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Batesville School Board unanimously approves construction change order, $5,000 easement, Chromebook purchase and strategic planning partner
Summary
At its Dec. 15 meeting the Batesville School District Board of Directors voted 7-0 to approve a construction change order for the BHSC/BJHSC addition, grant a $5,000 easement, approve disposal of fixed assets and policy updates, purchase student Chromebooks from Vivacity Tech PBC, and hire edVANTAGE for strategic planning.
The Batesville School District Board of Directors met Dec. 15 and unanimously approved a package of operational items and contracts, including a change order for the BHSC/BJHSC addition, a $5,000 property easement, the purchase of student Chromebooks, updates to multiple personnel and district policies, and selection of edVANTAGE to conduct strategic planning and a comprehensive needs assessment.
The actions were taken by roll-call votes that were recorded as 7–0 for each motion. Board President Scott Fredricks presided; Dr. Ginni McDonald, the superintendent, presented several items. Heather Fulbright and other board members moved or seconded multiple motions throughout the meeting.
Votes at a glance
- Approval of Regular Agenda: moved by Chris Milum, seconded by Dwight Ford; vote 7–0. - Consent Agenda (minutes and personnel report): moved by Heather Fulbright, seconded by Karen Beller; vote 7–0. - Construction project change order (BHSC/BJHSC addition): moved by Dr. Ginni McDonald, motion made by Chris Milum, seconded by Josh Swinea; vote 7–0. - Easement grant (fair market value $5,000.00): moved by Dr. Ginni McDonald, motion made by Dwight Ford, seconded by Andy Walmsley; vote 7–0. - Disposal of fixed assets: moved by Heather Fulbright, seconded by Chris Milum; vote 7–0. - Policies 8.46 and 3.56: moved by Heather Fulbright, seconded by Chris Milum; vote 7–0. - Personnel Policy 4.5 updates: moved by Heather Fulbright, seconded by Chris Milum; vote 7–0. - Resolution to extend Director Chris Milum’s disclosure approval through June 30, 2026 (to align with Arkansas Department of Elementary and Secondary Education): moved by Karen Beller, seconded by Heather Fulbright; vote 7–0. The record notes Director Milum briefly left the room at 5:54 PM and returned at 5:55 PM. - Approval of the 2026–2027 Batesville High School course catalog: moved by Mrs. Rachel Horn, motion made by Andy Walmsley, seconded by Chris Milum; vote 7–0. - Purchase of student Chromebooks from Vivacity Tech PBC: moved by Mrs. Rachel Horn, motion made by Dwight Ford, seconded by Josh Swinea; vote 7–0. - Acceptance of edVANTAGE as the strategic planning and comprehensive needs assessment partner: moved by Dr. Ginni McDonald, motion made by Chris Milum, seconded by Dwight Ford; vote 7–0.
What the board approved and why it matters
The change order for the BHSC/BJHSC addition keeps the construction project moving under previously delegated authority; the board did not elaborate on the dollar amount in the public record. The easement was approved at a stated fair market value of $5,000, a numeric detail the board recorded in the motion. Approving disposal of fixed assets and updates to district policies and Personnel Policy 4.5 are routine governance actions that affect internal operations and compliance.
The district authorized the purchase of student Chromebooks from Vivacity Tech PBC; the transcript records the vendor name and the motion but does not specify the contract amount or funding source. The board also accepted a recommendation to hire edVANTAGE to lead strategic planning and a comprehensive needs assessment; the motion and second were recorded but the transcript does not list the contract terms or cost.
Governance note
The board unanimously approved a resolution extending Director Chris Milum’s disclosure approval through June 30, 2026 “to align with approval from the Arkansas Department of Elementary and Secondary Education,” per the motion language. The minutes also note Director Milum briefly left the room during the meeting; no additional action or recusal related to that absence is recorded in the transcript.
Next steps and context
The motions recorded at the Dec. 15 meeting were carried by unanimous vote. The transcript does not list contract values for the Chromebook purchase or the edVANTAGE engagement; those details and implementation schedules are not specified in the public record provided here. The meeting adjourned at 6:50 PM.
