Votes at a glance: board approves capital projects, tables attendance policy, approves H-1B sponsorship (5–2)

Catawba County Board of Education members voted on a set of procurement, personnel and policy items during their March 24, 2025 regular meeting. Major outcomes included approval of multiple facilities contracts, the board’s decision to table amendments to the attendance policy, and approval of H‑1B sponsorship for two current employees by a 5–2 vote.

Why it matters: The facilities approvals lock funding and contractors for school security, HVAC, fire alarm and renovation work across several schools. The attendance policy discussion will guide how absences and excused notes are handled; board members chose to delay final action. The H‑1B decision affects two staff members and was one of the meeting’s few recorded split votes.

Key votes and motions (recorded in meeting minutes):

- Approval of consent agenda (consent items): motion passed unanimously. - Purchase of security supplies (Southern Lock & Supply) funded by the North Carolina Center for Safer Schools grant, $66,182.58: approved unanimously. - Intercom system replacements (Balls Creek and St. Stephen’s Elementary): low bids to B & L Communications, $56,560.14 each; approved unanimously. - Fire alarm system upgrades (Balls Creek Elementary) to Johnson Controls (Simplex/Grinnell components): approved unanimously. - HVAC equipment purchase (Trane) for Balls Creek Elementary, $82,791.04: approved unanimously. - Renovation of preschool classroom at Bald Creek Elementary: apparent low bidder Moss Marlowe Construction, $384,540; approved unanimously. - Claremont Elementary HVAC installation: apparent low bidder Moss Marlowe, $1,069,000; approved unanimously. - Maiden Middle School HVAC and renovation project (base bid DDI of Hickory, $4,550,000) — board approved the full scope contingent on county commission approval to reallocate funds; motion passed unanimously. The board recorded an alternative plan if funds are not reallocated (work limited to gym, band/chorus and selected spaces; apparent alternate low bidder would be Neil Grady Construction). - Approval to table revisions to Attendance Policy 4.2 for further clarification (including whether to add limits on parent notes for elementary/middle grades): motion to table passed unanimously. - Deletion of Administrative Procedure 4.2 AP (final exam exemptions administrative procedure): action approved (record shows deletion executed as part of the policy motion sequence). - Addition to agenda: consideration of a letter regarding PowerSchool (added for closed-session consideration): added to the agenda (vote recorded as “all but one” in favor when added to the agenda). - Addition to agenda: consideration of H‑1B sponsorship for two staff members (to add to the agenda): added unanimously. - Approval to hire an immigration attorney and to apply for Catawba County Schools to be an H‑1B sponsor for two current employees (Vanessa Ramos and Louisa Capa), including payment of application and attorney fees (with employees allowed to pay expedited processing): motion passed 5–2 (five in favor; two opposed). - Approval of personnel recommendations and addendum to personnel recommendations: approved unanimously. - Motion to go into closed session (client privilege and personnel): approved unanimously. - Motion to adjourn: approved unanimously.

Notes: Where a specific mover/second was not recorded in the transcript excerpt, the meeting chair called for and recorded votes by raised hands; the minutes show unanimous approval for most procurement items. The Maiden Middle project was explicitly approved contingent upon the county commission redistributing previously allocated funds; the board recorded the alternate (scaled-down) scope if the county does not approve the redistribution.