The Andalusia City Board of Education voted to accept the low bid for janitorial services at two of its schools, but not without opposition.
X-Tra Clean submitted the low bid at Andalusia Middle School of $45,701.46 and $73,152.66 at Andalusia High School for annual service.

ACS Superintendent Dr. Beverly McAnulty said the bids included “total cleaning and a day porter,” which means the company will thoroughly clean the schools at night, but will have personnel pick up trash during the day.

McAnulty said this included clean up at special events, except home football and baseball games.

“We will more than likely contract for the five home football games,” she said. “And we will approach baseball when the time comes.”
Board member Joe Nix, who cast the only no vote, questioned McAnulty on the cost savings of having a cleaning service as opposed to having school-employed custodians.

“The worst case scenario is that we break even,” she said. “Our best case is that we save $20,000 to $30,000.”

McAnulty said she was only asking the board to accept the bid and was not cutting any custodial jobs yet.

UNISERV representative Vivian Jones questioned the board’s efforts.
“I heard a ‘yet.’ Is this the beginning of efforts to privatize cleaning?” Jones said.

McAnulty said it was.

Jones questioned the board for laying off teachers, while moving to contract janitorial services.

“All state units have been filled,” McAnulty said. “This will be paid for with local funds.

The only other bid submitted was from Southern Management. The bids were $71,076 at Andalusia Middle School and $123,330 at Andalusia High School.

In other business, the board voted to expel one student for the upcoming school year. The student will not be eligible to attend school in the system until the 2011-2012 school year.