With half of the employees within the food service program for Wareham Public Schools reportedly set to retire at the end of the school year, the district’s administrators and School Committee are discussing potentially privatizing the program in order to eliminate future losses.

At a special, informal meeting of the School Committee Thursday evening, officials said they would at the very least be putting out requests for proposals regarding the outsourcing of food services to private vendors.

Though officials initially looked into the possibility of privatizing custodial services as well, Superintendent Kimberly Shaver-Hood said there would be no changes in that regard, at least for the upcoming school year.

“We still would like to support our custodial service through fiscal year 2015,” she said. “We’ll get our budget under control and reevaluate at budget season next year.”

District Business Manager Michael MacMillan said that this year, the food service program is projected to lose around $60,000.

Though that figure is an improvement upon the $120,000 loss the district projected prior to the year, Shaver-Hood and others acknowledged a need to at least explore ways to reduce the losses.

“As it stands, our food service is running at a loss,” said MacMillan, noting that he and others had previously begun to explore options for balancing the losses accrued by the program, though nothing at this point has gone out to bid.

“If we don’t (explore other options), then we’re going to continue to run in the red and cut into the LEA budget,” said Shaver-Hood, who told the committee that the number of staff leaving was half of the entire food service staff.

Committee member Geoff Swett said that now would be a good time to consider outsourcing the food service because of the mass exodus within the staff.

“There is a potential for savings when it comes to privatizing the food service,” he said. “Now is a good time because half the staff is leaving.”

Shaver-Hood said though the district had seen an increase in participation with the lunch program, they would be looking into altering menus among other changes to try and reduce the program’s losses.

Committee member Rhonda Veugen said she the supports current food service program and the practice of hiring people from within Wareham to work within the schools, but she agreed that they needed to explore their options.

“I like that fact that the school system is an employer to Wareham residents. We’re able to provide opportunities for Wareham residents to work for our district and work for our kids,” said Veugen. “I would have to agree that we have to explore everything. This is what we should be doing as a community. If we’re not doing that then we’re doing a disservice.

“We have to go out there and ask for bids so we can make an informed decision,” she added.

MacMillan said there are several different options in terms of privatization, and if the district were to privatize, there would be no monetary loss for the district, even if the program loses money. He also said if there were a surplus, that money would go to the district.

“If there is a positive balance, they won’t take it,” he said. “They charge you a fee, and anything over and above that, the schools get that. It costs you either nothing, or you make a small surplus. There’s no loss associated.”

MacMillan said he’s spoken with a few vendors, though they have yet to solicit any bids.

Committee Chair Clifford Sylvia said he had some reservations when it comes to privatization within the school system.

“We as a committee have to decide,” he said. “We’ve got to come up with a conclusion as to whether or not to privatize our food service. My problem with privatizing…they really sell you a bowl of goods for the first contract and then you’re completely at their mercy."

He also voiced concern about what to do with some of the long-term workers that have put in years of service, only to have their jobs and pensions taken away from them.

“The long-term people…we’re going to pull the rug our from under them,” he said. “I have a problem with that.”

Committee member Melvin Lazarus said he understood that one of the requirements for privatizing requires the potential agency to hire from the pool of people already employed at the positions.

Shaver-Hood said that she’d put the requests for proposals out and would get back to the school committee with the results.