George County School District board approves contracts, publishes budget notice and enters executive session after vendor questions copier award

The George County School District board approved a series of contracts and routine administrative items at a special-called meeting, ratified the district’s year-end claims and entered executive session to consider two discipline matters and one personnel matter.

The board voted unanimously to approve an ‘‘excellence group’’ contract for professional development for the district’s homeless liaison and counselors; staff said there are four liaison positions districtwide. The board also approved a contract with the United Way (Jackson campus) to provide career-coaching services for middle- and high-school students through a program funded by Accelerate Mississippi for the July 1–June 30 program year. Staff described the coach role as meeting with eighth graders and 11th graders, conducting summer outreach and coordinating with local businesses on opportunities.

Board members authorized a request for proposals to select special-education management software to house individualized education plans and manage special-education records, and approved a three-year copier service contract with RJ, the district’s selected vendor. During discussion of the copier contract a representative who identified the company as Toshiba Business Solutions asked why a different vendor was selected and sought information about scoring. The vendor said it had emailed about the RFP process and asked to understand the scoring and selection. The chair and district staff responded that the district uses a rubric that weighs factors beyond price and said they would provide the rubric to vendors; the contract award was approved by voice vote.

The board also approved the 2026–27 open purchase order employee authorization and vendor list, authorized publication of notice for the 2026–27 budget public hearing, and accepted an insurance proposal procured by Gallagher that staff said increases premiums by about $1,300 due to higher property values and an increase in the district’s bus fleet. Staff listed covered lines including law-enforcement liability, educators’ legal liability, crime, automobile, employment liability, property, cyber liability and machinery/equipment.

The board ratified the claim docket to pay outstanding claims and close out the fiscal year. After completing regular business the board voted to enter executive session to consider two discipline matters and one personnel matter; the chair reported that action was taken in executive session but did not provide details on the public record.

Votes at a glance: unanimous voice approvals were recorded for the agenda, the consent agenda (items 3.1–3.20), the land/acreage adjustment item, the excellence-group professional-development contract, the United Way career-coach contract, the RFP authorization for special-education software, the copier service contract award (RJ), the open-purchase-order and vendor list for 2026–27, publication of the budget notice for the public hearing, acceptance of the insurance proposal, and ratification of the claims docket. The board also voted to enter executive session and later reported action was taken; the specific executive-session action was not specified in open session.

The district’s staff promised to provide vendors with the rubric and scoring information for the copier RFP after the meeting. The meeting adjourned following the executive-session report.