Custodians fight outsourcing and save district money

HORTON, MI — Hanover-Horton School District custodians defied the odds and not only kept their jobs after threats of outsourcing, but actually saved the district money in the process, according to the Jackson Citizen Patriot.

According to the story, two years ago, the Hanover-Horton School Board agreed to keep the current custodial staff if they made some cutbacks and worked toward more efficient practices.

Custodians took concessions, including accepting limited insurance benefits and fewer hours, to ensure their job security, the story stated.

The district, on top of purchasing $38,000 in equipment that greatly increased productivity and reduced man hours, brought in consultants who taught new cleaning techniques to save time and helped the custodial department establish benchmarks, the story noted.

Superintendent Linda Brian said: "We really operate now like the private companies do. "

The custodial department, which was a runner-up for a National Custodial Leaders for Environmental Advocacy Nationwide (CLEAN) Award from the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA), the National Education Association Health Information Network (NEAHIN) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was able to reduce operating costs by 22 percent, from $641,425 in the 2006-2007 school year to $502,112 in 2008-2009, the story added.

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