August 8, 2017 at 5:30 PM - Bradley County Board of Education Work Session

Discussion:  Arlette Robinson, CTE Director, explained to the Board that the District would like to extend some introductory CTE classes to the Middle Schools.  She would like to start with some Health Science classes.  A teacher with a middle grades endorsement can teach these classes.   An Introduction to Health Science for 7th and 8th graders will be offered at OMS second semester and LFMS next year with the new building.  Current staff will be utilized and a small amount of money for materials has been put aside. 

Discussion: 

Dr. Cash introduced David Hudson.  He is the Architect that did the conceptional drawings of the PIE Innovation Center to show what the building could be.  Mr. Hudson began by telling the Board that the next step is to actually prepare the building for tenants.  If you think of this as a shopping center, the developer is the Board and you have to get the building to a point that you can lease it out.  The building will need to be at shell condition.  Shell condition means looking at the HVAC, studing utilities, roof, site work, landscape, and windows.  All the things to make the building ready for tenants.  Documents and design work would need to be prepared at this point to get a good price from a contractor.  There is enough needed information now to apply for the grant money. Then, all work should stop and wait until the money is raised.  When the money is coming in and you say to start back, the work will be completed all the way through construction drawings which will be gotten to contractors for bidding. 

Dr. Cash told the Board that Mr. Hudson will help to get the Board to the point that the Board will know how much it will cost so you know what the lease cost should be.   

Mr. Frazier asked if there are cost estimates?  Mr. Hudson said that this phase is how we will get those numbers but if he had to give a number, it would be between 10 and 15 million.  The building is 270,000 square foot.   

Mr. Page added that when you are looking at these numbers just know that there are partnerships in the works.  It is not a budgeted item. 

Dr. Cash asked to place this item on the Board agenda and look at going into contract with Mr. Hudson for his services. 

 

 

 

 

Discussion:  At TSBA Summer Law the Board heard about how important it is to have protocols for reporting in place.  Dr. Cash explained to the Board that the Central Office worked on this for Bradley County after the Hamilton County incident.  They worked with the Sheriff's office and the District Attorney.  The protocols were sent out to all employees.  We wanted to be sure that all of our people were covered.  They have information to carry with them at all times to be sure they have the correct protocol for reporting.  She also told the Board that the District Attorney is going out to all our schools to talk with them about reporting. 

Discussion: 

Dr. Cash told the Board that with the PIE Innovation Center we are going into unchartered territory so we have called on Scott Bennett, Board Attorney, to help.  Mr. Bennett told the Board that state law provides that a school board has the authority and can lease out property that they are not using subject to such terms and conditions that the Board deems appropriate.  In the PIE Center you will lease to business partners that will provide opportunities to the students  but it will not be classrooms.  There should be a master least that governs everyone and addendums that are specific to the business partners.  Mr. Bennett told the Board that they will need to give authority of leasing out portions of the PIE Center so discussions can begin with the business partners.  There is not a master yet, Mr. Bennett told the Board.  Before a master lease is launched, we need the Board's blessing.

Dr. Cash asked the Board to move for a vote on Thursday to grant the Director of Schools the authority to begin working into lease properties and she will bring a master lease back to the Board before entering into an agreement. 

Discussion:  We are going into territory that we are not familiar with so Dr. Cash told the Board that she asked Scott Bennett, School Board Attorney, to come in to talk to the Board about the PIE Innovation Center and leases.  Mr. Bennett told the Board that this is so innovative that this is not in the TSBA sample policy manual on sub leases and partnering with businesses.  Being a school system, you don't normally have revenue coming into the system like this.  He has been working with the Business Department and they have been looking for guidance from the State Department on how to book this revenue.  I am confident that there is a way to do this but we need guidance from the State Department of Education. 

Discussion:  Dr. Cash told the Board that Mr. Bennett will help them create a policy related to PIE Innovation Center and leases.

Discussion: 

Sarah Crispin, HR Director, talked with the Board about the Insurance Opt-Out plan.  She explained that she received information from the State of Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration stating that if the Board offered an opt-out monetary incentive option to employees if they made the choice to not elect insurance either when first employed or during an open enrollment period where they would have the ability to waive insurance for the next year, it will violate the MOU. 

Scott Bennett, Board Attorney, told the Board that you can pay someone to stay off your insurance but you can't pay someone to get off your insurance.  

After seeking clarification from the State and our legal counsel, it is obvious that offering an opt-out monetary incentive for our District employees going forward would not be financially beneficial, Mrs. Crispin told the Board. 

Discussion: