Board takes actions after executive session, amends superintendent contract

The St. James Parish School Board met in executive session on April 15 to discuss three items under Louisiana statutes: a prospective litigation claim (HSSL claim number STJX2482690010), litigation titled Bernham/Burnham v. First Student Inc. in the 23rd Judicial District Court, and the job achievements and performance of Superintendent Chris M. Kimble.

After returning to open session the board voted on motions "to take action as recommended by counsel" related to the executive-session matters and approved amendments to the superintendent’s contract. The motions were moved and seconded and carried by voice vote; the transcript records the board taking action but does not include details of the executive-session deliberations or the specific content of the contract amendments, consistent with executive-session confidentiality rules.

Board president Marty Poche announced the items going into executive session; upon return he read motions to implement counsel's recommendations and to accept contract amendments. The record shows voice votes that carried with no recorded roll-call tallies in the transcript.

Why it matters: The board’s executive-session actions involve pending litigation and personnel matters affecting the superintendent’s employment terms; the meeting record indicates the board approved contract amendments and directed counsel-recommended actions while withholding confidential deliberations as allowed by law.

Next steps: The board’s recorded action will be reflected in formal minutes and any publicly releasable documents when permissible; the board indicated it would read any resolutions necessary to reflect actions taken.