Sodexo will become more than just the food supplier for the Vincennes Community School Corp.
Following a vote by the school board Monday night, the company will also take over custodial, maintenance and grounds services for the corporation.
At the March board meeting, assistant superintendent Greg Parsley said the corporation would be looking to outsource those services in attempt to help cut $1.2 million from the budget.
The board approved a reduction in force of 18 teachers in March, which is expected to save $800,000, and the latest cost-cutting measure is expected to save about $125,000 annually, Parsley said.
“We’ve been quite pleased with our partnership on food service and when we sent out request for proposals for the custodial, maintenance and grounds, Sodexo had offered and presented to us a very competitive proposal,” he said.
“As we’re looking at many different options that are out there to reduce costs in the corporation, their (offer) became very appealing to us and adds that much more cost savings in getting to the $1.2 million goal that the corporation has,” he continued.
The new five-year contract with Sodexo will allow employees to keep their current positions without taking a pay cut. All employee sick, vacation and personal days will carry over to Sodexo.
“Really the only thing that’s going to change in the immediate sense will be the name on the paycheck,” Parsley added. “It’ll go to Sodexo from the Vincennes Community School Corp.”
The corporation will be still be responsible for some maintenance items, but cleaning supplies will become the responsibility of Sodexo.
The company does plan to hire two more employees for the corporation’s services. Sodexo will officially take over May 6, although the custodial, maintenance and grounds services employees will remain on the corporation’s insurance plan until May 31.
Also Monday, the board approved an early retirement incentive package that will be offered to the corporation’s veteran teachers.
The plan, similar to an incentive plan offered last year, includes $10,000 that will go into a health retirement account and a payment that runs through 2018 that serves as a “bridge” until the teacher is able to receive Social Security benefits.
Teachers will have until 4 p.m. May 16 to apply for the package. Parsley said there is no minimum or maximum number of teachers who can apply.
In other business, the board voted to raise the technology fees for all students in the corporation starting next school year. Kindergarten fee will increase from $3 to $5, and the fee for first-graders through seniors will increase from $7 to $10.
Parsley said revenues are used to purchase things such as ink cartridges and paper, which have been running out at the beginning of the second semester.
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