The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Like almost everyone, they could use more staff
by Mark Reaman
The job market is tight pretty much everywhere up and down the valley. In the food service industry, it’s not just local restaurants having a tough time filling positions; it’s also the public realm such as at the Crested Butte Community School.
The local school cafeteria staff is down a worker and that has some impact on a growing school dining service where 750 students are enrolled and on a big day some 285 lunches are served. Add to that a la carte lunch sales, 45 full breakfasts and more a la carte sales such as breakfast sandwiches and muffins before classes start.
School nutrition director Kristen Osborn has been in the position three years and says the CBCS cafeteria is getting busier every year. Using September as a benchmark, Osborn said that, as an example, there are about 3,800 lunches served in a month. That has been relatively consistent over the last several years. She said the first meal of the day, however, has seen a significant increase in numbers. “Breakfast sales in Crested Butte have gone up a few hundred per month so far this year. This is likely due to the hot breakfast trays available at Titan Time this year,” she explained. “This is a great way to get the students a complete breakfast.”
But when the staff is down a person, adjustments have to be made. “If we’re short-staffed, we try to get subs. Subs are not regularly available, so mostly the Crested Butte cafeteria runs with one less staff member,” Osborn outlined in an email. “When they are down an employee, sometimes there will be just one cashier (normally there are two) and the other cashier goes back in the kitchen to help serve, dish, or prep. When we do this, we close the a la carte side of the cafeteria and just keep the hot breakfast and lunch side open. This makes it easier on the cashier; otherwise it is an overwhelming crush with the a la carte side and hot tray side. I will help out now and then on very busy days if there is no sub available. So will both principals in the school. We try to avoid using disposables in terms of serving dishes, but if we have to use them due to being short-staffed, we’ll choose a less environmentally detrimental option such as paper plates rather than Styrofoam or plastic.”
Other adjustments could include the menu if necessary. Osborn said, “If we are down one or two people we might have to change the menu—for example, swap the popular pizza day with another day or serve something simpler that involves less prep. But mostly, the staff is still able to prep and serve the regular menu.”
The increasing volume is an issue but so is the time available in the lunchroom for students. “Elementary grades have just 20 minutes to come through the serving line, get rung up, eat, and clean up. All middle and high school each have just 30 minutes for the same,” Osborn explained. “For the kitchen staff it requires a lot of prep, focus and efficiency. It is pretty intense for the cashier, too. Also … good coordination with the custodial and teaching staff who supervise at lunch is vital to keeping it all running smooth.”
Full kitchen staff is six people, including the manager. The pay isn’t great and it isn’t bad but the benefits can be a draw. “We have been down one before and it is challenging for the whole staff but they can make it work. The open kitchen staff position pays $12 to $12.99 an hour based on experience and includes benefits, including health insurance for a nine-month position.” Osborn noted.
Other benefits include ten paid holidays plus nine paid annual leave days per year. A $25,000 life insurance policy is paid by the school district and 100 percent of an employee’s single health care premium is paid by the Re1J. There is year-round access to additional voluntary benefits such as dental and vision insurance, retirement plans, and Health Care FSA (Flexible Spending Account) is available.
“I just think there are fewer people in the valley looking for work right now,” Osborn continued. “I haven’t heard of housing being an issue for this position. Of course not having affordable housing may preclude people from living here and applying. So far it doesn’t seem like housing has affected our staff. Most people already live in the area and I haven’t heard of anyone having to leave due to lack of housing. More affordable options might bring in more people who could apply for kitchen positions. We have a kitchen staff position that needs to be filled, which includes prep, serving, dish, and cleaning. That should do it!”
In an ideal world, Osborn said, the CBCS would “have a full kitchen staff, more time for students to come through the line, eat, and clean up. We would have a longer list of subs to call when we are down and more space in the cafeteria. The tray return area can get pretty crowded, especially when younger students are trying to maneuver trays with items like soup or dump out beverage waste. Acoustics are in issue in the cafeteria too. It is pretty loud.”
So while this is not an optimal situation at the moment, Osborn concludes that having one more set of hands would be a big help. But overall, like at most food businesses in the valley, action is taken to keep it all rolling. “The kitchen staff works efficiently and cohesively in a high demand environment,” Osborn sums up. “It’s apparent that they care about students and serving quality meals and I see the appreciation from the students. Support and collaboration from the administration and rest of the school staff is crucial to running a smooth program, too. But we are eagerly awaiting an application.”
