MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
BENTON HARBOR AREA SCHOOLS
APRIL 17, 2001

The April regular meeting of the Board of Education was called to order by President Carolyn Graves at 7:10 p.m. at the Benton Harbor High School, Student Commons Area.

Present: Ms. Carolyn Graves, Mrs. Annie Robinson, Mr. Dwight P. Mitchell, Mrs. J. Allene Smith and Mr. Ken Woltman

Absent: Dr. Gladys Peeples-Burks and Ms. Michelle Jones

Minutes
A motion was made by Mrs. Robinson and supported by Mr. Woltman that the Minutes of the work session of March 6, 2001 be approved as printed.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Robinson that the Minutes of the special meeting of March 6, 2001 be approved as printed.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

A motion was made by Mr. Mitchell and supported by Mr. Woltman that the Minutes of the public hearing of March 13, 2001 be approved as printed.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

A motion was made by Mrs. Robinson and supported by Mr. Mitchell that the Minutes of the regular meeting of March 13, 2001 be approved as printed.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

A motion was made by Mrs. Robinson and supported by Mr. Mitchell that the Minutes of the public forum of March 15, 2001 be approved as printed.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mr. Mitchell that the Minutes of the special meeting of March 19, 2001 be approved as printed.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Robinson that the Minutes of the special meeting of March 29, 2001 be approved as printed.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Vendor Payments
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Smith that vendor payments in the amount of $1,791,952.25 be approved for payment.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Activity of the General Fund was reviewed and accepted as presented.

Recognitions
The staff and students of Henry C. Morton Elementary School gave a special presentation that included an Odyssey of the Mind skit, student displays of habitat artwork, a special beginning band performance and a testing of the Board of Education's math knowledge using a graphic calculator. Principal Virginia Maxwell discussed Morton's Accelerated Reader Program, Kids in Business, Reading Buddies and the Continuous Progress program.

Mrs. Consada Beck and Mrs. Nancy Epps, representatives of Parents as Partners, a BHHS parent group, discussed a Senior Lock-In planned for the BHHS Class of 2001, to be held on June 1 following the graduation ceremony. Seniors are encouraged to attend this fun filled event to be held in the Student Commons that will include food, music, dancing, games and will be adult chaperoned. The Parents as Partners group meet the 2nd Monday of each month at the high school.

Mrs. Judith Stanton, Executive Director, Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor, presented an overview of the program that is designed to aid BHAS in partnership to move the community forward. The mission of the Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor is to inspire and enable all children especially those from disadvantaged circumstances to realize their full potential as responsible, productive and caring citizens. The five core programs are character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, arts and sports, fitness and recreation.

Central Administration
Staff Report #1
A motion was made by Mrs. Smith and supported by Mr. Woltman:

THAT the Board of Education, Benton Harbor Area Schools, meet in closed session on the following dates:

Tuesday, April 17, 2001 before and/or following
the regular meeting of the Board of Education on

that date, and
Tuesday, May 1, 2001 before and/or following
the work session of the Board of Education on that date,

at the Benton Harbor High School, Student Commons Area, 870 Colfax Avenue, Benton Harbor, Michigan, in said District for the purpose of discussing with legal counsel litigations, negotiations and possible expulsions.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Business/Finance
Staff Report #2
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mr. Mitchell:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education adopt the resolution authorizing issuance of the Installment Purchase Agreement for the purchase of two (2) 78 passenger Genesis buses, as prepared by Thrun, Maatsch and Nordberg.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #3
A motion was made by Mr. Mitchell and supported by Mr. Woltman:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education adopt the resolution authorizing the issuance of the Installment Purchase Agreement for the purchase of ten (10) modular classrooms from Dew-EL Portables, as prepared by Thrun, Maatsch and Nordberg.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Operations/Facilities
Staff Report #4
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mr. Mitchell:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education award the roof replacement bid for King Junior High School and the Charles Gray Teen Center to C&I Roofing in the amount of $232,180.00.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #5
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mr. Mitchell:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education award the window replacement bid for King Junior High and Hull Schools to Huggett-Betten in the amount of $539,474.00

