New Haven Independent

Posted by: Gary Doyens | April 29, 2008 9:40 AM

Does this mean lunches will be prepared on site at the schools or at the new centralized kitchen that was built several years ago? Staff cost would be less than the million dollar subsidy?

Posted by: East Rockette | April 29, 2008 11:03 AM

If the food is going to be prepared in the schools - which would be great! - there will be major setting-up costs.

As I understand it, the new and refurbished schools do not have their own functioning kitchen appliances, just warmers and fridges that belong to Aramark and will be carted away if the contract is nixed. Good thinking ahead, there, BoE!

Posted by: DEZ | April 29, 2008 11:36 AM

What exactly was the "Central Kitchen" off of exit 8, I91, built to do? Was it to heat up Aramark ready-made food at a central location and then ship it out to the individual schools or was it to actually cook and prepare meals (from 'scratch') and then ship them out? Are there working kitchens in all of the new schools? It all seems overly redundant not to mention costly.

Posted by: mary | April 29, 2008 12:43 PM

GIVE it to the people who know the job inhouse people give them some management training and let the people who know how to do it do their job.

Posted by: Fonseca | April 29, 2008 1:14 PM

What is w/ the bear?

Posted by: Jonathryn | April 29, 2008 2:09 PM

This may be a very good thing for the children of New Haven. In the meals provided by Aramark, I don't believe I've ever seen fresh fruit or vegetables. They serve a lot of processed, refined, premade food akin to institutional, fast food. If Aramark can provide food to the children of New Haven at a profit from as far away as Philly, the BOE should be able to provide a healthier nutrition program for as much much money and possibly even less. Other school districts have had switched and seen no problems with the bottom line, and have noted improved behavior from the children, perhaps as a result of cutting fatty, chemical-laden, and sugary foods from their kids' diets.

Posted by: Disgusted with All | April 29, 2008 2:22 PM

Most of you don't know what you're looking at as far as ousting Aramark. Did you see in the article that 5,000,000 meals are served. How much do you think that costs???? Only a small percentage of that is given back by the State/Federal. The city absorbs the costs because they choose to give out "free meals" to all. So now everyone in New Haven wants "free meals" but they want to choose who and how it's done. Do you think that the people that started all of this live in New Haven????? NO!!!!!!!! they don't care what the taxes are in NH, they don't pay them, they don't care what happens in the city elections, they don't vote. So you all listen to the unions and the B---S--- they are throwing at you and ask yourself who will be able to do this without it costing the city more money. All the equipment needs to be bought, it all belongs to Aramark, all the money spent on the beautiful new schools, are not set up to handle cooking and serving. So it will come back to Central Kitchen where all the work has to be done there, sent out and reheated. Nothing changed, nothing gained. Now just wait and see on the Facilities side what will happen if Aramark is out. That's a whole different ballgame, and worse!!

Posted by: Andrew | April 29, 2008 2:40 PM

It's because Aramark wasted a bunch of money outfitting facilities with bear-proof dumpsters. Not the wisest use of city funds.
http://www.nhregister.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/BigDaily?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.content=%2FMAIN_REP%2FArticle%2F2008%2F02%2F11%2F1565093

Posted by: Westvilleguy | April 29, 2008 3:53 PM

All new schools have fully operational stacked with appliances kitchens bought with school construction money (in true use-it or lose-it state budget philosophy). SO it really isnt redundant and costly to the city per say as it is to the state as a whole.

Food from scratch? Last I checked this city gets a ton of Title 1 funding because it is low income. How do you propose we pay for that? I am for it I jsut dont understand the logistics when you account for the fact that the city is alrady running a budget defecit, the workers are retired/unskilled (i know, just train them right?), and kids dont have sophisticated tastes (READ: if we put foi gras or seared tuna or hand packed burgers the kids might not eat it leading to waste and less money from the USDA not to mention we have sent a poor kid home with no meal). Also, when was the last time you saw home cooking in school cafeterias? In new haven we need to put food in the kids hands since for a lot of them its one of the only squares they get a day.

The bear is an inside joke on the city's purchase of bear proof dumpsters. Bear proof is also meant to mean illegal dumping proof which was what the DPW was trying to avoid.

Posted by: mr. october | April 29, 2008 9:53 PM

A few observations.
1 - Going from capitalist hand of Aramark to the Self preserving arms of the local custodial / food service unions is AT BEST a lateral move.
2 - Will Clark, for his admission that the status quo in the NHPS circle is not 100% hunky dory has become the FIRST and only member of the Mayo / Destefano administration own up to a mistake, and therefore, shown he is a man of and for our city. I like him as the early favorite for mayor in '11
3 - Why did it take 14 years for Reggie Mayo (as the head of the system, all glory and blame eventually rest upon his crown) to do something about a broken facet of his system?
4 - It is time for a Board of Education in new haven that is represented by the voters. We can look to our neighbors to the north in Hamden to see what a fairly elected BOE looks like. It aint perfect, but it's fair.

