Lawrence High School’s big-dollar contract with Coca-Cola didn’t pass the Lawrence school board’s taste test.

On Monday, the board voted 6-1 to seek reformulation of the LHS deal, to adopt one-year contracts with Coke and Pepsi for the five other secondary schools and direct Supt. Randy Weseman to study the possibility of a districtwide contract with a soda vendor.

“We do believe we can get a really good deal,” Weseman said.

Board member Jack Davidson echoed colleagues who viewed the LHS agreement with Coke as inappropriate and unworkable. It would have dispensed $21,000 in cash along with sales commissions, movie passes, merchandise discounts and other freebies. It also referenced sales of soft drinks in the “district” and at “stadiums.” The deal could be interpreted as threatening long-standing fund-raising events at LHS.

“There are many, many different parts I wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot barge pole,” Davidson said.

The board’s intent is to secure agreements with Pepsi and Coke that expire in June 2003. That would allow a comprehensive review :quot; possibly by March :quot; of revenue and expenditures from soft drink sales in the four junior high schools and two high schools.

Scott Morgan, board president, said the district didn’t have an accurate record of how much money has come into individual schools nor how it has been spent over the years.

Currently, Pepsi serves West, Central and South junior highs. Coke supplies LHS, Free State High School and Southwest Junior High School. Elementary students can’t buy soft drinks in school.

While Patterson’s deal would have generated at least $21,000 for LHS, Free State’s contract pays it $10,000 this year. The junior high agreements provide each school about $1,500 annually.

The money has been spent on student academic materials and extracurricular activities, Weseman said.

He brought the soda contract issue to the board after Patterson proposed a six-year contract that would have secured at least $105,000 for LHS. That deal was never signed, leaving LHS with a month-to-month arrangement with Coke.

¢ District wants to keep tabs on soda contracts (12-02-02)

“It became apparent we needed to reel this all in,” said Weseman, adding the board should move cautiously before pouring cash down the drain.

Mary Loveland, a board member and wife of a physician, said part of the debate should be about health consequences of drinking sodas.

“I’m not a huge fan of 10 Coca-Colas a day in a human being,” she said.