Teacher raises concerns about custodial outsourcing; superintendent says long‑tenured custodians can stay on payroll

At a Dougherty County School Board meeting, Jasmine Gilbert, an educator, asked the board to pause and consider how outsourcing custodial services could affect school culture, safety and trust.

"Many of our current custodians...are familiar faces who have built relationships with students, parents, administrators, and even families," Gilbert said, asking the board to explain vendor vetting and background requirements and to describe how the district would ensure accountability and continuity.

Superintendent Dyer responded that the district had discussed outsourcing in prior meetings and summarized commitments made in the contract process: "No custodians will lose their job as a result of this. Those custodians with at least 5 years of service have the option to stay on the Dougherty County School System payroll," he said. Dyer added that contractor employees must complete background checks and that the district insisted on a $15 minimum wage and comparable benefit offerings for contracted custodial staff.

Dyer said HR and the contractor had met with affected employees and were conducting individual reviews to show what the financial impacts would be; he described steps to keep employees in their current building assignments where possible and to transfer benefits such as supplemental retirement contributions into a contractor 401(k) option if employees moved to the contractor payroll.

The exchange left several practical questions open — including how the district would manage turnover and preserve community relationships — but the superintendent emphasized the district's intent to maintain pay and benefits and to minimize disruption.