THE COST of food supplied to the Garden Grove Unified School District will rise (Shutterstock).

By Tatum Foulger/Orange County Tribune

The Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education agreed to price increases for food services yet again at its meeting Tuesday night.

On Sept. 15, 2020, the board accepted bids for food service supplies. The bid specifications contained a price escalation clause for price adjustments. Individual Food Service is now requesting this escalation due to manufacturer price increases, worldwide disruption of supply chains and rising freight charges.

Staff is recommending that the board approve a 37.8 percent price increase from Individual Food Service for Bid No. 2003 for food service supplies. The increases are within the bid terms and are still the most cost-effective means to procure the products and supplies.

In just the last month, the board has also accepted price escalations for other services such as pool supplies, construction, and audio-visual equipment.

After questions about the district’s ability to continue to accept price escalations for different services, it was assured that the GGUSD had already previously planned for price increases by predicting future escalation clauses, inflation, and different factors given the industry. The effect this will have, if any, on the average price of meals for students remains unclear.

Also Tuesday night, the board conferred with labor negotiators as well as the superintendent, assistant superintendent, and members of personnel services in a closed session. No action has been taken at this moment.

The meeting also revealed Jennifer Tran’s time as the district’s student representative is coming to an end. At Tuesday’s meeting she announced an election will be underway in the next couple of weeks to determine who her successor will be.

The next board meeting is set for Tuesday, May 17. The board will meet at 7 p.m. in the district offices at 10331 Stanford Ave., Garden Grove. The GGUSD is a K-12 district serving most of Garden Grove and portions of Anaheim, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Santa Ana, Stanton and Westminster.