School Vandalism Increases

Increased glass .breakage amounting to a replacement cost of $17,031.52 was reported to the Board of Education last night by Director of Operations Ralph LaJeunesse. In the current budget, $ 1 0 , 0 00 was included to replace broken glass, but so far this year, LaJeunesse told the board, broken glass has increased greatly. The expenditure to replace broken glass I is exclusive of the Pioneer High vandalism in September, he said. LaJeunesse asked the board to consider a transfer of funds amounting to an additional $10,000. " T h i s amount, if transferred, still may not be sufficient to carry us through this year," he said. "We may be forced to request more funds at a later date if the current rate of glass breakage does not substantially reduce during the winter months." Glass is being replaced with plastic materials, according to the director of operations. He said the materials were considerably more expensive than regular glass but are relatively unbreakable. The actual expenditure for ffasS replacement in 1969-70 was $10,778.33. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 18 last year th e $17,031.52 total includes replacement costs for 34 buildings in the school district. Highest expenditures for glass breakage was at Northside School, which amounted to $3,559.99. Forsythe Junior High received $2,240.42 worth of damages and Pioneer High was the third most expensive, with $1,825.81. "It is difficult to identify persons responsible for glass breakage in most cases," said LaJeunesse, "because it is mostly atnight." In response to the board's request to review the school laundry operation, LaJeunesse reported it was apparent that the present system is considerably less expensive- about 200 per cent less- than contracting for these servies. Based on the 1970-71 budget, the annual expenditures for laundry opreations was $33,755. The estimated cost, I according to LaJeunesse, for I contracting to an outside I laundry was $107,388.88. Supt. W. Scott Westerman, after hearing the report said, "I don't know if I should ask this but whose sheets and bedspreads are we laundering?" Following a brief outburst oL laughter from the trustees and audience, LaJeunesse responded that they were used for the schools climcal facilities. ■