At the Monday meeting of the Gainesville Board of Education, members brought up concerns about the system’s recent partnership with Southern Management for janitorial services.

At more than $103,000 per month, the contract with Southern Management went into effect July 1 and lasts for one year, with a renewal option for two years. However, the city school system has been outsourcing its cleaning services for around 25 years.

“I think outsourcing is an option that everyone looks at, particularly in terms of (health) insurance costs, salaries and benefits,” said Gainesville Superintendent Merrianne Dyer.

Hall County also has been outsourcing cleaning services for some time, phasing out its in-house janitorial services over the past three or so years. The decision was made to not eliminate positions in one fell swoop, but to make the move to outsourcing as county employees left the system.

Now, janitorial services are outsourced at 24 Hall schools.

The county system has an annual contract with GCA Services Group for approximately $2.5 million, said Damon Gibbs, executive director of facilities.

“If we have a Hall County custodian, if you take their salary, benefits, all of the costs for our equipment, supplies, paper products, everything, it costs us about $2 a square foot,” Gibbs said. “We can outsource it for about $1.15 a square foot.”

More at source: Gainesville Times 

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