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Kern County Office of Education will operate Cal State Bakersfield food services; board discusses startup costs and worker impacts
Summary
Cal State Bakersfield asked KCSOS to take over campus dining after ending its contract with Aramark. KCSOS said it created a separate cafeteria enterprise fund to track revenues and offered Aramark employees the opportunity to apply for KCSOS positions; trustees adopted budget items that include the new enterprise fund.
Cal State Bakersfield asked Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) to operate the university's dining services after the campus ended a contract with Aramark. KCSOS staff told the board June 9 that the county office created a cafeteria enterprise fund to separate CSUB-related operations and would post positions and invite Aramark employees to apply.
Speakers representing Unite Here Local 19 and several CSUB cafeteria workers urged the board to require that long-time employees retain jobs or be guaranteed positions under any transition. Union representatives said roughly 26 workers who previously served CSUB dining functions faced uncertainty and that only a smaller number of positions had been published.
KCSOS financial staff said the initial enterprise fund creation (Fund 13) is permitted under guidance from the California Department of Education to segregate cafeteria and catering activity; the office also said it has reserves in its catering operations to cover initial startup deficits and had posted roughly 18 positions to staff the campus service. KCSOS said it would work with affected employees on applications and that some hires might be placed elsewhere in county food operations while the program grows.
The board discussed but did not change Cal States decision to end the Aramark contract. Trustees noted that the county board does not control CSUBs contracting decisions; KCSOS said CSUB approached the office and requested the new arrangement. Finance staff said long-term operations are expected to stabilize after one-time startup costs and that KCSOS does not view the operation as a large profit center but as a community service and student benefit.
The board adopted the County School Service Fund budget and related budget items after the discussion. Trustees asked staff to continue outreach to Aramark employees and to clarify any remaining questions about funding sources for facility improvements and the scope of the new cafeteria enterprise fund.
Ending: KCSOS will proceed with operating CSUB dining services under an enterprise fund structure; staffing and subsidy details will be determined through KCSOS hiring and budgeting processes.
