Food service deficit

Because of an increase in food costs and major capital repairs, interim Superintendent Joe Connelly told the School Committee, the district's food services program is projected to end the year with a deficit of about $57,000. Connelly said he talked with food services director Paul Correnty and they came up with a seven-point strategy to decrease the deficit:

1. Spend $4,000 less than budgeted in food supplies between now and June. Connelly said Correnty told him he could do that "without jeopardizing the quality of his product."
2. Postpone until next year the installation of and the training for a point-of-sale swipe-card system. The system costs a total of $25,000 for installation and training, and food services has already paid $10,00 toward it. Connelly said Correnty was relieved he didn't need to train his staff on the system until next year, as his hands are already full with other tasks.
3. The district will not charge the food service program the customary $10,000 for electric, trash, and other costs. "We're saying this is not the year to do that," Connelly said.
4. Reduce staff hours by six per week, for a savings of $2,600.
5. Increase the cost of staff lunch at Hildreth Elementary a dollar to $4.
6. Increase the cost of student lunches at Hildreth fifty cents to $2.50. The Press reported on this last week. Connelly said he was confident the quality of Correnty's food will ensure there will be no drop in participation at the higher prices.
7. Pending the receipt of a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant, collect $3,348 from the town to reimburse the food services program on the money it spent maintaining an emergency shelter after the snowstorm in October. FEMA would pay 75 percent of the costs, Connelly said, and the town would cover the rest. "We think, in all fairness, Chef Paul should be made whole for the cost he incurred during the storm," Connelly said.

The School Committee unanimously voted for items 5 and 6, the others required no action.

—Matthew Cook