination to the Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) Board of Trustees. The Board of Education was notified by David Miller, Chair of the GTCC Board of Trustees, that Watts Carr, former chairman of the Piedmont Triad Partnership, has been recommended to be appointed to a four-year term on the GTCC Board of Trustees.

Motion was made by Kris Cooke, seconded by Garth Hébert, to approve the nomination of Watts Carr, former chairman of the Piedmont Triad Partnership, to the Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) Board of Trustees for a four-year term. The motion passed upon unanimous electronic vote.

Closed Session
At 10:08 p.m., motion was made by Deena Hayes, seconded by Darlene Garrett, to go into closed session to preserve the attorney client privilege and to discuss personnel matters protected by state law. The motion passed upon unanimous voice vote.

The board returned to open session at 10:36 p.m.

Personnel Action Report
Upon return to open session, motion was made by Nancy Routh, seconded by Walter Childs, to approve the Personnel Action report and addendum as presented. The motion passed upon majority electronic vote of 6-to-5 as follows: Ayes – Jeff Belton, Kris Cooke, Alan Duncan, Garth Hébert, Dot Kearns and Nancy Routh; Nays – Walter Childs, Darlene Garrett, Deena Hayes, Amos Quick and Anita Sharpe.

Board Comments
Board members were each allowed two minutes to make remarks, as they deemed appropriate.

Closed Session
At 10:47 p.m., motion was made by Deena Hayes, seconded by Darlene Garrett, to go into closed session to preserve the attorney client privilege and to discuss student matters protected by state and federal laws. The motion passed upon unanimous voice vote.

The board returned to open session at 12:02 a.m. on Wednesday, June 13.

Adjournment

With no further business, at 12:03 a.m., motion was made by Walter Childs, seconded by Deena Hayes, to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed upon unanimous voice vote.