District Trustees to Consider Privatizing Cafeteria Services
Trustees in the Orange Unified School District will consider a proposal tonight to contract with a private company for cafeteria services, a controversial issue that the board considered six months ago but did not resolve.
In August, the seven-member school board decided, over some strong protests, to ask private food-service companies to submit proposals for operating cafeterias in the district’s 37 schools.
Parents and administrators at the time argued that the district’s Nutrition Services Department should not be changed, because it is profitable and has been honored for excellence by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
But some trustees argued then that private industry does almost everything better than government.
At tonight’s session, Dwain Raney, director of purchasing, will report on progress of a committee he is organizing to evaluate the two bids that have been submitted by private companies: Aramark Corp. of Philadelphia and Daka International Inc. of Danvers, Mass.
The committee will compare the district’s operation to those of the two private companies and analyze the efficiency and costs of each, Raney said.
The school board will meet at 7:30 p.m. at district headquarters, 1401 N. Handy St. Information: (714) 997-6221.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
