Nashoba Regional School Committee Reorganizes, Hears Opposition to Food-Service Outsourcing

PEPPERELL -- June 10, 2026, Nashoba Regional School Committee reorganizes and hears strong opposition to a food-service outsourcing proposal from the district's only bidder, Whitsons School Nutrition. At the June 10 organizational meeting, members unanimously re-elected Leah Viverrita as chair, elected Scott Powell vice chair by secret ballot over Jillian Cuda, and elected Shonda secretary unanimously, seating four new members including Lexi Fulton of Lancaster and Lenny Golder of Stowe. Roughly 30 attendees, most of them food-service employees and union members, packed the room for public comment, with workers arguing that the district's cafeteria program already runs a $300,000 annual surplus and that the Whitsons bid amounts to "one-tenth of one percent of the school budget" in potential savings, in the words of cook Ruth Maynard. Union representative Fiona Nelson called the proposal "retaliatory and anti-labor," saying the RFP was issued after the NREA filed for arbitration over working conditions. Lancaster parent Ross Whitson challenged the procurement timeline, noting vendors had just 30 days to respond after the district spent more than five months preparing the RFP. Assistant Superintendent Ross Mulcair told the committee that Whitsons' proposal guarantees the district a $375,000 return over a three-year contract, funds that must remain within food services, and confirmed that all current employees covered by the UNC collective bargaining agreement would retain their district positions, with Whitsons responsible only for new hires through attrition. No vote was scheduled; additional summer meetings are expected before the committee acts.