Southeast Polk renews food-service contracts and approves interfund transfer to cover food-service indirect costs

The Southeast Polk Community School District board on June 11 approved one-year renewals for food-service vendors and authorized an interfund transfer to account for indirect costs associated with food-service operations.

The board approved a one-year renewal contract with Martin Brothers Distributing for food supplies and chemicals and with Alfredo Fresh Produce Company for produce for the 2026–27 school year. Board members also moved and approved awards for dairy and bread vendors as listed on the agenda; on the dairy award one member (Grant) registered an abstention.

Administrators explained the annual practice of transferring the lesser of the state-proposed indirect-cost amount or the actual administrative costs identified in food service. For the 2025–26 year staff estimated the interfund transfer will be about $160,000 to cover administrative costs recorded in the general fund that relate to food service. District staff emphasized this is an accounting transfer — not a net increase in district spending — and that some food-service purchases (certain equipment and supplies) must be recorded in the general fund under accounting rules.

Votes recorded on these items were taken by roll call. Board members also briefed each other on an Iowa Department of Agriculture pilot that matched local-produce purchases for participating districts, which one board member suggested the district consider pursuing in future years.

What happens next: Contracts and vendor renewals will be executed for the 2026–27 school year and the finance office will complete the interfund transfer as part of year-end accounting.