The Upper Bucks County Technical School’s Joint Operating Committee votes to approve an RFP for maintenance and custodial services at its December 18 meeting. (Courtesy of the Upper Bucks County Technical School)
The Upper Bucks County Technical School is moving to replace its cleaning services contractor following public outcry after the company brought a Tier 3 child sex offender onto campus twice.
The school’s Joint Operating Committee Thursday, December 18 unanimously approved a request for proposals for maintenance and custodial services, while stopping short of terminating its current contract with the Warminster-based C&J Environmental Inc.
The move comes as the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has opened an investigation into the job placement, citing the prohibition of Tier 3 sex offenders from employment positions with access to children under the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law.
The C&J employee in question was convicted in 2002 of attempted sexual assault of a child in Colorado and has been a Tier 3 registered sex offender since 2010, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Tier 3 offenders have the highest risk of re-offending and are subject to community notification requirements under Megan’s Law.
The employee was further convicted in 2014 and 2017 of felony charges for violating Megan’s Law requirements while a resident of Bucks County, according to the court docket. He is currently on probation until August 2035.
C&J brought the employee onto campus in January and July while students were reportedly present. The school serves over 700 students from the Pennridge, Quakertown and Palisades school districts.
The news came to light in September after an unnamed whistleblower alerted both the JOC and Upper Bucks United, a local grassroots advocacy group, prompting significant community backlash. A vote to approve an RFP for maintenance and custodial services at the JOC’s November meeting failed.
Residents sound off
At Thursday’s meeting, speakers condemned the school’s leadership for failing to take swift action against C&J and alert parents in a timely manner. They demanded the approval of the RFP as well as the termination of C&J’s contract and a full-scale review of policies and procedures surrounding student safety.
“Trust has been broken and trust is not restored by asking the public to accept your word,” said Laura Foster, lead organizer with Upper Bucks United. “This isn’t about optics; it’s about governance. It’s about accountability and student safety.”
“As a concerned parent, I am terrified of a Tier 3 sex offender that could be present on campus,” said Dan Bebernitz. “Due to this pedophile’s grave label and high likelihood of harming a child, I encourage this board to provide assurances that procedures will ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
“The administration and the JOC completely mishandled the issue,” said former JOC member Charles Schirmer. “I urge the board to prioritize transparency and security measures. Let’s start to rebuild trust and create a safe environment for everybody.”
Some speakers suggested a return to an in-house custodial system rather than contracting with external companies.
“Once upon a time we really did have a great custodial system here,” said a female speaker. “Bring back maintenance under the school rather than it being contracted out. I think that those folks need to have a living wage so you can get quality employees to want to stay and to work here.”
C&J’s attorney Michael Burns also took to the podium, describing the employee in question as a “hardworking laborer” who committed the offense “over 20 years ago.” He added that the company has “implemented practices and protocols to address and importantly preclude any further presence or work at all by the employee at any school or other protected facility.”
“C&J is proud of its work with, at and for the Upper Bucks County Tech School and welcomes the opportunity to continue to do its solid work and fulfill its contract,” said Burns.
RFP approved
Following public comment, the JOC unanimously approved the RFP. Chairman Joseph Lyons requested language requiring substantial fines for companies whose employees lack proper clearances.
“You want to take that risk, you want to bring someone on this campus that shouldn’t be, you know you’re gonna get hit hard in your wallet for doing that,” said Lyons. “That’s the statement I want to make.”
But while approving the RFP, the JOC stopped short of terminating the contract, with member David O’Donnell saying that a replacement is required. O’Donnell continued by defending C&J, arguing that the company’s entire workforce shouldn’t suffer the consequences for one employee’s actions.
“We need to understand the full picture,” said O’Donnell. “This shouldn’t have happened, but I also think we need to temper that against calling for someone’s head on a platter. This is a company that employs multiple individuals, many of whom did absolutely nothing involved in this situation. Take that home with you. These are pitchforks and torches, but we have a little bit more civility here, at least I do.”
While approving the RFP, some board members echoed speakers’ calls for a return to in-house maintenance and custodial services, with Lyons asking the administration to perform a cost analysis of the change. Some members also requested a comprehensive review of safety and security measures. However, O’Donnell replied that “modifications” have already been made.
“Specifically related to this event, policies were reviewed and modifications were made to our polices and administrative regulations when we learned of it in September,” said O’Donnell.
The next Joint Operating Committee meeting is on January 15 at 7 p.m. For more information, visit ubtech.org
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