Weatherly Area School Board OKs emergency cleaning contract

Jim Dino, Standard-Speaker, Hazleton, Pa.
·2 min read

Mar. 5—The Weatherly Area School Board Wednesday night formalized its emergency contract for cleaning services to get schools reopened from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The board first held a public hearing according to Section 528 of the Pennsylvania School Code. When the board held its caucus meeting 45 minutes later, it ratified an agreement with Enhanced Facilities.

During the public hearing, Natasha Milazzo, the district's business manager and secretary, said on Jan. 16 the board also held a public hearing pursuant to Section 528 notifying the public of the need for a third-party contractor after posting notices on the school district website, social media platforms and in the Standard-Speaker about hiring additional cleaning personnel.

Three prospective contractors were invited to provide quotes, and Milazzo said two did. Enhanced Facilities was hired Jan. 14.

Its staff will work Monday through Friday, 3 to 8 p.m., with four part-time staff members, and one part-time supervisor, with no overtime or weekend hours.

Superintendent Teresa Young said COVID-19 relief funds cannot be used for services, so the district is paying for Enhanced Facilities out of the district budget.

The contract runs in 30-day segments through the end of the school year, but can be terminated within three days based on staffing levels, Milazzo said.

The ongoing plan is for the district to continue to pursue finding more of its own help through newspaper and social media advertising.

Young said the cleaning service will be terminated "if we get enough of our own people," she said.

The board also voted to hire Brittany Daney as a part-time cleaning employee and Nicole Rayno as a substitute on the cleaning staff.

Young said Daney had been laid off from the district cafeteria staff because of COVID, and Rayno had been an employee of the district who left and is returning.

Attorney Chris Slusser, the board's solicitor, said Wednesday night's hearing gave the board enough time to advertise a public hearing and have discussions with the union about the situation.

Terry Hartz, president of the Weatherly Area Educational Support Personnel Association, gave her blessing to Enhanced Facilities.

"Our association, working with the district's administration, arrived at an agreement relative to the use of outside resources to assist with the additional cleaning needs due to this pandemic," Hartz said. "These unprecedented times present previously unimaginable challenges which call for novel approaches to resolution. This agreement is one such example."

Contact the writer:

jdino@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3585