The Board of Education today convened a special board meeting to discuss the future of food service at Beverly Hills schools after contract negotiations with Choicelunch to provide food service at the K-8 level failed to conform to the price point approved by the board last week.
On Oct. 23 the board?unanimously voted to enter into negotiations with Choicelunch to provide a comprehensive food program at the K-8 level after the district’s current provider, Chartwells, terminated its contract with the district, effective Nov. 16.
Chartwells has been criticized for decreasing food quality in an effort to remain profitable.
Chief Administrative Officer Dawnalyn Murakawa-Leopard determined that it was impossible for Choicelunch to provide roughly 800 lunches daily without impacting the general fund under the $100,000 amount which the board approved last week.
Under the revised agreement presented to the board today, the board considered service models that would cost the district’s general fund?between $200,000 and $280,000 through June.
It could be a much worse situation, Board VP Jake Manaster said. “It could be back up to $800,000 or $900,000.”
The district has already spent $75,000 on food service this year.
Board president Brian Goldberg underscored that labor costs are the major expenditure. ?One option the board examined was, for example, reducing the 16 food service employees at the high school to four part-time employees.
The district is looking at approximately $6 million in cuts if Proposition 30 fails to pass on Tuesday.
Boardmember Lisa Korbatov said it was important to maintain the lead food service workers.
“We are cutting back, but we have to do it judiciously,” she said.
