By LINDA KELLETT

C-S-E News Staff

FORT PLAIN — In the absence of an anticipated food services arrangement with the Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES District in the upcoming fiscal year, members of the Fort Plain Board of Education Tuesday night were asked to once again consider a shared food service arrangement with St. Johnsville and Canajoharie school districts.

During the school board meeting in the Harry Hoag School Conference Room, district Business Manager Carl Rockefeller explained that the proposed arrangement with BOCES “did not work out this year, so we’re going back to our original plan” — that is, sharing the cost of a food services manager with Canajoharie and St. Johnsville districts.

As in the current budget year, the proposed food service contracts provide for Lauri Dahlin to work at Fort Plain two days a week, Canajoharie two days, and St. Johnsville, one.

Board member Jeffrey Jones asked for more information, and District Superintendent Douglas Burton said the arrangement with BOCES didn’t materialize because of a “personnel issue within the BOCES program.”

At the request of board member Rusty Capece, additional discussion on the matter was held during executive session, with a vote on the contracts expected during open session at the end of the meeting.

Also during the meeting, Rockefeller noted that the district is once again planning to enter into cooperative purchasing resolutions with the Delaware-Chenango-Madison-Otsego BOCES District.

He said, “It’s worked out well for us. In many instances, these prices we’re getting from that cooperative purchasing is well below state-contract prices.”

Rockefeller said there is “a good set-up” to assure the quality of the supplies and equipment. He recommended that the district continue the service.

The district’s fee to participate is about $5,000, he said.

Capece asked if local vendors have had an opportunity to submit bids.

Rockwell said there may be issues for some local business people in the delivery of services across the area encompassed by the district.

He added, “Anybody we are currently doing business with, we’ve forwarded that information onto their people.”

A motion to adopt the cooperative purchasing resolution was unanimously approved.

Finally, Burton noted the St. Johnsville Board of Education approved the transportation agreement with Fort Plain.

He said, “We’re continuing to look at more opportunities,” noting the districts may be able to work out a shared arrangement for 12-month students.

With regard to the cooperative transportation agreement, board member Ronald Kardash praised the efforts of those who worked out the details of the contract. He said, “I think this really shows that we’re really interested in saving this district money, and we’re on the right track.”