Board hears and advances wide slate of contracts, grants and MOUs covering graduations, IT, food service and early‑childhood programs

The Shelby County Board of Education reviewed a large set of staff action items covering event venues, enterprise IT support, food‑service equipment, maintenance contracts and multiple early‑childhood program agreements.

Highlights included a requested contract of $236,717.50 with Memphis Management Group to rent graduation space at the Cannon Center and Renaissance Convention Center; a proposed $494,682.21, three‑year Microsoft Unified Support contract (annual cost $164,894.07); and capital equipment approvals including about $415,976 for eight walk‑in freezer/coolers and $168,798.32 to replace four nutrition‑services truck engines. The board packet also listed a series of First 8 Memphis agreements for preschool direct services, wraparound supports and coaching totaling several million dollars across contracts (ratifications in the $1.3M, $5.0M and $259K ranges) and a $2,041,000 Porta‑Leaf Head Start contract to operate 13 classrooms.

Procurement and legal staff said the district had engaged the convention center on pricing and planned to explore master agreements to lock multiyear pricing. Multiple trustees, including Board Member McKissick, objected to rising facility rental costs and suggested alternatives such as on‑campus or district‑owned venues. General Counsel cautioned that hosting school‑sponsored graduations in places of worship raises establishment‑clause concerns and said requests are evaluated case‑by‑case; the district prefers non‑religious locations when feasible.

The district also presented a five‑year nonexclusive purchasing rebate agreement with BSN Sports (no dollar amount shown in the packet). Staff said the rebate structure would return a percentage of annual athletic apparel and equipment spend to the district and estimated historical rebate credits of about $50,000 based on past spending. Board members used that item to ask more broadly about athletics equity and the status of cheer and majorette funding; athletics staff said the district supports schools but that centralized athletics operates with a lean staff covering more than 100 schools.

Why it matters: The contracts cover essential operations — graduation venues, food service, IT and early‑childhood programs — and include multi‑year commitments that affect future budgets. Trustees signaled a desire to cap increases and pursue master agreements to stabilize costs.

Ending: Staff said they attempted earlier negotiations on pricing and will pursue master agreements where possible; several trustees asked staff to return with options to lower venue costs and additional data on employee utilization for contracted services such as an employee‑assistance program.

Votes at a glance (items presented for approval in staff packet):
- 7.01 Memphis Management Group, graduation venue rental — $236,717.50 — recommended for approval.
- 7.02 Museum of Science & History / Pink Palace / Lichterman MOU — $189,000 — recommended for approval.
- 7.03 Community Foundation grant (Barrett’s Chapel) — $25,050.54 — recommended for acceptance.
- 7.04 Community Foundation grant (Bolton High) — $21,268.72 — recommended for acceptance.
- 7.05 Microsoft Unified Support (3 years) — $494,682.21 — recommended for approval.
- 7.06 Walk‑in freezers/coolers equipment — $415,976 — recommended for approval.
- 7.07 Methodist Employee Assistance Program (EAP) — $207,000 — recommended for approval (board requested utilization data).
- 7.08 Clark Power Services, generator preventive maintenance — $228,613 — recommended for approval.
- 7.09 United Elevator Services, annual renewal — $217,313 — recommended for approval.
- 7.10 Johnson Controls, fire alarm inspection/monitoring — $443,843 — recommended for approval.
- 7.11 TISA accountability report — recommended for approval and public comment (see separate item).
- 7.12–7.16 Multiple First 8 Memphis and Porta‑Leaf contracts (preschool/wraparound/coaching) — combined multi‑million dollars — recommended for ratification.
- 7.17 State systems sprinkler inspection renewal — $261,450 — recommended for approval.
- 7.18 Todd Air Conditioning & Refrigeration contract — $150,000 — recommended for approval.
- 7.19 Nutrition services truck engine replacement — $168,798.32 — recommended for approval.
- 7.20–7.21 Demolition of three former Head Start facilities — $160,593.12 — recommended for approval.
- 7.22 BSN purchasing rebate agreement — nonexclusive, tiered rebate percentages — recommended for approval.

(For several items the transcript records staff recommendation and board discussion; a formal roll‑call vote is not recorded verbatim in the transcript excerpt.)