Board approves multiple capital bid awards, legal engagement and interim personnel appointment

At the Jan. 28 meeting the board approved several consent agenda items including capital‑project bid awards, a legal engagement letter and an interim personnel appointment.

Capital awards approved or recommended to the board included: Palmer Masonry Restoration for masonry work at Ruston High School (packet lines and motion show varying amounts including $19,163, $19,001.63 and an $18,000 award line), George Eli Associates for Greystone Elementary playground replacement (packet noted $11,559 and later $11,005.59), and district‑wide exterior LED lighting supply and installation with Denny Electric Supply and Triand Group (supply and installation line items in the packet list amounts that vary between $54,335.39 / $54,003.30 / $54,003.35 and $16,275 / $16,002.75 in different transcript lines). Facilities staff explained the LED work continues a multi‑year efficiency program.

The board also approved an engagement letter with law firm Whistler Pearlstein LLP to continue work with attorney Allison Peterson on charter‑school litigation and related matters; the engagement covered specified hourly rates (Allison Peterson $230/hour; partners/associates $210–$230/hour; paralegals/education specialists $130/hour) for the period Jan. 1, 2026–June 30, 2027. The motion was presented as a continuity action to keep representation consistent after the attorney changed firms.

Personnel actions approved included the interim appointment of Cliff Beiber as interim assistant principal at Stetson Middle School effective Jan. 27, 2026, at a daily rate of $625, and routine personnel approvals and retiree recognitions noted in the personnel report.

Multiple transcript lines contain inconsistent numeric spellings and vendor‑name spellings for the above awards; the board‑approved motions and the official packet should be used for final contract and award numbers.