District to go private with custodial work
District to go private with custodial work
By MIRIAM MOELLER Journal Staff Writer
In a special board meeting last week, board members voted 6-1 to hire downstate-based Hi-Tec Building Services to provide custodial services to the district.
“We have 14 positions that are directly affected,” school Superintendent Steven Peffers said. “Many of the current custodians will be able to bump into other positions in the district.”
He said probably five people will be laid off.
The district has been addressing a projected $740,000 deficit for the upcoming school year by looking at a variety of costing-cutting measures. Contracting out custodial services will save the district $186,000 in the upcoming school year, $250,000 in the second year and $280,000 in the third year, Peffers said.
“We spent the last year collecting estimates, continued discussions with the affected groups and looked at other means to reduce our expenditures,” Peffers said.
But in the end the board decided on these measures because “we do not want to impact student programs,” Peffers said.
Bobbie Jacobson, a custodian and bus driver for the Gwinn school district and chief steward for Teamster Local 328 for Gwinn schools, said she was shocked by the decision.
“We offered a pay freeze, we offered to change our insurance,” she said. “(But) we were told promptly by the budget director that it is not enough.” Jacobson and other union representatives have been working for months to come up with other ways the district could save money and still preserve educational programs.
“So we had quite a bit of savings to offer, and I am shocked to say that the school board had already made their mind up before the meeting,” she said.
Jacobson said that she and her fellow workers take pride in their jobs and that the board’s decision was “appalling.”
Peffers said it was a difficult decision.
“The custodians are obviously very disappointed, and we understand that we have several long-term employees who end up seeing major changes,” Peffers said.
He added that a “bumping meeting” is planned this week at which positions that remain available, such as bus driver and lunch room supervisor positions, will be offered to current employees depending on seniority and experience.
He also said that Hi-Tec Building Services will be creating 17 new positions — three more positions than currently available. The positions will be advertised locally, he said.
“We will actually have our buildings staffed for more hours with custodial services,” Peffers said.
Hi-Tec Building Services is based in downstate Jenison and provides services to several other Upper Peninsula schools
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