[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6276502,"mediaKeyId","2659369-bf727dab020643a586c514b66366ed68","parentId",2659369,"title","Board approves consent agenda items and motions including contract authorization for school meals","audioSeconds",2467,"startMs",4069000,"endMs",6536000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2659369-bf727dab020643a586c514b66366ed68&start=4069&end=6536","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2659369-bf727dab020643a586c514b66366ed68/thumbnail_4069000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6276502/Oregon/Board-approves-consent-agenda-items-and-motions-including-contract-authorization-for-school-meals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6276502-a8af776bb43544865973d4b3d2451470/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507526&Signature=jTj6AS9itaz6zSoJSBBEqdxR62NNRHCLLlsR~3~0nR2RWDnt7n1y3REMVLAfguQU9uWXzx5OYhBCSV1JkflFNIp5amKJQmKCN5WkhCEx3UhLYJrRscp1tt7SA2YMzFVrX~wD8~xWMM719IIuWs3wh8-EjHWyVr68dQvLgDGyidMFpTPA-j8YkV5pPwhUsOXtCwBYntBeXo4m9Ray1qBQuogGH895IC6fFU9wA4CXPnapBh-7SINSooZ1veE44f9tEhS78Hhqi~Ynz69gN8xXxBTpMwe8rjlcyA6xFzabFBxFhv0Z2vS3AlTOlJiTIZLNSHeSRkiu0yyKBWeqfI8OJA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Greater Albany Public Schools","date","2025-03-10T00:00:00Z","article","The Greater Albany Public SD board approved routine consent agenda items and personnel actions and authorized a one-year, ODE-approved contract with Genuine Foods for the district’s meal program.

Consent motions approved by voice vote included: a memorandum of understanding with GA ACE on work-injury matters; license and administrator renewals and extensions; personnel licensed and classified approvals; and approval of the minutes of the Feb. 24, 2025 regular board meeting. Specific motion language for these items was read into the record and each passed by voice vote or with a single abstention where noted.

Later in the meeting, the board voted to authorize district staff to execute a contract with Genuine Foods following ODE approval; the motion was moved, seconded and passed by voice vote. The contract is one year under ODE emergency procurement rules; staff said a competitive RFP will be run next year if the district elects to continue beyond the initial term.

Most consent items were approved without roll-call tallies in the transcript; where a member recused or abstained that was read into the record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular School Board Meeting - March 10, 2025 - 7:00 p.m.","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved routine consent items (memoranda, contract renewals, personnel actions and minutes) and authorized the one-year Genuine Foods contract following ODE approval; votes were taken by voice and a roll-call tally was not recorded in the transcript.","taxTitle","Greater Albany Public SD 8J, School Districts, Oregon","taxId",65671,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6276507,"School resource officers describe bomb-threat response, renewed lockdown drills and youth engagement program",181,1704000,1885000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2659369-bf727dab020643a586c514b66366ed68&start=1704&end=1885","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2659369-bf727dab020643a586c514b66366ed68/thumbnail_1704000.jpg","/articles/6276507/Oregon/School-resource-officers-describe-bomb-threat-response-renewed-lockdown-drills-and-youth-engagement-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6276507-12ad69dee3f95d0096e9793d0d7d53ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507526&Signature=hyCULOSkW8CZU6yS5JUZSAOrbvDAbTmgT8F8XyjMARgKLiFBCbve~dqlvjtRNPqVktQW8qEZX-B7nPdQaA9XfYfOKpYtAFq7DprFH8DZtHIjJd9Hdu1TAv0yZhKtnhwEeRIvK9VbHcb9-5ZcbWbJf8znmTulxzdw0HAx-RZTlO3MBLSH7QkIFT7kt-qXHOseXjpcsA~uaxctCqKLY0cfqYXSAwZxWYmreWBiCObHqfziBpOrO3xHxypJhwuFVTYv2X6hjGTaHMKxFFOrIQydLmh9td-mdxM7xvAzj3m-EhZIz0UwO13mZBoggKclTQxEn7Ii9C1vLy~GuquayX5Kxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","School resource officers and district safety staff told the board about a bomb threat at Albany Options School that prompted a multiagency response and identified a juvenile suspect from outside the district.

