Every three years at MLWGS, it comes time for a new contract to be given to a group to provide lunch services.
On January 20, an advertisement was posted on the MLWGS website asking for proposals to be submitted from vendors by Friday, February 27. Prospective vendors were invited to a pre-submission conference and tour of the facilities on Thursday, February 19.
“We have taken groups on walk-throughs,” said Mr. Phil Tharp. “And Ms. Jones of course does not need a tour… At this time I am expecting three proposals.”
When the Governor’s School changed buildings from Thomas Jefferson to Maggie Walker, the Chesterfield County Public School system was initially in charge of providing lunch services for the students.
Chesterfield did this at a loss of $20,000 a year. After two years the school was faced with either finding a new vendor to provide lunch or find a way to offset the debt that Chesterfield County was accumulating.
Since then, the Regional School Board has awarded three-year contracts to bidders. The school provides all of the equipment at an estimated cost of $107,224.39, and covers the cost of utilities. The school makes no profit off of the sale of lunches. All of this is done in order to allow the vendor to turn a profit while offering reasonable prices.
The current vendor, Cake Sculptures by Michael, will not even be sending in a proposal for a new contract. Mr. Michael Wilson, the owner, said that he has only been able to serve 20% of the students and faculty. While he cited the nation’s current economic troubles, other reasons Mr. Wilson gave were that MLWGS only has one lunch period and clubs meet during lunch.
“My time here at Maggie Walker has been rewarding,” said Mr. Wilson. “I have enjoyed the relationships I have made with the students and faculty here… Unfortunately, it is no longer economically viable.”
A member of Mr. Wilson’s staff, Ms. Pamela Jones, is submitting a proposal. She is Mr. Wilson’s business manager, and she is submitting the proposal from the vendor Serve1.
One point on the advertisement that many students are excited about is the listing of breakfast from 7:45-8:30am under serving times.
“It is good thing that they might bring breakfast back,” said Dan Laws. (’11). “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
Ms. Pamela Jones, currently a cashier for the MLWGS cafeteria, has submitted a bid for next year’s food service. Photo by Charles Condro.
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