Committee interviewing firms

Photo taken during the 5 p.m. interview with Grand Rapids Building Services (GRBS.)

Paul Beardslee, Dan Stulberg and John Coulter of the Marshall Board of Education are currently interviewing the three finalist firms for a potential private custodial services contract with Marshall Public Schools. Also conducting the interviews are Director of Finance and Operationa Amy Jones, Supt. Dr. Joyce Phillips and custodial supervisor, Bill Armstrong. Grand Rapids Building Services impressed Board President Vic Potter, he said after their representatives were the first to speak. Next at 6:15 p.m. is United Commercial Services (UCS,) followed by Enviro-Clean at 7:30 p.m. GRBS said it has 16 school districts in Michigan as clients, 800 employees and has been in business for 92 years. They said they would take applications from local community members and that only on average, two existing staff lands a job with their firm. The firm's president, Rex Kuhn, sidestepped a question from Beardslee, however, about whether John Q. Public could call him with questions and concerns, saying only that his office is open to questions from their clients. After the interview, Kuhn was quizzed about his lack of response to the Chronicle's calls for comment last week and replied that he simply felt it was not a good time to comment. Regarding John Q. Public, Kuhn said his staff does not have time to field calls from anyone and everyone including parents of students though client school district questions and concerns would receive responses. See this weekend's Chronicle for more on this process. The board is slated to vote on whether to privatize custodial services Monday, Aug. 13.