Officer Jen Williams and a colleague described the threat: an email was sent to administrators the night before school; administrators and school resource officers responded the next morning, coordinated with buses and dispatch, and kept students and staff safe. Investigators subsequently executed search warrants and charged a juvenile from Benton County with two counts of first-degree disorderly conduct, the officers said. The district said the youth was not a student in Greater Albany Public SD.

School officers described changes to the district’s lockdown schedule: beginning the prior week, the district runs lockdown drills on Tuesdays and Thursdays, conducting three lockdowns a day (two elementary and one secondary) so that staff and patrol officers can efficiently practice response procedures. Officers also described work with principals to reduce vulnerabilities such as inconsistent key rings and window blinds that do not close reliably.

Separately, staff described a youth engagement program previously run by the Albany Safety Foundation that will be relaunched as LEAD (Learn, Engage, Achieve, Develop) this spring. The program will bring selected middle-school students to the police department for recognition events and community-building activities.

Officer Jen Williams told the board this was her last meeting before her April retirement; the district said another school resource officer will be introduced at the next board meeting.

Board members thanked SROs for their work and asked about the district’s building security measures and coordination with partners.","School resource officers and district safety staff recapped a bomb threat at Albany Options School, described a resumption of regular lockdown drills and said they will reintroduce a youth engagement program (renamed LEAD) this spring.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6276512,"District finance staff outline rising PERS costs and planned drawdown of bond-related fund balance",236,524000,760000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2659369-bf727dab020643a586c514b66366ed68&start=524&end=760","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2659369-bf727dab020643a586c514b66366ed68/thumbnail_524000.jpg","/articles/6276512/Oregon/District-finance-staff-outline-rising-PERS-costs-and-planned-drawdown-of-bond-related-fund-balance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6276512-51dd75c49efa2ab3d92c6e281c106030/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507526&Signature=HsVK1HDMOtLSCXF293HkQPMgN6YjWaGj~MBhkAGg3kn7H2fgDo2j7qdqvTzQyKBLYR7p9-wbBh4WAPxDRup72s38NXOKRsRCmZY6AeYMOZTh24AzNIcJOXXaRyHqic8OHedORWbbsWvLHMSYd0ZJFyviNIc6XrMaYGFiKTbe2EAcH8KmGdOAlnQioNiY3QiBx4iTEjTGD9-ygg7BRlWKEHu6X4zB1Ex-2yA5-3b9rBuVT877uISxleYHq1bFF9Yxa7AFg57QDSVygRZYXnJNmF58Ct0sNvIuSMhGr7lNei~0plHEjn-YxkYScl~y~rAqpfLE6n06kn3zHU58lbpwgg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District finance staff presented detailed projections of the district’s obligations tied to the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), showing higher employer costs in the 2025–26 budget and steps the district plans to take to reduce the near-term budget impact.

Jane Noffsiger reviewed three PERS-related cost categories: the unfunded actuarial liability (UAL) payment; the employer pickup percentage; and the district’s bonded portion of PERS debt service from a 2007 PERS bond. She said the combined total the district was planning for 2025–26 is $25,600,000. Noffsiger said the UAL payment is projected to increase about 4% in 2025–26 and that the employer pickup was projected at approximately $4.5 million.

She described the rate credit resulting from the 2007 bond, which had delivered savings in prior years, and said that as the bond principal declines and payroll grows the rate credit will decrease; she projected the credit at about 6.2% in 2025–26 and that the debt-service/credit balance will reverse (a projected negative of $719,000 for 2025–26). To smooth those effects, staff plan to use the beginning fund balance in that fund: $250,000 in 2025–26, $475,000 in 2026–27 and the remaining balance in 2027–28.

Board members asked clarifying questions about payroll totals, the percentage of payroll represented by retirement and payroll taxes (Noffsiger said combined PERS, FICA and Medicare will amount to about 42% of total payroll costs next year), and how often districts can access PERS bond opportunities. Noffsiger said PERS bond opportunities arise infrequently and that the district had previously benefited from rate credits generated when the bond was sold.

The presentation also included a Genuine Foods–related projection that food-service participation and cost assumptions would maintain the district’s ending fund balance in food service; staff noted federal requirements limit the amount of fund balance in federal food programs.

