Councilors question school food contract in committee

Select Board · Meeting of March 19, 2026

Springfield councilors questioned the school food contract and a $1.9 million audit finding without taking a vote. At the City Council Finance Committee, Chair Zeta Gobin heard Tim Gray, who works for Pat Roach in school food service, defend a requested five-year contract now out to bid. Gray said Sodexo charges about 24.7 cents per meal and that the department disagreed with the audit's double-payment finding.

Councilor Whitfield said, "I want Pat Roach here next time." Councilor Martin said he had asked School Committee members and the mayor for a joint meeting. Gray said five companies attended the pre-bid tour and that the new contract was due to start July 1.

In the full story:

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• Springfield's community access TV: Finance Committee meeting, March 19, 2026
• The complete report: 787 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of March 19, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.