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Food-service workers tell board equipment failures have persisted for years; district promises follow-up
Summary
A retired food-service worker and union representative told the board multiple schools have long-running equipment failures and a recent health‑department write-up; the superintendent said staff will investigate and Mr. Green was cited as arranging initial funds for repairs.
At the Indian River County School Board meeting on March 10, retired food-service worker Liz Caldwell, representing CWA 3180, told the board cafeteria staff face persistent equipment problems that make safe meal service difficult.
Caldwell described broken ovens, a malfunctioning freezer, garbage-disposal and pass-through problems, mold concerns and shortages of basic supplies. She said the problems have persisted for several years and that staff continue to be expected to serve meals on schedule. "It's extremely, extremely important to have this equipment working and having these ladies come into work and feel like they are doing their job," Caldwell said. She added that one site was written up last week by the health department for food not being kept at proper temperature, which she attributed to equipment failures.
Superintendent Doctor Moore responded that he is "disappointed" to learn of systemic support issues and said he expects staff to evaluate and solve the problems. Moore indicated Human Resources and operations staff will follow up: "Mr. Green is just going to provide some of the money in order to fix some of those issues. Most of it would be Ms. Christofoley, but I am looking forward to connecting over the course of the next month," he said.
Board members thanked Caldwell for bringing the concerns forward and asked staff to report back. No formal board action was taken at the meeting; district staff said they will investigate equipment status and expedite repairs where possible. Caldwell said she looks forward to a follow-up meeting next month.
The March 10 comments were made during the public‑input portion of the meeting; board members discussed the issue afterward and directed staff to investigate and prioritize repairs.
