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Exeter Region Coop board keeps school lunch prices unchanged after debate over fund balance and equipment needs
Summary
After hearing a food‑service director proposal to raise meal prices, the Exeter Region Coop School District board questioned optics and fund‑balance guidance, and reached consensus to keep prices unchanged while staff gathers more information and invites the food‑service director to a future meeting.
The Exeter Region Coop School District board debated a recommended increase to school meal prices but ultimately agreed to keep prices unchanged for the coming year so staff could gather more information and include the food‑service director in follow‑up discussions.
Molly, who delivered the finance report, read Food Service Director Jean Pierce's proposed price changes: for the middle school (CMS), breakfast from $2.50 to $2.75, lunch from $3.75 to $4.00 and milk from 50¢ to 60¢; for the high school (EHS), breakfast from $3.00 to $3.25, lunch from $3.85 to $4.10 and milk to 60¢. "The current pricing for CMS breakfast is $2.50. Lunch is $3.75, and milk is 50¢. The proposed for CMS is breakfast going up 25¢ to $2.75, lunch going up to $4, and milk going up 10¢ to 60¢," Molly said while summarizing the emailed recommendation.
Board members pressed on why a price increase was proposed even though the food service fund carries a larger-than‑typical reserve. Molly had reported a projected year‑end food service fund balance of about $346,000 and noted a $167,007.27 spend‑down plan used this year. One member summarized the federal constraint in blunt terms: "You cannot increase your meal price if you have a fund a positive fund balance," noting the interaction between paid and free/reduced reimbursement calculations and equity tools used for federal reporting.
Members weighing next steps worried about optics—raising prices while a fund shows excess—and about committing to higher family costs without hearing from the incoming food‑service director. Several suggested equipment‑replacement needs (Molly said some convection ovens cost about $65,000 each) could justify use of reserves instead of a price increase. Board members also recommended running the equity tool (PLE) and requested the food‑service director attend the next discussion.
After discussion the board reached consensus to keep meal prices at current levels for the coming year to allow time for additional analysis and for the new food‑service director to be present. The board noted that price changes are normally set at year end so families can prepare and that the cooperative's status differs from other districts, some of which are running negative in their food service funds and have already raised elementary prices to offset deficits.
Next steps: staff will assemble additional detail on equipment needs, the spend‑down plan and PLE/equity tool results and invite the food‑service director to a future meeting before any formal motion to change pricing.
