Massena school board members say no to plant-based food resolution

Apr. 28—MASSENA — A Massena Central School Board member didn't have the necessary backing of fellow board members to support a bill in the state legislature that seeks to amend education law by requiring public schools to offer plant-based food options in food service.

Robert M. LeBlanc had asked that the measure be put up for a vote, but it was defeated by a 5-3 margin. Voting in favor of supporting the bill were LeBlanc, Joyce Giroux and Susan B. Lambert, while Patricia F. Murphy, Zachary J. Monroe, Kevin F. Perretta, Paul A. Haggett and Daniel J. Tusa cast the dissenting votes.

Jodele L. Hammock was absent from the meeting.

Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, D-Manhattan, is one of the sponsors of a bill in the state legislature that seeks to require public schools to offer plant-based food options in food service.

The bill reads in part, "Upon request by a student or person in parental relation to the student, every public school shall offer the student a plant-based food option as an alternative to every meal or snack offered in food service to the student. All the public school's written material describing food offerings shall include the availability of a plant-based food option. The plant-based food option shall be offered at no additional cost to the student beyond what would be charged for a comparable non-plant-based food option."

The plant-based food option means food or beverages that are free of animal products "and, as relates to the protein portion of a meal, recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture as a meat alternate for purposes of the national school lunch program."

LeBlanc said plant-based meals offered "the most healthy option we can get, nothing very scary."

'It's just like what our grandparents were eating. It's very healthy food, very down to the basic farm level. We're not forcing a diet. They're still going to have the option of the pizzas and burgers that are available. It's simply offering a healthy option for them. It's just an opportunity to develop lifelong healthy habits," he said.

The district does offer some plant-based options on its menu, which were detailed by Food Service Director Kristin E. Colarusso-Martin in a presentation during the board's March meeting.

"She inspired me to do something like this because she's proactive and she's bringing healthy options that are appetizing for the kids. So, if we can do that, if she can do that, I think we can bring it up to the next level for the entire state," LeBlanc said.

But, among the concerns of some board members was that mandating the option could tie school districts' hands.

"I agree with what you said, Robert, everything about healthier eating and healthier life choices hopefully leading to a longer life," Perretta said. "My only concern with the support of this measure is the fact that it could in fact bind our district because what the language says is very prescriptive. It's not a we don't enact it. They want to enact it and it has to be done in Albany. It would mean that if someone requested a plant-based meal, they would get it if they put in a request. I think in many regards we offer all those options now... without being formal."

He said it was a case of balancing "what's going to sell versus what maintains your solvency" in the Food Service Department.

Perretta said his other concern was that they were supporting a concept, "but there isn't any mention of any funding for this."

"This could in fact end up to be an unfunded mandated which might not harm us, but it might harm other districts that don't have the means," he said. "I think it's great our position and what we offer. I agree with what your intent is. I wouldn't support the resolution. I wouldn't support putting my name or my vote on this."

Haggett said he was also "very hesitant" to put his name on the resolution or have the district support it "if it's going to put a pinch or impinge in some way on districts that don't have the good fortune to have Kristin Colarusso-Martin as their food service director."

"That's my concern," he said. "I'm glad we can handle it probably. But, I'm concerned about our neighbors that might not be in the same position we're in. Our neighbors might not be in the same position to be able to provide for their students the way our food service director is able to provide for our kids. I'm uncomfortable with the idea of us being party to a state mandate that might be uncomfortable for other smaller districts."

Murphy said she was also concerned about unfunded mandates and was not in favor of legislating the plant-based option, but was in favor of providing more plant-based foods on the district's menu.

"Unfunded mandates are not good. This is the Massena Central Board of Education, and I think that's what our business should be about," she said. 'For this particular resolution, I'm not in favor of it because of the unfunded mandate and because it might be harder for some other districts to offer a plant-based alternative. They might not be able to have the transportation. They might not be able to connect with local farms."

Tusa said he would also not support the resolution.

"I don't necessarily think we need to formally support legislation for something we're already doing, especially if there's a risk that at some point it could bind us, to use Kevin's term. I don't want to do that," he said.