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Peoria Unified to cut outsourced custodial scope and add 35 night custodians in budget-neutral change
Summary
District facilities staff told the governing board May 8 that beginning July 1 the district will reduce the square footage handled by its custodial contractor and use those dollars to hire 35 full‑time night lead custodians; landscaping contracts will be reorganized into crews and certain herbicide work will remain outsourced.
Peoria Unified’s facilities staff on May 8 told the district’s Governing Board that the district plans to reduce the footprint handled by its custodial contractor and use the savings to hire full‑time night custodians for elementary and support sites.
Facilities presenter Mr. Merlino said the district will reduce the square footage covered by CCS by about 1,600,000 square feet, cutting CCS’s contract by $1,749,549 and using that funding to add 35 full‑time lead night custodian positions (one per elementary school and one per support site). “This will be a budget neutral change,” Merlino said. New hires would start July 1, he added.
The board was given details about scope differences between a “partial” and a “full” custodial contract: added vacuuming frequency for carpeted traffic lanes, more regular dusting of furniture and fixtures, and additional desktop cleaning under a full scope. Merlino said CCS currently supports roughly 4,100,000 square feet with 118 staff at a 96% fill rate; each new lead night custodian would be responsible for about 45,817 square feet. The projected M&O cost for the 35 positions was presented as roughly $1,660,102 to $1,774,000 depending on experience.
Board members asked about hours (Merlino said the positions would be night shifts, for example roughly 2 p.m.–10 p.m. depending on site), reporting lines (the new custodians will report to a facilities supervisor with a dotted line to the principal), and quality control. Merlino said elementary principals were surveyed; 29 responded, 26 supported the hiring plan, two wanted more information and one opposed due to concern about hiring/retention risk.
On landscaping, the district described a multi‑vendor approach the last three fiscal years and a plan to continue outsourcing some services while adding vendor crews for routine work. The planned landscape staffing model includes two five‑person crews for elementary campuses, one nine‑person crew for high schools, and a six‑person painting crew for athletic field painting and scribing. The district will continue to outsource herbicide spraying at a projected $110,000 per year because two previously budgeted positions remain unfilled.
Board members pressed for clarity on site control and complaint processes; Merlino said principals retain authority to address facilities staff and may also use the FMX work‑order system or contact the staff supervisor. Several board members recommended districtwide quality standards and routine checks to ensure consistent service across campuses.
The presentation outlined risks: the district may face difficulty hiring and retaining hourly custodial and grounds staff in a tight labor market; there will be HR and procurement costs for onboarding and stocking cleaning supplies; and some hidden logistics will shift in‑house. Merlino said hiring interviews had already begun and the district had ordered vacuums and cart equipment in preparation for July start dates.
Board members expressed general support for returning more custodial staffing to district employment and noted benefits for site pride and local control, while emphasizing the need for centralized quality control and clear communication with principals about complaint/feedback channels.
No formal board vote was held on the presentation; staff said they would proceed with recruitment and return with implementation updates as hires are made.
