Normally, the audience at West Windsor-Plainsboro school board meetings consists only of a handful of residents, and an occasional concerned party. But on October 13 the scene was very different when the Grover Middle School cafeteria was flooded by a sea of more than 100 blue shirts.
Members of the two unions representing the district’s custodial, maintenance, and foreman staff showed up en masse in protest of what they say is a sure move by the board to replace them with a private company.
The news broke earlier this month that the board is looking into the move as part of a cost savings review and has solicited the services of Edvocate Inc., a Toms River-based consulting company, to study the possibility of outsourcing the work.
School board members have maintained, however, that no decision has been made and that they have not even seen a copy of a packet of information Edvocate has provided to the school district, titled, “Facilities Program Modeling/Assessment, Outsourcing Process and Monitoring Services Proposal.” The packet sets a 10-month time line, in which it calls for a decision on the matter and a bidding process to begin in January.
“This is an economic decision that places students, staff, and the district at risk,” said Susan Levine, president of the West Windsor-Plainsboro Service Association. She emphasized that the quality of work and the safety to the schools’ students would be jeopardized.
Curtis Meissner, West Windsor-Plainsboro Foreman’s Association president, asked for clarification over whether the board approved hiring Edvocate at a prior meeting. Board President Hemant Marathe said he “misspoke” when he said earlier this month that the board had voted on the matter.
According to Larry Shanok, the assistant superintendent for finance, the cost of the contract fell under the bid amount needed for a vote, and instead, the cost of hiring Edvocate was approved through the routine bill list.
Resident Jay Bryant urged the board to conduct a “fully transparent” process, and that as a homeowner in West Windsor for eight years, he knows how much money is invested into the school system. “We are putting this investment at risk. This staff makes up a very small part of the budget.”
Bryant, who said his wife worked for the district, related that the executive staff at his company took a 30 percent pay cut to preserve jobs for all of the company’s employees, and that giving raises in bad economic times was “morally wrong.”
Last month, the board approved salary increases for Superintendent Victoria Kniewel and Shanok, the assistant superintendent for finance. Kniewel’s salary increased by 3.5 percent — from $186,150 last year to $192,676. Shanok’s salary increased to $165,854, up from $160,245 last year.
Plainsboro resident Quentin Walsh, whose wife, Ellen, serves on the school board, said he felt the taxes in the district were “very high,” but acknowledged it was a choice he made when he moved to the district.
He “applauded” the board for reviewing services and examining its options, including outsourcing, but added that “there needs to be a vigorous discussion” before any decision is made. He echoed Bryant’s comments in calling for transparency and urged the board to examine the quality of work a contractor would provide.
Robert Bonazzi, who attended the meeting because his daughter was on the South swim team and he wanted to hear the discussion on the bubble (see following story), said he served as executive director of the New Jersey Education Association for 16 years. After hearing the discussion on the privatization issue, he was compelled to comment.
“I know that subcontracting does not work,” Bonazzi said, based on his experience with the NJEA. In addition to the quality of work that might be affected, “those subcontractors are going to have the same problems you have now” with regard to trying to cut costs and save money, and the subcontractor might resort to hiring fewer people to do the work or will cut corners to get the work done, and “you might see more dirt around.”
The district’s current employees “are dedicated to this district” and do a good job, he said.
Also during public comment, teachers’ association president Debbie Baer said the union supported the custodial, maintenance, and foreman staff. “We stand with our colleagues in opposing privatization.”
School officials maintain that they are simply studying the idea, and that no discussion or decision has occurred. Shanok said that the board had Edvocate put a proposal together that “will be given a full public review.”
The proposal is meant to “study the efficiency of the economy here.” Marathe said that board members still have not seen the results of the study, and “at this point, I can’t tell you one way or another” whether the board will opt to outsource the work.
In addition to appearing at the meeting, the New Jersey Education Association has taken out a full page ad in this newspaper with the two local unions, urging residents to take action against the idea.
“They want to fire our school’s custodians, maintenance workers, and foremen and instead, hire strangers to be around your children,” the ad states. “We understand the need to explore cost savings options, but refuse to support any measure that does so at the expense of our children. We also firmly believe that a child’s safety is priceless, even in these economic times. Our members know and care about your children. Will for-profit companies feel the same?”
