Millcreek School Board reviews proposals for outsourcing custodial services

Valerie Myers, Erie Times-News
·4 min read
Millcreek Township School District will make some changes in its preschool program this fall.

Millcreek Township School Board again is considering subcontracting custodial services.

School directors reviewed proposals from seven private custodial firms during a special meeting Tuesday night. Directors are expected to decide if they will hire an outside company or continue to employ their own custodians during their Jan. 24 business meeting.

The district had sought proposals for three years of custodial services beginning July 1.

A private firm, if hired, would provide janitorial services for three years beginning July 1. Janitorial work now is done by 53 district-employed custodians.

Previously: Millcreek School Board to review proposals for subcontracted custodial services Tuesday

Proposals for private custodial services in 2022-23 ranged in cost from $2,221,000 by HES Facilities Management to $5,463,000 by Bonded Custodial Services.

Also submitting proposals, with cost for 2022-23 services, were:

  • Facilities Management Systems, $2,801,000

  • Peterson's Property Maintenance, $2,883,000

  • Interstate Building Maintenance, $3,022,000

  • Building Services, $3,315,000

  • District-employed custodians, $3,328,000

  • ServiceMaster, $3,371,000

Costs for all providers would increase in 2023-24 and 2024-25 due to employee salary increases and other factors. Costs in 2024-25 would be:

  • HES, $2,356,000

  • FMS, $2,953,000

  • Peterson's, $2,970,000

  • Interstate, $3,144,000

  • District-employed custodians, $3,488,000

  • Building Services, $3,515,000

  • ServiceMaster, $3,577,000

  • Bonded, $5,683,000

Several district-employed custodians addressed the School Board on Tuesday to oppose subcontracting.

There is more at stake than savings that will diminish in years ahead, said Dan Anysz, president of the Millcreek Township Education Support Professionals Association, the union representing school custodians.

"What you're doing here is wrong. What you've been trying to do for years now is wrong," Anysz said. "We've heard phrases (from the district) like, 'We are a family. We are in this together.' Really? This is how we treat family?"

Custodians live in the community, have family in Millcreek schools, have been working long shifts to cover absences and deep clean schools during the pandemic, and went in to shovel, blow snow and salt on a day off on Monday, Anysz said.

"We care. Yet it seems like you're telling us we don't matter, we don't matter as much as saving a few dollars. Savings which will be less after a company gets it foot in the door with a lowball offer."

Former custodian Lisa Schnars told school directors that she quit her job after 25 years in the district and that her husband, also a former custodian, retired after almost 30 years for the same reason.

"We left because of what the School Board is trying to do to all staff at this school district," Schnars said. "It hurt us tremendously to see, and here you're still trying to do the same thing."

Millcreek school custodians approved their current contract with the district in August 2020, four years after their former contract expired.

The major obstacle in those negotiations between the district and the Millcreek Township Education Support Professionals Association was a 2016 district proposal to outsource custodial jobs. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court in July 2019 affirmed an arbitrator’s decision that the school district violated the custodians' contract when it requested and received proposals from private companies.

Schools scramble to cover staff absences: Substitute pay climbs as high as $225/day

The current contract with custodians expires July 1. It does not prevent the School Board from seeking outside proposals for services and allows current custodians to compete against those proposals.

Representatives of two of the private custodial companies submitting proposals to the school district detailed their services Tuesday and answered questions from school directors concerning employee hiring, salaries and benefits. Both complimented district custodians' work and said they hope to hire most or all of them if they are contracted to perform school custodial services.

No outsourcing: Erie School District, custodians sign new contract, keeping jobs in-house

"You talk about family," Chris Luther, vice president of sales for Interstate Building Maintenance, told custodians. "I completely understand that. That's what I bring to the table. We want to be part of this community with you.

"We are not this big, bad company coming in to change everything," Luther said. "We would give the school district the best service it can have and also savings. It's not something that's going to change your lives. It's not going to throw things into chaos."

"We do understand your concerns," Bill King, regional manager for Facilities Management Systems, told custodians. "We have to fight initial preconceived notions that things will be radically different and that this School Board or district doesn't care. Eventually you will be happy and not see us as the bad guy."

Contact Valerie Myers at vmyers@timesnews.com. Follow her on Twitter @ETNmyers.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Millcreek School Board considers privatizing custodial work