ISHPEMING – The Negaunee school board will meet tonight to discuss, among other agenda items, an Upper Peninsula Power Company right of way easement, the approval of a contract with their custodial staff and a food program contract.

Negaunee Public Schools superintendent Jim Derocher said the U.P. Power Company has asked the school board for a right of way easement on school district-owned land in order to bring a supply line in to their substation at the corner of Baldwin Avenue and US41.

“They’re trying to upgrade the electrical service to the city of Negaunee and we’re going to be working with them to be able to provide that upgrade,” Derocher said.

Derocher said the board is also expected to approve a three-year contract with United Steelworkers International for the school district’s custodial staff.

Additionally, Derocher said there will be a recommendation made to the board at tonight’s meeting to enter into a contract with Chartwells USA to run the schools’ food program. Chartwells, a division of Compass Group North America, provides institutional foods to schools across the country. Upon entering into a contract with Chartwells, Derocher said the company will hire a food service director to oversee the schools’ food programs, but will keep all of the schools’ current food service employees.

The meeting will be held tonight at 7 p.m. at the Negaunee High School library.

Zach Jay can be reached at 906-486-4401. His email address is zjay@miningjournal.net.