Marblehead schools food service director raises ire with program

MARBLEHEAD – The School Department’s Food Service Director may find himself being grilled for teaming up with the town Recreation Department.Food Service Director Phil Padulsky is mentioned in a Recreation Department flier about the eight-week summer playground program at the Seaside and Gerry playgrounds.Padulsky has agreed to supply a daily box lunch to each playground program child who signs up for it, at a cost of $15 per week.The flier drew the ire of School Committee member Richard Nohelty when it was circulated to committee members last week.Nohelty pointed out that the box lunch includes fruit and carrot sticks, along with the usual sandwich, chips and drink."These kids will be eating fresh fruit and vegetables," Nohelty said. "That’s a better lunch than our kids get in the schools for $3 a day. He’s offering the Recreation Department a deal he can’t offer our schools."Superintendent of Schools Paul Dulac promised that he and School Business Manager Jonathan Goldfield will look into the program, but Dulac reminded Nohelty that the school lunch program traditionally runs at a deficit. "I feel that we have to find a way to subsidize our losing proposition," he said.Goldfield said he has discussed the program with Padulsky briefly and Padulsky said he would do the work himself and the earnings would go directly to the food program’s revolving fund.