ORANGE : Schools to Study Privatizing Cafeterias

The food services of the Orange Unified School District received straight A’s after audits by state and federal officials, but trustees still want to consider privatizing that department.

The board voted 5 to 1 this week to allow two private companies to survey the cafeterias of the district’s 37 schools, despite studies from the state Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture verifying that the Nutrition Services Department is making a healthy profit for the district.

Trustee James Fearns said he voted against the motion because he agreed with five parents who told the school board that they oppose privatizing a school service that works.

“I can’t see the necessity in giving away profit to a management company,” Fearns said. “If it’s not broke, I don’t even want to visit it.”

Parent Sue McCann told board members that figures she obtained from the state show that the district earns more than $300,000 a year from the food services for its general fund.

But board members said they simply want to see if a private company could run the service more efficiently. Survey results from Preferred Meal Systems and Aramark Corp. would give them some insight, they said.