Posted by: Disgusted with All | April 30, 2008 8:36 AM

Get off the stupid dumpsters. They were ordered by the city for the schools and Aramark was told to find them at the cheapest cost. Unfortunately the company went out of busines (that's what you get when you go with the lowest bidder). What most people don't realize is that Aramark works for the city and is told what to do, when to do it and how. How about asking Dr. Mayo to be accountable for his part in running (or lack thereof) of the schools. He has all his cronies in top positions (who by the way, most can't do the jobs, that's why there are consultants so you can have 2 people in 1 job, makes sense right?)He will call and say "GET IT DONE" without hearing the consequences and expenses of getting it done. The budget for Facilities/Maintenance has not increased in over 7 years. But in the meantime, there have been a dozen or so schools that have been redone, rebuilt, and built new with no added money to keep them up. Ask the little darlings that go to school what is their reasoning for pulling brand new sinks, counters, toilets out of the walls?? Just so that someone can go back and put in new ones, and as they leave, they are pulled out again. That's where the waste comes in. We give our kids new schools, and they repay the city by breaking everything they can get their hands on. How about accountability to the "PARENTS", Teachers and Principals for not watching or disciplining the students. Let's just keep giving them everything they want for free, It Works So WELL!!!! Talk about waste!! Instead of blaming Aramark for everything that is wrong, why not look in the right direction, UPPER MANAGEMENT. Do you honestly think that replacing Aramark in the Facilities and Custodial Depts. will really make everything else in the district work great? I am a city worker, not Aramark, but I know if you bring in another outside contractor or give it back in-house, you had better come up with some really qualified people, not more cronies!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Westvilleguy | April 30, 2008 11:53 AM

Mr October: Love the observation about Will Clark. He is new, has a fresh vision and has made a drastic move in a deptarment racked with playing favorites. I love him for Mayor in '11. If he can do things with the BOE (majority of City's budget) he can do things with the City as a whole.

Distgustedbyall: Kudos to you. Enough cronies. Quit packing your administration with do nothing buddies and focus on teaching the kids.

Posted by: walt bradley | April 30, 2008 2:34 PM

I like Mr. Clark in '11 almost as much as i like him in '09. The man has character and integrity, and is also a fine sportscaster.

Posted by: bill | April 30, 2008 3:15 PM

disgusted' is right. we should never change anything bad because something bad might happen.

Posted by: on the front lines | May 5, 2008 8:12 AM

Mr October to answer some of your questions.
1-Even if it is lateral and stay the same we would minus the 1.7 and other Aramark costs and would be in the same posistion.
2-Yes Will is trying to correct the current broken system and wants to be pro active instead of re active is what we have now.
3-Because he answers to the king and he as well as alot of others have been given the posistions by this very king.
4-True but where can we find someone willing to tell the king no. Can Will Clark with stand the kings wrath stay tuned?
Disgusted if they only listen to the city and dont have any imput why do we need them?
As far as Dr Mayo refer to answer # 3 above
As far as kids wrecking things that is true but I do not see anything being done to correct it. Discipline that is not even a consideration at this point. Accountability the word does'nt even exist in the city from the top on down.
As far as Aramark they abandoned all morales and slept with the king and all his cronies. And please let's not get ridicules and paint them as innocent bystander they filled there pockets as well. True no more cronies bring it in house and institute accountability where blame could be layed and that is how you fix the problem. That is if you really want to.

Posted by: Martin Lewis | May 10, 2008 8:39 PM

This is all union bull - do you know the state Michigan is in thanks to unions? Well - now the same thing is about to happen to NH. Aramark is a 12+ Billion company that invests heavily in R&D and nutrition. They have experts in school nutrition, commodities management, food process and kid preferred products. This is like seeing a plumber instead of a doctor when you are sick. Unions wanted Aramark to cave in to their needs of unionizing the whole Aramark system so their low level employees can earn three times than what they are qualified for while working at 50% efficieny...all at the expense of our kids and tax payers. Good luck - we'll see how much moiney they lose and how many fewre kids will eat in 12 months from now.

Posted by: Disgusted with All | May 14, 2008 9:34 AM

Now that the city is taking over the Food Service Side of things, (which was a disaster the last time)we shall see, now are there any postions in place yet? NO, the summer programs will be starting soon,and they are not even close to posting the position or two to start July 1, now for the Maintenance and Custodial side, the bids are not even opened yet, so no matter which way that goes, nobody will be ready to start July 1. Is that efficient? No. And in case you didn't know, they are only replacing the Aramark jobs with maybe 2 or 3 people. So unless you are really qualified and can handle working 24/7 with hardly any staff, then more power to you. The city people that work there will be getting slammed with work because any new people coming in won't know their a-- from their elboe. So hip hip hooray for the unions, because all they did was start trouble to unionize the Big Companies, (which didn't work) and now they are asking us to pay more in benefits, pension and either freeze our raise or give a percentage back, otherwise there will be tons of layoffs. So the unions as usual did a great job, remind me again why we pay union dues????? I hope I'm one that gets laid off, because I just can't stand working for the city any longer. It's not worth it. Let's keep all the lazy workers, give them raises, let's get rid of all the hard working people, or give them a pay cut, that all works for everyone right? But the unions are happy and that's all that matters!!!!!!!!!