Nutrition services run by contractor flagged; district proposes conversions and additional utility staff

Committee members asked for organizational clarity in the nutrition program after materials listed a contracted culinary director in the district org chart. Superintendent Curley said the nutrition director is a contracted service but the director runs the nutrition program and is treated operationally like an in-house director for daily program decisions. Committee members asked administrators to clarify responsibilities and disciplinary authority since contract status differs from district employee status.

Nutrition staff also requested three full-time utility positions (custodial/utility staff) based on school enrollment thresholds; facilities staff said some schools with enrollment over a district-defined threshold were intended to have full-time utility employees rather than part-time staff. Facilities staff said the department plans to convert some part-timers to full-time where enrollment and schedules make four-hour part-time windows inadequate to maintain cleanliness before and after extended day programs. The committee asked for checklists, workload studies and documentation supporting the conversions before voting on those additions.

Committee members also asked whether the nutrition revolving account is being used correctly and whether auditors noted unusually high balances. Finance staff said the city audit recommends the district consider reducing unusually high nutrition balances but did not flag a finding; nutrition staff said they already charge legitimate costs to the nutrition account and reimburse the district where appropriate.

Ending

Administrators agreed to provide the committee an organizational chart showing contracted vs. district employees, a checklist of utility worker duties, and the most recent external audit comments about the nutrition revolving account.