PRINCETON — The Mercer County Board of Education came under fire from the Board of Health for the non-compliance of thirteen school cafeterias. The Board of Health demanded that the B.O.E. submit a schedule of compliance by the October meeting of the health board or face legal action.

The Board of Health's attorney, Robert Holroyd, said that the non-compliance of the cafeterias represented an "explosive situation" He went on to say, "We [the Board of Health] close down restaurants for the same violations. If we permit schools to operate under lower standards...and a problem breaks out, this Health Board will be in trouble. I am shocked that the School Board has not taken care of these problems sooner."

The problems Holroyd referred to were violations such as: structural issues regarding bathrooms, fire hazards, flies, and others. One school was dumping raw sewage into the Bluestone River. The schools involved were: Princeton Jr. High, Silver Springs, Oakvale, Spanishburg, Bluefield High, Bramwell, Camp Creek, Cumberland Heights, Fairview Jr. High, Preston, Ramsey, Sun Valley, and Whitethorn.

The Board of Health had spent the previous five months trying to the the Board of Education to get the cafeterias in compliance, but nothing had been done up to that point. Several Board members had questioned whether or not the Board of Health was "nit-picking" on some of the regulations or if the B.O.E. was treated as any other food establishment.

Health officers maintained that the cafeterias were not being singled out and that the issues in the cafeterias were ones that would have any other restaurant or food establishment written up or shut down.

Board member Eugene Bailey asked why the cafeterias had been issued previous permits when the violations were long-standing. It was explained that the schools had expressed intent on fixing the issues, however, since nothing had been done it was necessary to withhold that year's permits.