New Haven’s public schools are moving toward managing their own kitchens.
The surprise announcement came during a briefing by Chief Operating Officer Will Clark at the Board of Education’s (BOE) monthly meeting Monday.
Clark said that he and his staff had recently reviewed the three companies that bid for the upcoming food service contract with the BOE. Aramark — the current contractor, which has come under intense labor-led criticism — was one of those. Clark said all three bids were found wanting.
“We may be buying more of the same” no matter which outside company the BOE goes with, Clark said.
Although no formal vote was taken by the board, members signaled their intention to follow Clark’s lead.
Although the BOE could have automatically renewed with Aramark for another year, under pressure from food workers, custodians and supervisors’ unions, the BOE had originally put the $1 million-plus food services contract out for bidding.
The unions have repeatedly criticized Aramark for poor quality food, unwise purchasing, and lack of openness about its budget, suggesting that rebates on volume purchases have not gone to the district.
For previous stories on Aramark, click here and here.
The Philadelphia-based company has been providing food services in the New Haven Public Schools since 1994.
Aramark’s corporate spokespeople have countered by saying the partnership has been good for New Haven school kids, and the criticism is primarily for union-organizing purposes.
Clark cited several factors that all the bids shared which cumulatively led to the decision to go in-house. “All the proposals,” he said, “asked for a subsidy of approximately $1million from the BOE.” Aramark’s bid apparently requested slightly less, but in all cases expenses projected would exceed revenue without the board’s contribution.
Clark was also concerned with complete accounting transparency. “Our RFP [Request for Proposals] was quite specific about this,” he said, “but all we got back was boilerplate.” To make sure that discounts and rebates come back to the district, he said, “I feel we will have to review the accounting ourselves.”
Finally, there was the question of food quality. While he defended the quality of the food being served, still none of the proposals seemed to address how seasonable, fresh, perhaps locally grown food might be incorporated into the food program, which feeds some 18,000 kids five million meals a year.
“Taking back control of the purchasing system,” he said, “is the best choice.”
Is Healthful Affordable?
Clark called on BOE members such as Ann Levett (pictured, with head of high schools Charles Williams) for an open discussion of the universal free lunch that is provided, which is costly, and also for how much emphasis should be placed on fresh produce. “It’s expensive,” he said, “and other large districts, like New York, have had to cut back. But these are frank conversations we should have. I’m all for the seasonable, best healthy food. Just give us money to purchase it.”
Taking food services in-house will require a director and staff. And it will not be a magic cure, but he added, “We have the union and front-line talent in house who could handle it. He suggested productive coalitions could be made with local food producers.”
Union spokesmen were generally pleased with the news. Steve Mathews, the organizing director of UNITE/Here! Local 217, which represents the food workers, said Aramark is not trustworthy.
Larry Dorman, a spokesman for AFSCME Council 4 local 287, representing the custodians and local 3144, which represents facilities supervisors at the schools, said Aramark’s ejection from the food business is “only half the equation. We need to see them expelled from the facilities maintenance as well.”
That contract, according to Will Clark, was also sent out to bid, and in the next few weeks BOE staff will be reviewing it.
Heather Szerlag, a researcher for the Campaign for Quality Services, which has been working with UNITE/Here and the other unions, also praised the news. “Frankly, it’s surprised us,” she said. “We’re still taking it in. And we haven’t taken a position on self-operation either. Just that Aramark has to go in both food and facilities.”
She went on to say that longer term, on the federal level, higher reimbursement rates need to be provided for food as costs have gone up.
Clark’s summary was a briefing, without official action being taken, although the board appeared generally very receptive. “Just bring us what has to be done,” said BOE member Ann Levett, “in stages.”
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?