Amid protests from board members Doris Alexander and Troy Watson, the Baker School Board on Aug. 21 voted 3-2 to appoint the accounting firm of Postlethwaite & Netterville to perform the audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012.

Paperwork from other accounting firms applying for the position had not been made available to all the board, Alexander said.

Being unable to make an informed decision is unfair and even though the majority rules that does not make it right, she said.

Board Secretary Debbie Davis quickly brought in copies of the proposals from the three firms: P&N, Roslyn J. Allen and Mary Sue Stages.

Watson moved to table the selection until the Sept. 4 meeting, but board president Elaine Davis and members Shona Boxie and Dana Carpenter cast dissenting votes.

Allen’s proposal was for $20,000-$25,000 with up to $500 for expenses including travel.

Mary Sue Stages prepared the audit last year for $21,000 and offered to prepare the 2011-12 audit for the same amount.

The accepted proposal from P&N was $43,500, more than twice the Stages proposal, even though a deficit of $780,000 was tentatively projected for the coming school year at the board’s Aug. 7 meeting.

In other business:

LOUISIANA DEVELOPMENT READY COMMUNITIES: Pat Witty, director, Community Outreach Service, gave an overview of the program that includes

Baker as one of 27 selected Louisiana communities to become “development ready, competitive and open for business.”

Among committee members present and recognized were Alexander, LaTania Anderson, Jean Byers, Gary Mitchell and Steve Stein.

An open-forum town-hall meeting on education is scheduled for 6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 13, in the municipal auditorium. The public is invited.

HVAC MAINTENANCE: Johnson Controls Inc. was losing money on maintenance and repair to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning for the schools and asked to be relieved of its contract.

Boxie, Carpenter and Davis voted to approve Star Service Inc., Baton Rouge, to provide the work for all schools. Alexander opposed and Watson abstained.

REDUCTION IN FORCE: In a work session immediately after the regular board meeting, board attorney Winston DeCuir reviewed the laying off of employees in accordance with Act 1 of the 2012 Legislature when budget problems occur.