No formal board action on PERS funding occurred at the meeting; staff said they will continue to plan for the higher employer costs in the upcoming budget.","Finance staff presented projections showing a rise in PERS-related employer costs in 2025–26, the planned use of a bond-related fund balance to smooth debt service impacts, and an anticipated reduction in a PERS rate credit through 2027–28.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6276517,"Greater Albany board authorizes one-year contract with Genuine Foods to expand scratch-cooked meals",0,4568000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2659369-bf727dab020643a586c514b66366ed68&start=4568&end=4568","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2659369-bf727dab020643a586c514b66366ed68/thumbnail_4568000.jpg","/articles/6276517/Oregon/Greater-Albany-board-authorizes-one-year-contract-with-Genuine-Foods-to-expand-scratch-cooked-meals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6276517-1ee6cc03eac41a0e23c84484020651da/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507526&Signature=lP3ox~-peBOLCKnMiztDvPy9WmNi27cn3kdBHwDMm9MEB6j4KbpsAo4aB~02cDiBeQNHGolEgTB84IW8qi6tzMgWTvv11EaRfVlCBcOJkb1BrRgXM7-0KsUJOMfzFbpxHwQiZfrK3hmE7AZ-G3ZfSwYzfmCYIFwct49~6UzEzs4TRuPmLJCrD0BNNRdxfl0cI5p0x-Pr-1di6mXh0Hk5GQHUl6XsY3CwAgElX3yxMNAZ9o2Iv8~pzyfrzoeGIAaSryYwv~dWmboOFmnI7Y39FDas-h0SIy8-HDni8vjT7~S8PuZ6NGmirnuAYowXHCkLGwoXjiqRUUXxZ2gwh282pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Greater Albany Public School District board voted to authorize district staff to sign a one-year contract with Genuine Foods, following approval of the contract by the Oregon Department of Education.

Genuine Foods representatives told the board the company will prioritize scratch-cooked meals, regional procurement and culinary training for kitchen staff. Tim Walt Smith, senior vice president of Genuine Foods, said the company plans to phase in menu changes and culinary training so kitchens can move from relying on precooked, processed items toward meals made from raw ingredients. \"We are regionally inspired, agile and collaborative,\" Smith said.

Dave Bolin, who introduced the item for the district, said the district received ODE approval to offer a one-year, noncompetitive contract and ran an on-site review and RFP process. School kitchen leads Deborah Carroll and Lori Robinson spoke in support of Genuine Foods after three-day on-site visits. Carroll said the company “can bring us better quality food and bring back scratch cooking,” and Robinson said she wanted to see a wider menu and more fresh fruit for students.

Genuine Foods outlined a phased rollout: engaging staff and students, collaborative menu development, culinary and food-safety training, procurement changes with an emphasis on local purchases (the company said it aims for roughly 15% local direct purchases) and a 90-day pre- and 90-day post-launch support period with district-based operations and culinary staff on site. Jan Callaway, Genuine Foods’ chief program officer, said the company will work with district staff to implement items such as improved storage and organization, knife skills, mise en place, and production planning to enable scratch cooking without excessive labor increases.

Board members asked about costs, reimbursement risks and seasonality. Roger (board member) asked whether the math on costs would work; Genuine Foods responded that proposed food costs are higher than current costs but participation increases and federal reimbursements can help offset the difference. The company said reimbursement rates historically rise about 2–3% annually and that the proposal was conservative in budgeting for reimbursements.

Board discussion noted Sodexo, the district’s incumbent contractor, had been cooperative during the transition planning and had placed temporary management staff on site while the district considered the change. The motion to authorize district staff to execute a contract with Genuine Foods passed on a voice vote after discussion.

The contract is for one year under ODE rules for emergency procurement; the district plans a competitive RFP next year if it chooses to continue the relationship.

Votes at the meeting also approved several routine personnel and contract items in the consent agenda.","The board voted to authorize the district to execute a one-year, ODE-approved contract with Genuine Foods, a school food service company that proposes a phased move to mostly scratch-cooked, regionally sourced menus; the contract begins with on-site work in May and a phased rollout through next school year.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves consent agenda items and motions including contract authorization for school meals

School resource officers describe bomb-threat response, renewed lockdown drills and youth engagement program

District finance staff outline rising PERS costs and planned drawdown of bond-related fund balance

Greater Albany board authorizes one-year contract with Genuine Foods to expand scratch-cooked meals