Bay District School Board approves band uniform purchase, new job descriptions and grant-related contracts

The Bay County School Board on Jan. 28 approved a set of purchasing, personnel and grant-related actions, including an $81,000 contract for Rutherford High band uniforms, the advertisement of two new job descriptions and acceptance of federal grant-funded purchases and a consulting fee tied to a successful workforce grant.

The board authorized a purchase order to DeMullen (DeMullen) Uniforms for Rutherford High School band uniforms in the amount of $81,000 and set a not-to-exceed cap of $100,000 to allow for additional uniforms. The purchasing presentation noted three bids were received and the district’s evaluation committee rated DeMullen highest on material, warranty and service. "This is my first one," said Misty Ross, assistant purchasing agent, introducing the item. Band director John Monroe, who served on the evaluation committee, said the higher per-unit cost reflected greater durability: "I think $5,000 premium is a very small, premium to pay for better quality uniform." The board voted to approve the purchase order.

The board approved two new job descriptions for advertising and a 30-day recruitment period. The first is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Academic Coach position, a role already being performed by Dr. Stacy Shanklin under a grant but now being posted as a CTE-specific job to meet grant requirements. The superintendent said the current incumbent has a doctorate and that the formal job description is required by the federal Perkins grant under which the position is funded. The second is a Human Resources Compliance Administrator, described as a new position to centralize investigations and district compliance related to employee conduct; the superintendent and HR staff said the role will coordinate with law enforcement and is expected to fall around pay grade 34 (roughly upper-$60,000s, as stated during the meeting). Both job descriptions will be publicly advertised for 30 days and return to the board for final action.

Separately, the board approved the purchase of 91 Dell laptop computers for a CTE campus (Haney Technical College) at a purchase price of roughly $83,000; district staff said the laptops are funded entirely with federal grant dollars. The motion passed with one "no" vote from a board member.

The district also approved payment to Sand Panther Educational Consulting LLC to cover administrative costs tied to a $1.5 million workforce grant the district won. Staff said Sand Panther prepared and submitted the grant application on short notice; an invoice for approximately $76,000 was presented and staff said the fee will be paid from the grant’s administrative allocation. The superintendent and staff said the district would not have incurred costs had the grant not been awarded.

Consent items, the revised agenda and minutes from the Jan. 14 meeting were approved earlier in the meeting. The board recessed into an executive session to discuss safety and security and planned to return to adjourn formally.

Votes at a glance

- Rutherford High band uniforms (purchase order to DeMullen Uniforms): Motion to authorize purchase order for $81,000 with a not-to-exceed $100,000; funding: Project 2031. Vote: Leonard—yes; Chester—yes; Moore—yes; Register—yes; Moss—yes. Outcome: approved.

- Career and Technical Education Academic Coach (new job description; advertise 30 days): Motion to advertise new job description. Vote: Moore—yes; Leonard—yes; Chester—yes; Register—yes; Moss—yes. Outcome: approved (will return after 30-day advertisement).

- Human Resources Compliance Administrator (new job description; advertise 30 days): Motion to advertise new job description. Vote: Leonard—yes; Chester—yes; Moore—yes; Register—yes; Moss—yes. Outcome: approved (will return after 30-day advertisement).

- 91 Dell laptops (federal grant funding; Haney Technical College): Motion to approve purchase (approx. $83,000). Vote: Leonard—yes; Register—yes; Chester—no; Moore—yes; Moss—yes. Outcome: approved.

- Sand Panther Educational Consulting LLC (payment for grant writing/administration tied to $1.5M workforce grant): Motion to approve payment/disbursement of administrative funds from awarded grant (invoice ~ $76,000). Vote: Register—yes; Moore—yes; Chester—yes; Leonard—yes; Moss—yes. Outcome: approved.

Discussion and context

District purchasing staff said three uniform vendors submitted bids and the evaluation committee assigned points across style, material and cost; DeMullen scored highest (committee scores cited in the meeting were DeMullen 374, Stansbury 351, Froehoff 317). Staff explained the district routinely rotates band uniform purchases among schools and that Rutherford was next in the rotation. Ross noted the procurement process and evaluation; Monroe and other committee members described durability and long-term value as reasons to select the higher-scoring vendor.

On personnel items, staff emphasized compliance and grant requirements: the CTE Academic Coach position was already being performed under a resource-teacher classification while grant-funded and is being rewritten as a CTE-specific job description to meet Perkins grant documentation requirements; Dr. Stacy Shanklin was described by staff as the current incumbent performing those duties. The HR Compliance Administrator was described as a new, centralized role to manage employee-related investigations (distinct from Title IX) and coordinate documentation with law enforcement as needed.

On the grant and consulting fee, staff said Sand Panther wrote and submitted the workforce grant (described in the meeting as a $1.5 million grant) with a typical percentage-based administrative fee; staff stated the district would only pay the invoice because the grant was awarded. The board discussed the timing of presenting the invoice and clarified the payment will be covered by the awarded grant funds.

What the meeting did not decide

All job descriptions will return to the board after the 30-day advertisement period; no hires or employment actions were finalized at this meeting. The CTE Academic Coach and HR Compliance Administrator items were approvals to advertise, not final appointments. No contract amendments or additional funding beyond the stated sources (Project 2031 for uniforms; federal grants for laptops and grant administrative costs) were approved at the meeting beyond the items listed above.

The board recessed for an executive session on safety and security reporting and planned to adjourn after returning.