Hoping To Get Improvements Through Energy Savings
At its November 15 meeting, the New Lebanon School Board authorized Superintendent Whitcomb to enter into an agreement with Siemens Industry, Inc to develop a project aimed at saving energy for the District. The first part of the project would be an energy audit aimed at identifying areas where energy savings can be achieved through capital investment, such as new heating equipment or new lighting fixtures. The idea is that if energy savings can pay for the investment over a period of 18 years or less, the work can be done without cost to the School District. If Siemens finds that there are such potential savings, they will make a proposal called a “performance contract agreement” in which they agree to do the work, and the energy savings pay off the cost of the project over time. Siemens guarantees that the savings will be realized, so the District does not bear any risk of having to pay if savings are not as large as expected.
Whitcomb introduced the subject by talking about a DEC audit done last spring that reclassified the size of an oil tank at Walter B Howard, which triggered a requirement for additional containment structures to prevent oil spills. The District is hoping that switching the heating system to an efficient gas system will generate enough savings to pay for the changeover, and they will be able to get rid of the oil tank in question. Changing lighting fixtures over to LED lighting will probably also be feasible under a performance contract agreement, and possibly other items, but until Siemens completes its energy audit and makes a proposal, the District doesn’t know for sure what will be included in the proposal.
Siemens was the only company to respond to an RFP put out by the District in September. Siemens’ fee for developing the proposal is $29,500, but if they do not find any energy savings significant enough to do a project, the fee is waived, and if they do find savings and the District agrees to do the project, this fee is rolled into the performance contract agreement and the District pays for it only through energy savings achieved by the project. The only scenario in which the fee would need to be paid in cash is if Siemens found savings and proposed a project, and the District decided not to do the project.
Whitcomb said she expects the audit to be completed in December and the proposal from Siemens to be delivered some time in January.
External Audit
The Board approved an External Audit Report for the year ending 6/30/17 submitted by Raymond G. Preusser, CPA. A memo from the District’s new Business Administrator Kevin Fottrell about the audit said the budget surplus for this year was greater than anticipated because of several things that happened after the budget was approved. The District changed health care plans for many retirees, and it changed the prescription plan to a restricted pharmaceutical plan for both retirees and employees, both which saved the District money. Additional factors which caused the District to come out ahead last year included a settlement received from the health care trust, special education placements being fewer than anticipated, and use of unemployment reserves to pay the District’s unemployment obligations rather than paying from operating expenses.
To deal with this surplus, Fottrell said, “Earlier this year the Comptroller’s audit expressed concern that our unrestricted fund balance was over 4% of our budget. At this time the Board agreed to create a Capital Fund to defray costs of the capital improvement project slated for next year. The unanticipated surplus of approximately $600,000 will be added to the anticipated surplus of $800,000 for a total of $1,400,000 to this Capital Fund.”
Cottrell goes on to say although the District is in good shape financially right now, “it is important not to become too complacent.” He cites increases in TRS and ERS contributions expected next year and uncertainty about state aid next year, with some clouds looming on the State budgetary horizon, as potential challenges for the upcoming budget season. He concluded, “We want to be prepared for any contingency, and our various fund balances are available for these potential uncertainties.”
DADIR/DASA Report
There were presentations on VADIR and DASA incidents reported during the 2016-2017 school year. VADIR stands for Violent And Disruptive Incident Reporting. In the high school there were 3 minor altercations (contact but no injury), and one each of bullying and assault with physical injury, 4 incidents of use, possession, or sale of drugs and 7 incidents of use, possession or sale of alcohol.
DASA stands for Dignity of All Students Act. DASA reporting keeps track of incidents involving bullying, harassment, and discrimination, including cyberbullying. There were 2 DASA incidents at the high school last year, which involved intimidation or abuse but no verbal threat or physical contact. In the Elementary School, there were 5 DASA incidents reported, compared to 2 the year before. Elementary Principal Andrew Kourt attributed the increase to staff efforts to encourage reporting of DASA incidents. He said he and his staff have had conversations with grades three though six talking about what DASA means, and impressing on the children that if they see an incident of discrimination, bullying, or intimidation they have an obligation to report it. Both principals said they institute ongoing efforts to raise awareness of these issues through staff training, character initiatives, and generally building a culture of intolerance to discrimination and bullying.
Walter B Howard Report
Elementary Principal Andrew Kourt said hundreds of proud grandparents and family members visited WBH Elementary on Wednesday, November 15 for the Second Annual Special Friends Day. Students and their loved ones spent part of the day having lunch together and touring the classrooms.
He said the Read-a-Thon is in progress now. The goal is 60,000 minutes of reading. If that goal is achieved, Kourt has agreed to dress up as a pirate and make the rounds of the school in pirate garb.
Athletic Report
Athletic Director Josh Noble said practices have begun for winter sports. There are 9 teams. On the girls side, there will be no JV basketball team, just the Girls Modified and the Varsity Basketball teams.
Noble said there are only two New Lebanon students going up to Berlin for the combined wrestling team, and one of them is a senior. He tried to find students interested in joining the wrestling team, but found no new recruits. He said the District may have to reconsider that sport if students continue to show little interest. Noble also said the new scoreboard has been installed in the gym, and added, “it is large, and it is loud!”
The next Board of Education meeting will be held on Wednesday December 13 at 7 pm.