Custodial Switch Not Smooth, But 'We're Seeing Improvements Each Day'

Two managers from GCA, the company now providing custodial services in Montville schools, at Tuesday's Board of Education meeting.

GCA's Jim Calamia and Montville's on-site manager Jared DiRese addressed recent issues with the new staff and outlined future pursuits of the staff throughout the school system.

"Being a dad myself, I like to know that my kid is going to a clean school," DiRese said.

DiRese and Calamia acknowledged problems that surfaced during the transition process and highlighted steps being taken to correct them and keep the new janitors on track. Calamia noted that the constant presence of DiRese and other managers would ensure a successful transition and an immediate response to future issues.

"We have one additional manager on staff full time," Calamia said. "Starting tomorrow we're also going to have some adminstrative support for the next couple of weeks to make sure that all of our loose ends are tied up and the communication process between the district and our office is clear and that we have a quick response to any issues that may come up."

DiRese, who will serve as the permanent full-time on-site manager, said that the input from parents and staff has been helpful and GCA has recently been adjusting the custodial staff to meet the recreational needs at the schools. He stressed that progress was being made and that a full transition will take time.

"Although in the transition we're seeing improvements each day," he said. "In a big transition like this, everything's not going to be ironed out right from the get-go. As long as we're seeing positive improvement each day it's going to be a big benefit to the community."

Board of Education Business Administrator Jim Tevis, who has been providing updates on the custodial outsourcing initiative for several months, said the timing of the transition has presented unique challenges for the school district.

"I think it's important to point out that this is a mid-year transition," Tevis said. "Typically when a school district outsources its custodial functions, it's done generally at the end of the school year, so they have the summer months to transition when there really aren't any students in the building."

Calamia and DeRese both confirmed that buildings would have black seal operators and individuals with boiler certification as of Wednesday.

Board of Education policy and personnel chairman Jon Alin praised the "courteous attitude" of the new staff and inquired on the hiring status of the schools' previous janitors.

"We hired two individuals," DiRese said. "One of them decided it would not be a successful operation for her particular situation. Then we had another individual that was hired at the high school and he lasted about a week and he got a job with the Board of Education in another district."

Tevis said the two former custodial employees GCA hired were the only two from the community who applied.

Margaret Gorski, who lives in Pine Brook, asked how many of the new employees are new to GCA and whether or not there was a list of daily tasks for them to perform. Gorski also pointed out some of the issues with the new staff, including reports of buildings not being locked and snow not being cleared.

"Most of the staff that GCA has been bringing in is new to them as well," Tevis said. "There are some staff that they brought in from other districts, probably something like one-third, but the other two-thirds are new to them as well."

Tevis said that task schedules were being administered to the employees and that he was holding weekly meetings with the GCA managers. He acknowledged that bumps in the road had come up, but keeping from repeating the same bumps was key to the success of the new initiative.

"I was curious of the expectations," Gorski said. "I know there's a learning curve, I think we all do, but what are they being held accountable for?"

"The are being held accountable," Tevis said. "And they will be."