Parents and staff tell school board that outsourced cleaning falls short; district says it is addressing reports

Several community members and a district employee told the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District board on Sept. 16 that custodial and cleaning services provided by contractor ABM are not meeting expectations, leaving bathrooms and health spaces unclean and unsecured. "Do you know a kindergarten bathroom went untouched for days? One for an entire week," said April Johnson, who identified herself as an ESSA member and said she also spoke for some Fairbanks Education Association members. Johnson listed instances she said staff had reported, including unlocked nurses' offices that store narcotics and student records and counseling offices left unsecured. Johnson said staff are logging extra cleaning time they are performing and questioned whether district employees should be compensated for work ABM should provide. "This is not a blip. It's a widespread failure, and the consequences are falling on the backs of our staff and students," she said. Nut graf: Testimony prompted board questions and district comment; administrators said facilities staff are working with ABM and that ABM was near full staffing at the start of the school year but that problems reported are being addressed. Board discussion and staff response: Board member (Dr.) Meinert said facilities and maintenance "continues to work with ABM. As reports are reported up through them, they're addressing them on a regular basis." When asked for staffing numbers, the district said ABM was "close to being fully staffed at the beginning of the school year" and that it was down two employees at that time to accomplish the contracted scope of work, according to Dr. Meinert. Board member John Doran asked whether "fully staffed" reflected the district's pre‑outsourcing custodial numbers or ABM's contracted staffing; Dr. Meinert replied ABM was fully staffed to the scope they were contractually required to provide, and that at the beginning of the year they were down "two employees to start the year." Board member Dorn referenced an approximate figure of 75 fewer district custodial positions compared with prior staffing levels; the district did not confirm that number in the meeting record. Ending: No formal action or motion was taken; the board directed staff to continue working with ABM and to address reports as they come in. The district said it would continue to receive and act on facility complaints.