Board addresses outsourced cleaning mess
By Naomi Morrison

Gray-New Gloucester--At their November 17 meeting, the MSAD 15 Board approved hiring a fifth contract cleaning service, after having unsatisfactory relationships with the previous four companies.

Board members were pessimistic about hiring another outside company, but they are hopeful that number five is the charm. All of the contract cleaning companies previously hired to clean the elementary school buildings and the Central Office were dismissed based on the poor cleaning service they provided.

"We tell them what needs to be done, and at what standards, and they are supposed to do it," said Chair Alan Rich.

Board Member Tod Bennett said this track record raises questions. He said that the Board has to get a better handle on the District's management of the companies before anything else is done.

Bennett thinks the Board is not acknowledging that cleaners are leaving because there are issues in-District. He thinks that the District is adhering to standards when they fire each company, but that there are unaddressed issues that reach a critical point prior to the firings.

"We've been through four different cleaning contractors who have the same problem. They all seem to not be able to do the job," Bennett said. "At some point, it's not the contractors, it's us."

Bennett also suggested having an in-house custodial service; for one, he said he thinks using up all the vendors could put the District in a bad situation. And two, because management issues will not be addressed while there is an outside company hired to do the job. "As long as there's that outside person in there, we can't fix the management," he said.
MSAD 15 Maintenance Director George Litrocapes said he hopes the new company, Wilson 5 Service Co., is a good company, but he said there still could be problems. "There are good companies out there," he said, "this one could be one of those. These people really give me the impression that they are going to be good," Litrocapes said.

Some changes have been made in hopes of a successful partnership with Wilson 5. There is a hierarchy of whom to report to, in addition to a night supervisor. Also, a district supervisor will be available at all times.
"We are at a point where we must be successful," said Burns. "The students deserve it, [and] the teachers deserve it."

Vice Chair Jim Hutchinson said that kids make more of a mess than someone in an office. "I think the problems we have are our expectations," he continued.

If Wilson 5 does not live up to the District's standards, as the previous four companies had not, then the district will have to be prepared to hire custodians and purchase equipment to do the job in-house. Based on the handout provided by Burns, the first year of Wilson 5's contract costs $214,620, a savings of $25,820 compared to what it would cost do the job in-house.

Over a three year period, Wilson 5 would save the district $91,568.
Board members gave Superintendent Victoria Burns permission to sign a contract with Wilson 5 provided they had satisfactory references. Both Board members Carmel Morin and Bennett were not in favor. Morin's reasoning was that he thinks it is the duty of the Board to make the decision to sign a contract, and not just the Superintendent. And Bennett was voting against the hiring of another outside vendor.

The Monument contacted the cleaning company for comment several times, but they did not return the phone calls. Wilson 5 begins their term on December 1.