Privatization proposed in Jenison

JENISON, Mich. (WOOD) - School custodians in Jenison Public Schools would be laid off and replaced by a private service as a cost-cutting measure, under the 2009-10 budget presented to the school board Monday night.

Custodians and their supporters rallied outside the board meeting, hoping to sway board members to reject the recommendation.

"In Jenison, our custodians are a major part of our educational program. They help us with our students," second-grade teacher and former teachers union president Rich Fink told 24 Hour News 8.

The district looks to cut $1.1 million in spending to fill a $2.2 million budget gap for the next school year. Superintendent Thomas TenBrink said privatization was a difficult recommendation designed to keep cuts as far from students as possible.

"Do we lay off teachers and or do we lay off our custodial staff?" TenBrink asked.

He said after cutting $6 million in spending throughout the past six years, there was little left to cut that wouldn't adversely affect employees. Those $6 million in cuts included closing an elementary school.

The building has been converted into an early childhood center that uses the same private custodial service the district is considering for all district buildings.

At Monday's board meeting, each of the the district's custodians spoke in front of the board. One talked about a special needs student he sees in his building three days a week.

"I'm not going to miss the money," he said. "I'm going to miss him."

High school custodian David Hinkle heads the bargaining unit for custodians. He is upset that custodians found out about the recommendation to privatize late last week, with no option for input.

"They never came to us and said, 'We have a problem. How can you help us balance this budget?' " Hinkle told 24 Hour News 8. "This is a family. This is Jenison Public Schools family and they want to treat us rather shabbily, actually. We've been betrayed."

And Jenison spends a lower percentage of its revenues on custodial and maintenance services than most other nearby districts, Hinkle said, including some that have privatized services already.

Administrators expect the move will save nearly $425,000 a year, though that won't happen in the first year because of unemployment and other costs. But Jenison is following the lead of other districts.

A study from free market think tank the Mackinac Center for Public Policy shows more than 42 percent of districts statewide are privatizing some key services.

Specifically, 17.6 percent of districts privatize at least some custodial services. Both numbers are on the rise and in the 2008 survey, 97 new districts were added to the list, including Comstock Park, Godfrey-Lee and Grandville in Kent County, Comstock in Kalamazoo County and Marshall in Calhoun County.

The proposed Jenison budget does not lay off any other staff but uses attrition -- not replacing departing employees -- to reduce teaching positions by nine and paraprofessional positions by roughly 4 1/2.

The district would use $1.1 million from its fund balance to fill the rest of the $2.2 million gap. Administrators are concerned that the district's low fund balance may require borrowing money to meet payroll in 2009-10.

The superintendent expects a vote on the administration's budget proposal June 15. A budget hearing is set for 7 p.m. at the high school media center.