NK-Arnold food head ousted

Lunchtime in New Kensington-Arnold School District might never be the same.

So say those who worked under the district's food services director of the past nine years, Jim Sheridan.

Sheridan, 35, this month was removed from his duties by the company he worked for, the firm that handles the district's food contract, Sodexho Marriott Services.

The decision has sparked controversy, confusion and Sheridan's resignation.

During Wednesday night's school board meeting, more than 20 of the district's cafeteria employees demanded an answer from district officials as to why they endorsed Sheridan's removal, operating under the assumption the district was responsible for the decision.

District officials, however, responded with confusion, saying they played no hand in Sheridan's removal and only recently were notified by Sodexho of Sheridan's fate.

'He (Sheridan) is not our employee,' board president Mary Jo Retzer said. 'We have no jurisdiction where his placement will be.'

A Sodexho spokesman was unavailable for comment Wednesday night.

In a telephone interview after the meeting, Sheridan said that the events surrounding his removal were at the least 'confusing.'

Two weeks ago, he said he was told by his supervisors that the district was requesting a new food services director and that he had the option to transfer - an option that offered either less job security or less pay.

Then last week, Sheridan said, his supervisors told him he was being removed of their volition. 'They really didn't even give a reason,' he said.

Sheridan's wife, Robin, spoke to district officials Wednesday night on her husband's behalf, relaying what Sodexho had said initially but then recanted.

Fighting back tears, she told the board she and her husband didn't know what to believe.

'I don't think you would ever find a nicer person or a harder worker,' Robin Sheridan said.

Those who worked for Jim Sheridan during the nine years he worked for the district said much the same, calling him 'a great man' and 'a tremendous worker.'

'He's done everything for the district,' said Sis Fabian, president of Local 585 of the Service Employees International Union. 'He's bent over backwards.'

'He kept a nice atmosphere for us,' said Donise Valetta. 'Even the kids loved him.'

Sheridan said he doesn't know what to think about the situation. The events surrounding it led him to resign Wednesday night.

'There was going to be a dead end no matter what,' he said.

After the meeting, board member Mike Rodites upheld the contention of district officials that they played no part in Sheridan's removal, adding, not knowing of Sheridan's decision to resign they would investigate and might request that Sodexho keep Sheridan as food services director.

Michael Aubele can be reached at maubele@tribweb.com