District 99 is considering outsourcing their Custodial Maintenance and Grounds (CMG) department.
Should this transition take place, a third-party company would take over the responsibilities of this department, including scheduling, training, hiring and more. The district is in contact with SSC Services for Education to take on this role.
SSC would offer positions to all CMG employees at their current salaries. The company also promises to provide “similar benefits” to staff that choose to take jobs, according to the District 99 Board of Education.
At the public board meeting on Monday, March 17, some community members brought up concerns about this proposal. Current CMG employees pay into a federal pension fund. Working for a third-party company would freeze this fund, possibly altering retirement financial plans.
“I know many talk about [how] the IMRF accessibility is a big deal for them. We don’t know specific details of insurance and things like that. So that is kind of the unknown,” Supervisor of Building and Grounds Mike Reyes said.
Dawn Nelson is a DGS parent and is running for a position on the school board in the next election cycle.
“How are you going to tell somebody you’re starting over with a 401K after they paid into the IMRF for so long? There are huge repercussions, and it makes no sense,” Nelson said of the retirement benefits SSC offers.
According to the Board of Education president Don Renner, outsourcing CMG would cut spending. Renner explained this is necessary due to uncertainties with federal and state funding.
“I understand that we are being sold on the idea that no one will lose their jobs and the school will save money, but both those things can’t be true. A corporation has to make more money year after year, and they will do that by turning the CMG jobs into understaffed, minimum wage jobs with poor to no benefits. We’ve said we want those jobs in that building and have no interest in short term savings, and in the shadow of the jumbotron, even entertaining the idea of saving money at the cost of 60 plus CMG employees who keep everything running smoothly is an insult,” community member Frank Ross said.
Several board and community members believe this transition would impact interpersonal relationships between staff and students. They are concerned this would affect the dynamic within the school.
Additionally, many CMG employees are opposing the outsourcing of their department. They’ve developed bonds within District 99 and would like to continue with their current employer.
“I’m more worried about other people,” maintenance engineer Kevin Covidkovsack said. “This is our second family, these people are my brothers and sisters. I hurt more for them than I hurt for myself.”
There will be a public hearing regarding the CMG staffing decision on April 21.