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #6
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mr. Mitchell:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education approve the installation of unit ventilators at Hull and King Schools and at the Teen Center at a cost of $169,447.00.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #7
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Robinson:

THAT the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education renew the contract for formal lawn services with R&H Lawncare for the 2001 mowing season.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #8
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mr. Mitchell:

THAT the Board of Education renew the contract for field mowing services with R&H Lawncare for the 2001 mowing season.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #9
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mr. Mitchell:

THAT the Board of Education approve the leasing of Bard School to the Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor for a five year period and further direct the Board's legal counsel to generate the lease agreement and submit it for review.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Instruction
Staff Report #10
A motion was made by Mrs. Smith and supported by Mr. Woltman:

THAT the Board of Education approve the re-opening of Martindale Elementary School for the 2001-2002 school year.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #11
A motion was made by Mrs. Robinson and supported by Mr. Woltman:

THAT the Board of Education officially approve the McCord Renaissance trip to Colorado scheduled for May 6-11, 2001.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #12
A motion was made by Mrs. Robinson and supported by Mrs. Smith:

THAT the Board of Education officially accept and acknowledge the generosity of a grant in the amount of $2,000 from the Fredrick S. Upton Foundation to the McCord Renaissance Center.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #13
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Robinson:

THAT the Board of Education officially accept and acknowledge the generosity of a donation of a boat, motor and assorted marine equipment, valued at approximately $6,500 to the Inner City Sail Club by Mr. & Mrs. William K. Rush of Fishers, Indiana.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Human Resources/Labor Relations
Staff Reports #14-15
A motion was made by Mr. Mitchell and supported by Mr. Woltman:

THAT the Board of Education officially accept letters of retirement from Mr. Dan Lauer and Mr. Stan Miller and that a letter be sent to them thanking them for their years of service.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Reports #16-22
A motion was made by Mrs. Smith and supported by Mr. Woltman:

THAT Board of Education approve the employment of the following professional teaching staff:

Ms. Elizabeth Beidler

Ms. Catherine Pfeifle

Ms. Maria Boettcher

Ms. Ann Smith

Mr. Frank Gonzalez

Ms. Judith Young

Mr. Micah Machage

  

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Staff Report #23
A motion was made by Mr. Woltman and supported by Mrs. Smith:

THAT the Board of Education ratify the agreement reached between the Benton Harbor Service Employees Association and the Board of Education effective October 1, 2000 through September 30, 2001.

The motion failed by the following vote:
AYES: Mrs. Smith  NAYS: Ms. Graves  ABSTENTION: Mrs. Robinson
Mr. Mitchell Mr. Woltman

Staff Report #24
A motion was made by Mr. Mitchell and supported by Mr. Woltman:

THAT the Board of Education award non-bargaining employees a three-percent (3%) wage increase which is consistent with other employment groups.

The motion passed by unanimous vote.

Superintendent's Update
A Public Forum has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. April 19, 2001 at the Creative Arts Academy to discuss the proposed closing of Lafayette and Fair Plain Northwest Schools and the consolidation of the Creative Arts Academy and the Gifted & Talented Magnet Programs into Fair Plain East Elementary School.

Public Participation II
Mr. Anthony Henry addressed the Board of Education with budget concerns and the proposed magnet program consolidation and if the District had a 13-year plan.

Board Comments
Trustee Smith discussed an open-heart surgery that aired live for more than 25 BHHS through the aid of the Distance Learning Lab. BHHS students in the Allied Health Technology Center watched the quadruple heart bypass through an interactive video link with an operating room in Columbus, Ohio. They were able to talk with the doctors, technicians and nurses during the three-hour operation.

There being no further business, the April regular meeting of the Board of Education was adjourned at 9:10 p.m.