Published: July 07, 2008 11:58 am      

Mineral County Board of Education also facing potential hike this year

KEYSER, W.Va. - The Mineral County Board of Education will consider the second increase in the price of school meals in less than a year when members meet tonight.

The board voted last August to raise the prices of school meals by 10 cents, citing the increased cost of food as the reason.

At the time, Superintendent of Schools Skip Hackworth warned the board that should the 10-cent increase not adequately cover the expense of the meals, he might have to return with a request for an additional increase during the second semester.

Hackworth never proposed that second increase, but the prices of gasoline and food have continued to escalate since then. Today, he is scheduled to present the board with a proposal for a 15-cent increase in the cost of student breakfasts and lunches.

"We have to at least cover the actual cost of the meal for those who pay full price," Associate Superintendent and Treasurer Steve Peer said, noting that the cost of food and labor have continued to skyrocket over the past year.

The increase would take effect for the 2008-2009 school year.

"We would like to keep our meals as affordable as possible," Hackworth told the board members, noting that other school systems upped their prices last fall by as much as 25 cents.

"I personally appreciate you just raising it by a little bit," president Mary Aronhalt said at the time. "It's hard on some families."

Vice president Terry LaRue also expressed his concern about the increase, noting that $1.10 per meal may not seem like much, but "you have to multiply that by five."

Larger families, he said, may find the costs prohibitive.

Monday, Hackworth is expected to ask the board to increase that $1.10 per lunch to $1.25 for elementary students.

The present cost for secondary students, $1.35, would increase to $1.50 if the board accepts his recommendation.

Breakfasts would raise from 70 cents to 85 cents for both elementary and secondary meals.

The teachers eating breakfast and/or lunch at the schools would bear a greater increase in cost, with Hackworth proposing that their meals be raised by 25 cents.

That would bring adult breakfasts from $2.75 to $3 and lunches from $3.50 to $3.75.

The board is also scheduled to consider bids for milk and bread products for the hot lunch program.

The meeting will get under way at 6 p.m. in the administrative offices at 1 Baker Place.

Contact Liz Beavers at lbeavers@times-news.com.