Louise schools expect to hire custodians
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

Louise ISD likely will bring custodial services in-house next school year after two years of privatized services simply didn't work out.

The district privatized custodial and maintenance services in May 2005, hoping to save $53,000 per year by hiring Industrial Quality Services, Inc. of Houston to do the work for $138,000 per year.

"We were losing a lot of money at that time, I felt," Superintendent Andy Peters said Monday, adding the company has been "extremely successful" at every other district for which it performs custodial services, but not in Louise

"I've never been happy with (IQS)," he told trustees during their meeting Monday night.

Peters recently talked with the company's president about the district's contract, which expires in May.

"He can't find people to come to work here," Peters said. "He won't reapply" for the work when the contract expires.

"Actually, it was mutually agreed," he said. "We are so small that these firms can't make money and provide us with the quality of service we need."

Peters said the district will have to take the work back inhouse, and "figure out how to do it in a cost-effective way."

Before privatization, several custodians worked regular day shifts, which Peters said is not the time of day when their services were most required. They also were on year-round contracts, which Peters said likely won't reoccur.

He suggested trustees consider staggered shifts when budget workshops begin this fall, and trustees start working through the details of the situation.

"I really think if we're careful and restructure it well, we'll be fine," he said.

The last time the custodial contract was put out for bids, in spring 2007, IQS was the only bidder. At that time, trustees hired a separate company to do grounds-keeping work, and that contract will not change.