DeSoto County school board approves consent agenda awarding construction, food and technology contracts and moves to executive session

At its July 16 recess meeting, the DeSoto County Board of Education approved a multi-item consent agenda that included awards for construction, technology and food-service contracts, a donated playground, personnel approvals and a motion to enter executive session on residency and property-contract matters.

Mister Williams recommended accepting the lowest and best bid for the CareerTech West project from YBOS and Sons Construction after the reverse auction opened June 23; the board moved, seconded and approved the award. Williams also recommended awarding desktop-computer and monitor bids to I Protect USA and a district produce contract to Mississippi Fruit and Vegetable Company; those items were approved as part of the consent agenda.

On classroom technology, the board approved a contract with Academic Technology Incorporated for interactive panels. For high-school safety equipment, Williams recommended and the board approved purchasing mobile metal-detector units from A3 Communications; Superintendent Olson clarified the Mississippi High School Activities Association had recommended such units for athletic events and principals will decide discretionary use, saying they are mobile units rather than permanently installed at school entrances.

The board addressed a procurement change for netbook chargers after Aztec Computers notified the district it could not supply the specified Lenovo model; the board approved rejecting that award and accepting the second-lowest bid from Park Point Incorporated for the district’s netbook chargers.

A parent-teacher organization proposed donating a new playground (materials and labor fully funded by the PTO); Superintendent Olson recommended accepting the donation and the board approved it. The board also considered a policy revision to DBH to add additional insurance requirements and approved personnel packages and memos that included extra hours and pay for specified staff and training assignments.

Finally, the board voted to consider a closed executive session to determine whether to enter an executive session to discuss residency appeal matters and property contract matters; the motion passed.

Several items were approved by voice vote with the board indicating "Aye." The meeting moved toward a closed session to address matters the board said required private consideration.