District mulls custodial outsourcing

Cost savings projected in six digits

By Jonathan Cook

Turley Publications Reporter

WARREN – While district administrators point to serious

cost savings in outsourcing custodial services, teachers and principals want them to remember that each school is a team.

The administration’s plan to dispense with seven of the 10 custodians in each district and contract services through a bid process was first considered in February. In April, Finance Director Joe Scanlon told the school committee that two bids would save the district money while providing “an opportunity to have a greater workforce, a specialized workforce (to) address some of the facility issues that we have,” he said. “I feel that it’s a viable option that we should pursue.”

However, just because the numbers will work and there may be other benefits as well, he acknowledged that “it becomes a human component.”

Retiring Warren Community Elementary School Principal Theodore Brown drove home that point. He told the committee, “In the 36 years that I’ve been an educator, one of the things that has always been really clear to me and important to me about working in the school system is the people that we value as members of our team. And I think our team is all encompassing.”

He added that financial austerity is nothing new to a school. “Educators have always struggled with financial issues,” he said.

That’s one thing. But messing with team chemistry is something else. That could dampen morale, said Brown.

“Teachers have always felt that as long as the morale is strong, anything is doable,” he said. “To go without materials was not a real ordeal as long as they felt valued and appreciated for what they did.”

He added that it’s a value shared by the administration when they hire people. “One thing you look for is commitment to my job and my longevity here,” he said. “I’ve had the privilege at the Warren Elementary School to work with three very fine individuals on our custodial staff who have done all those things. They have certainly committed their time and their attention to the building. It is a building of pride starting to show 20 years of wear and tear, not from neglect.”

To that, Superintendent Brett Kustigian answers, “The last thing that I want to do is cut positions, but when the state cuts funding it’s a fiscal reality. It’s the economic times.”

He added that cuts have to come from somewhere. He pointed out that he’s already cut 13 positions in his brief tenure. “But layoffs among custodians is less of a challenge to the school’s core mission of education. The last place you want to go is to the classrooms.”

Scanlon said the total cost of custodial services now, including substitutes and cleaning materials, is $580,969.

If as planned, the administration goes through with eliminating seven positions, leaving one union custodian to supervise each school as well as perform maintenance, first year savings will amount to $40,000 to $50,000. But that’s just to get started. Scanlon says that in years after, savings will climb to the range of $120,000 to $125,000.

Still, nothing has been decided yet, and are officials simultaneously carrying on negotiations with the custodians’ union and the low bid contractor.