By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The consent agenda at a board of education meeting is usually the easy part. The USD 428 Board of Education entered into a healthy debate Monday evening regarding food services to the new Bright Beginnings childcare facility in Great Bend. Board Member Chad Burroughs voiced the loudest concern to Superintendent Khris Thexton.
"When the daycare was first announced, before the first shovel of dirt was turned over, I was approached by a taxpayer who was concerned and he heard that the district was going to provide meals for this daycare," Burroughs said. "They said, 'Why are my tax dollars for the school district paying for meals at the daycare?' I came to you, and that's when you said I don't think that's something we're going to be interested in doing.
"When I saw this new contract on here, we're in the education business. We're not in the daycare business. This is going to, I believe, set a precedent. All daycares are having a hard time making ends meet with the rising cost of everything. I'll be the bad guy, it doesn't matter to me. If we set the precedent for this daycare, what will stop the other daycares just down the alley here from saying we need to cut costs. We'll pay the $3.50 a plate and it will be one less thing we have to worry about?"
Thexton said, upon learning of the need for food services at Bright Beginnings, he approached USD 428 Food Services Director Kristy Alvord to see what kind of impacts assisting the daycare would have on her staff and finances.
"We've had a lot of situations where we've worked with the rec department, the city," Thexton said. "We've had these opportunities to help make our community better. This is a program that's needed in our community. We don't have enough childcare facilities. This is an opportunity to help them get on their feet, get them moving forward."
Board President Jacquie Disque asked Alvord how many meals a day the district would be providing. Alvord said the district is currently providing meals for 10 students, and the pair discussed what additional students would mean for the district.
"It doesn't matter whether I'm making 500 servings of chili in a big pot or 530, it's one person making it," Alvord said. "It's all the same, so it's not really increasing my labor too much at all."
Alvord also explained that, with the new Little Panthers Preschool, the district will be making fewer stops to transport lunches to schools. Bright Beginnings is not off the district's normal route, and any staff or fuel expenses would be paid for through the lunches and breakfasts. The board did approve increases for preschool meals to total $3.85 for breakfast and lunch at the preschool level. The district would charge Bright Beginnings $5 for the same meals.
Disque asked when Bright Beginnings expects to have its own kitchen, to which Thexton said the latest expected date is 2026.
"This is a short-term thing," he said. "We could be in this one year and done. Like I said, with the partnership they've created to get this thing off the ground, it put a little more urgency on helping them."
The board continued with questions. Randy Wetzel asked about federal grant requirements and if a kitchen was included in plans for Bright Beginnings. Board Vice President Aaron Emerson asked Alvord if there are any laws restricting a school district from providing meals to a daycare. Alvord said there were not. Burroughs asked if the 12-month contract with Bright Beginnings had already been signed.
"Are we committed?" she responded. "No, it's not signed, but we did tell them we would help them out."
Thexton said Alvord has already helped Bright Beginnings by instructing them what equipment they would need to cook and serve food.
"If we go that way where it's not signed and moved forward, I'll need to notify them so they can make other arrangements moving forward," he said.
Burroughs then made a motion to not sign the contract. There was no second to the motion, thus the motion failed.
"I'm just afraid it's going to set too big of a precedent for other daycares and it's going to open us up into a wormhole I don't think we can get ourselves into and be viewed as playing favorites," he said. "It's been a concern when it was first announced to me and for the taxpayers. We get enough grief for raising the mill levy and tax increases. I just can't do it."
Disque also balked at a 12-month contract before knowing how and when the district would be reimbursed. Alvord said the contract could be shortened but not lengthened past a year. Assistant Superintendent John Popp and Alvord discussed that the current contract does require payment within 30 days of services. Disque suggested the district try a six-month contract that could be renewed before it expires.
"That will give you until Christmas," she said, "and I think it would give us a good idea, if we have other daycares present and ask the question, 'Why can't we do this as well.'"
Popp said he was not concerned a contract with Bright Beginnings would set a precedent, and that the daycare does have a second option with food services from USD 431 Hoisington.
"I get that it could open up a thing with other daycares, but honestly, we're not obligated to provide anything for any daycare at any point," Popp said. "I don't believe this opens up any kind of precedent we would have to comply with. This is a one-time special situation to support an entity that is trying to get off the ground for something we desperately need in this community, which is daycare. If we partner with them for a year or six months, personally, I felt it looked a little bit bad if we allowed a different school district to provide lunches for these kiddos when we're right here."
The board had already scheduled a special meeting for Wednesday, June 26 at 7:30 a.m. Members agreed to approve increases in lunch and breakfast fees during Monday's meeting but agreed to table a vote on the Bright Beginnings contract until the June 26 meeting.