Beach schools increase meal prices, cover staff pensions

The School Board on Tuesday gave with one hand and took with the other.

First, the board approved an increase to meal prices that will make them most expensive in the region. Then they voted to cover pension payments for new employees.

Fifteen cent increases for full-price breakfast and lunch will bring the prices to $1.15 and $2.15, respectively. The price hike was needed to keep the food services program from losing money, according to adminstrators.

Lunch prices last went up two years ago. Breakfast prices had been steady for nine years.

The board approved the increase on a 9-1 vote, with Brent Mckenzie against. He said he opposed increasing lunch prices during a recession.

"It's going to hit our poorest families the hardest," he said. Reduced-price meals will remain 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch.

The prices are the highest in South Hampton Roads, but food services director Jay Ratliff said that statewide, 39 school divisions will have higher breakfast prices and 40 will have higher lunch pricesthan Virginia Beach this fall. He said it costs more to make lunches that incorporate fresh, local ingredients, a recent initiative in Beach schools.

The board also voted to cover the employee portion of pension payments for new employees for the next year, at an estimated cost of about $565,000. The money will be taken from dozens of line items.

Board chairman Dan Edwards said he doesn't think covering employee costs is sustainable in the long term. Beach schools didn't plan to cover the employee portion until learning a few weeks ago that only about six school divisions statewide, and none locally, were asking employees to pay.

"I don't think we can afford to go it alone," Edwards said. "I don't want to reduce take-home pay, but next year we need to look at options such as this."