SALEM — In a landslide vote, the School Committee opted to keep the school food program in-house, crushing the superintendent's recommendation to hire a private company to feed Salem students.

Parents and lunch workers, who crafted a local plan to counter privatization, were elated and shocked upon the committee's vote, which followed more than three hours of deliberation.

However, the School Committee made it clear that the cafeteria workers have a year to prove they can run the program without losing money.

The audience burst into applause before School Committee secretary Eileen Sacco finished taking the roll-call vote, and union members and parents tearily embraced over their victory.

"I'm walking on air right now," said Deborah Jeffers, head cook at Horace Mann Laboratory School and union vice president.

"I'm just flabbergasted," said parent Patrice Toomey, a member of the local plan's team. "I don't think (Chartwells) expected to encounter such a strong, grassroots response, but we've done two years of strong, due diligence."

The committee voted 6-1 against the superintendent and mayor's call to privatize school food service. Mayor Kim Driscoll, who is chairwoman of the School Committee, was the lone vote to privatize. Superintendent William Cameron Jr. recommended hiring the food service company Chartwells, starting with a one-year contract, because it said it would guarantee the district would not run a deficit.

"It's not an affront to (the union) or the employees — you do an excellent job," Driscoll said. "But I don't know how we can risk losing additional money."

School Committee members were swayed by a presentation by the local group and dissuaded by the presentation from two Chartwells representatives and an "eleventh-hour" change to the company's proposal that eliminated a guaranteed $66,000 upfront payment to the district.

"Finding out tonight that there is a 'Plan B' makes me uncomfortable," said School Committee member Kerry Martin. "... It's in the eleventh hour, and I wasn't made aware" before tonight.

The mayor said she brokered the recent change with Chartwells in order to secure more benefits for current Salem food employees, to guarantee the same wages and health benefits for everyone, and unemployment benefits over the summer if they leave.

"I looked at this as an opportunity to preserve and protect our employees," Driscoll said. "... I think you're upset about it because it makes not voting for the (private) proposal harder."

The school lunch program is running close to a $650,000 deficit, so the School Committee voted to seek proposals for private companies to take over the program.

But a group of parents and members of the local Association of Federal, State, County and Municipal Employees Union, which represents the cafeteria workers, designed their own counterproposal. It details an overhauled school food program with broader menus, healthier choices and increased participation. That plan predicts, but does not guarantee, annual revenue of more than $70,000, in addition to built-in funds for equipment repair.

Recent news of Chartwells' trouble with the Haverhill and Holyoke school districts also cast further doubt on the company in the minds of committee members. Chartwells representatives Dave DeScenza and Ken Dube mounted a defense of the company, saying it has upheld the terms of its contract with Haverhill, but that ultimately proved unpersuasive.

"I'm not comfortable with your answer of what happened in Haverhill," committee member Nate Bryant said.

Though the committee opted against outsourcing the schools' food service, members indicated the status quo was also unacceptable.

"I think there was a lack of leadership in the school lunch program. I'll say it," said Committee member Kevin Carr, who drew applause from the packed audience. "I think that's something we would have to hold the superintendent accountable to," he said, referring to management of the program.

Salem Food Service Director Maria Barker, who committee member Jim Fleming called a "phantom manager," did not attend last night's meeting, or the last meeting on June 2 when the privatization vote was originally slated. Her contract is up for renewal this summer, according to the cafeteria workers union.

Local AFSCME president John Robinson praised Jeffers, Toomey, and parents Patti Morsillo and Cindy Theriault.

"They worked tirelessly, and I can't overemphasize it enough," Robinson said, "and now the real work begins."

"And you know what," Jeffers said. "I'm really looking forward to it."