Cafeteria director outlines spend-down plan as fund balance exceeds target

Lindsay, the district's cafeteria director, told the board the cafeteria fund balance remains higher than the recommended three months of expenditures and described planned purchases to draw down the surplus.

"We're only supposed to be keeping a 3 months' worth of expenditures in our cafeteria fund. So we're above and beyond that," Lindsay said, outlining purchases that include TVs for new menu boards and potential new transit vehicles for the summer feeding program. She also noted some temporary menu changes at the high school were made to address short staffing.

Administration recommended exploring an RFP to identify outside food-service management support that would advise on menu changes, staffing use and equipment — explicitly described as supportive, not a replacement for current staff. "We were suggesting ... considering doing an RFP as part of that spend down plan to, see what services might be available to advise us on cafeteria processes," an administrator said.

Next steps: administration will continue identified purchases, explore potential equipment and vehicle options, develop RFP language for board review if members concur, and monitor the effect of CEP data changes on cafeteria revenue.