EL realizes energy project savings

BY PAT FARNELLI
Correspondent

The Elk Lake and Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center school board were informed that their venture into energy saving has proved successful, lowering fuel costs even during the installation phase of the project.

At the start of the Wednesday night board meeting, Johnson Control’s Nick Sracic reviewed how the infrastructure had been replaced beginning in 2014, adding that conversions had been finished over the summer. He noted the ambitious energy savings program’s guaranteed period would now be commencing.
Scracic, an account executive from Johnson Controls, worked with Elk Lake throughout the process of its Guaranteed Energy Savings program.

“Starting now, we guarantee the savings, or your school will receive a check,” Sracic said. “Johnson Controls doesn’t like to write checks, so we want to ensure that the program is performing very well.”

He said that benefits to the school district totaled $226,705. The guarantee was for $130,486, and that was the figure used while determining this school year’s budget.

“Fortunately, this turned out to be the case,” said board president Anne Teel.

As a matter of fact, the budgeted savings exceeded the guaranteed amount by $37,615.

The school was $96,000 to the positive before taking into account “other expenses,” Sracic said. After subtracting the costs of fencing for the construction and temporary propane tanks, which came to about $58,000, the school is ahead $37,615.

Superintendent Ken Cuomo said that in 2012-13 the Elk Lake High School energy costs totaled $200,300. “We avoided $26,000 in energy costs here, and building A of the SCCTC had $5,000 of energy cost avoidance,” Cuomo said. “The B building is so new that there was little avoidable cost to figure in.”

Sracic attributed about 80 percent of the savings to switching from propane and fuel oil to natural gas. Another 12 percent is a result of lighting updates to more energy efficient bulbs, fixtures and sensors.

“The best part is, if the district comes out ahead, you keep that money,” he said.

Financial savings are key in the district as the state budget impasse continues.

When asked if the lack of a budget is affecting the district, Cuomo replied, “It does have us worried. We are paying our bills and not adding new expenditures at this time. We need to be prudent in our expenditures.”

During the SCCTC meeting, director Alice Davis discussed upcoming adult education courses:

*A 40-hour, evening welding class beginning Oct. 27;
*PA automotive safety inspection course, on Oct. 27;
*Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair and Painting, Nov. 17-18;
*OSHA general industry training, Nov. 17-19;
*Emissions Inspector Certification, Nov. 17-20.
For more information on adult courses, visit the website at www.scctc-school.org or call (578)278-9229 ext. 6670.

Davis also announced a dinner dance featuring amRadio, on Saturday, Nov. 14 at the Elk Lake High School gym. Tickets are available in advance only for $30. The dinner is from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and dance until 11. The menu will include a buffet style dinner prepared by the “Touch of Class” SCCTC restaurant. All proceeds will benefit non-profit organizations and SCCTC student activities.

A policy revision was discussed by Dr. Cuomo. He said that policy 709, Building Security, has been changed by an addition of a lost key or key fobs addendum suggested during a recent audit.

The Elk Lake board meeting accepted the resignation of Kim Toth as eighth grade girls basketball coach; and Kevin Tewksbury as junior high girls basketball coach.

Two bus contract revisions were approved: one for bus 4, because of a new student on a previously uncontracted road, at $231.54; and the other for Bus 19, now that a reopened bridge on West Nicholson Road has eliminated the need for a detour. A new student has been added to this route, as well.