The Ouachita Parish School Board returned from an executive session to resolve disputes tied to Stirlington Middle School construction delays and accepted a settlement offer instead of pursuing the full liquidated damages the architect calculated.

During public comment before the executive session, Ross Gregory, the district architect associated with the Stirlington project, reviewed the contract timeline and the liquidated damages clause. Gregory said the contract included a liquidated‑damages rate of $2,000 per day, that the contractor had been assessed $576,000 for delayed performance, and that the board had placed the contractor on formal notice and in default on May 14, 2024.

After the executive session, a board member moved that the district hold Baron Construction accountable and, if necessary, pursue litigation to recover the $576,000 in damages per the architect’s calculation. An alternate motion asked the board to accept a written settlement offer from John Baird Construction Company for $395,000, with district payments structured as described in the proposal.

The board voted on the alternate motion to accept the settlement. Roll-call responses recorded during the vote show a 5–2 result in favor of the settlement (board members voting yes and no were announced by name during the roll call). The chair announced, “Motion carried 5 2.”

Public commenters had urged strict enforcement of contract terms and the preservation of liquidated damages earlier in the meeting; the board’s decision reflects a choice to settle the dispute rather than pursue extended litigation.