Marblehead eyes outsourcing school lunches

MARBLEHEAD – School Committee members are looking at the possibility of outsourcing school lunches.The question is part of an ongoing comprehensive look at the school lunch program, which runs at a deficit every year.School Business Manager Jonathan Goldfield’s report includes this year’s figures. Earnings started high at $116,449 in September, then dropped to $65,000-$75,000 a month as the school year continued. Costs also began at the $116,000 level, then dropped, but not as much as earnings. Goldfield is projecting a $31,683 loss for the year.Goldfield is compiling information about outsourced programs at other school districts – but he has already written to the business agent of the cafeteria workers’ union, informing her that “I am only gathering information? The union and staff will be consulted in outsourcing considerations, if any, beyond this point.””The food service folks are pretty nervous,” said Superintendent of School Paul Dulac. “We’re just looking into this.”Goldfield told the committee that the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires school departments to seek sealed bids for a privatized school lunch operation.Committee member Jonathan Lederman pointed out that the cost that breaks the school lunch bank every year is the cost of health insurance for employees and retirees.That cost is not covered by school lunch fees, Dulac added, but is absorbed by the school budget as part of the program cost. He said without it the program “kind of breaks even.”Meanwhile committee members are planning a surprise field trip to an elementary school cafeteria to check out the school lunch program first-hand.Committee member Dick Nohelty, who spurred Goldfield’s study when he questioned school lunch costs a month ago, said, “I’m not comfortable with outsourcing. I’d rather correct things in-house.”