Source: Marsha Shuler, Advocate, June 07, 2012

The state Civil Service Commission approved four more state contracts with private businesses that will result in the layoff of more than 100 state employees — most of them in the Baton Rouge area. Employees will lose their jobs as the state gets private contractors to pursue delinquent student loans, provide dietary services at four health agency facilities as well as potentially take over security for the Old State Capitol and State Archives Building.

The fourth contract, involving environmental services at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, will not result in employee layoffs. The contract, with Sodexo Operations of Gaithersburg, Md., is structured so that state employees remain state employees who work under the management and supervision of the contractor until they quit. An estimated $1.6 million in annual savings is projected….

…Fremin later was the only one of seven commissioners to vote against the state Department of Health and Hospitals’ proposed contract to privatize dietary services at Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System and the Villa Feliciana Medical Complex, both located at Jackson; and Central Louisiana State Hospital and Pinecrest Supports and Services Center, both at Pineville….Kindred Hodge, DHH program manager, said the contract with the Health Care Services Group of Bensalem, Pa., will result in an annual savings of $1.4 million. …