BY LARRY HLAVENKA JR.
Staff Writer
HOWELL – Citing rising costs due to state mandates and the desire to create a reserve account for the K-8 school district’s food services department, its director, Audrey Macdonald, has proposed a 10-cent increase in school lunch prices.
At least two members of the Board of Education say they will oppose any increase in the current $2 price of lunch.
Board members Patricia Blood and Valerie Rosenberg rebuked Macdonald’s request for the hike during the board’s July 12 meeting.
“I cannot in good conscience add 10 cents to the lunch program, given what we expect from our parents,” Blood said. “I think Audrey does an outstanding job, but I have not voted on increases and I believe there are families that cannot afford increases.”
Rosenberg concurred.
“I can’t agree with Patty more,” she said. “I can’t vote for it, even though I understand the new standards.”
Although the food services department operates independently and is not a part of the board’s operating budget, Macdonald’s salary is paid by the district.
Macdonald said, “I’m still a part of the board and anything we do still needs to be approved by the board,” so, the proposed 10-cent increase needs to go through the panel.
According to Macdonald, her department’s revenue is obtained from school lunch profit. Last year the food services department operated with a profit of $76,000. Macdonald said that money goes toward the replacement and repair of equipment. But, she cautioned, if equipment fails and more funding is needed to complete repairs, she must come to the board for help.
As such, board member Louis Corato said the department should have a “refresh revenue account” – 10 percent of the department’s $1.8 million budget – set aside specifically for maintenance, new equipment and emergency repairs.
“What we had asked for Audrey was to become a self-sufficient business,” he said. “Out of committee, the recommendation was made that Audrey has a reserve.”
Corato supported the proposed increase in the cost of a school lunch in order to fund the reserve account and to comply with new state mandated school food standards.
As defined by U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations, all food and beverage items that list sugar, in any form, as the first ingredient and all forms of candy are now banned in schools.
The standards also set requirements in regard to limiting whole milk and promoting 100 percent fruit/vegetable juices and water.
“It’s like putting all the kids in the district on a diet,” Corato said. “Diets are expensive.”
Macdonald agreed with that assessment.
“If you think about when you change your personal lifestyle on a personal diet, there’s an increase in cost,” she said. “It’s the same for us.”
Given the dietary mandates, contracted labor increases, fuel surcharges and the perceived need for a reserve account, Corato said he thinks the 10-cent raise is a necessity.
“When you start to put all those things into play, if we didn’t set aside working capital then I don’t know how we could hold her responsible for her own business,” he said. “I do not want her to come back saying we have to subsidize her again. Remember, she took us from the deep crimson red to the black.”
Macdonald said there has not been an increase in the lunch price for three years.
Blood, however, opposed the raise for another reason.
At the board’s May 17 meeting, the panel amended Macdonald’s contract and made her a 12-month employee. She received a $10,440 raise in 2006-07 and a $10,880 raise in 2007-08. Her yearly salary would average $65,000.
Then, at the board’s June 7 meeting, the food services department’s administrative assistant, Amy Kazanjian, became a 10-month employee, rather than an hourly employee. Her salary was raised to $30,436.
At the time, Blood voted for the measures, but said she would not raise the school lunch price to help offset the rising salaries.
“In the discussion, I said I understood, but don’t come back asking for a milk or lunch increase,” Blood said. “They’re in the black. I have a real concern because at that time I was told we’re not going to do that.”
Rosenberg suggested that the food services department not maintain an additional revenue account, but rather “refresh on an as-needed basis.”
Macdonald said she hoped the board would discuss the merits of the proposed increase.
Board secretary Herbert Massa said the issue of lunch prices will be placed on the agenda for the board’s Aug. 16 meeting.