Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Food Service topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Food service director outlines rising food costs, breakfast expansion and plan to avoid tax impact
Summary
Food service director Nicole Gray briefed the board on an expanded breakfast program, increasing food costs, changes to contractor services and revenue projections. Gray said food costs have been underbudgeted in prior years, the district will discontinue a $5,500 composting contract and will manage a projected shortfall by adjusting a la carte
Nicole Gray, the district’s food service director, reviewed operations and the FY27 food‑service budget during the meeting and described what she called rising food‑cost pressures and early success with elementary breakfast.
Gray — who the superintendent said was hired in November of the prior year — told the board the district has underbudgeted the food line in recent years and she is adjusting FY27 projections upward to reflect current price trends. "Our food cost went up...we are part of the New Hampshire buying group, but even with that, the cost in there are rising as well," Gray said. She reported the district has expanded breakfast offerings and that participation has increased; principals said breakfast has positively affected student experience.
Gray said the food service program has discontinued the district composting contract after reviewing volumes and maintenance outcomes; she put the annual composting fee at $5,500 and said low pickup volumes and unchanged trash costs made the service cost‑ineffective. She also listed other professional‑service costs that the food service account must cover (POS system, grease‑trap and hood cleanings, police detail for events) and said those items were added to the FY27 professional‑services line.
On finances, Gray and Superintendent Ginaro said food service operates as an enterprise fund and the district will manage a la carte pricing and use fund balance prudently so the food service appropriation has no tax impact when the FY27 budget is presented. Gray presented a conservative revenue projection and said she would update the board as counts and reimbursements come in; she noted the federal meal reimbursement rules and eligibility for free and reduced meals affect Title I and other programs.
Gray asked the board to consider modest adult‑meal price adjustments to align staff/adult pricing with federal reimbursement rules; she said student pricing would not change at this time.
The board did not take a formal vote on food‑service budget lines during this session; staff will return with updated revenue and expense figures at subsequent budget meetings.
