HOUSTON — Through the On Board program, a partnership between Dayton Power & Light (DP&L), Waibel Energy Systems and the Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council, 32 area school districts reduced their energy costs without any capital improvements or installation of new equipment during the 2014-2015 school year.
Hardin-Houston was one of those districts who’s total cost avoidance for electric and fuel was $13,154. They saved this money by using simple energy-saving measures recommended by Waibel, such as programming boilers more effectively, reducing heating/cooling based on occupancy and using energy meters to improve load shedding during nights, weekends, holidays and snow days.
DP&L offered a rebate of 10 cents per kilowatt-hour saved, which earned the district $5,433 in addition to the amount saved. DP&L contracted with a third party agency to verify the results and calculate the energy efficiency rebates, so we know it’s a true number, said Waibel Account Manager Shay Moran, who was at the district’s school board meeting Monday night to present the rebate check to the board, along with colleague Nathan Lammers, energy services leader.
They said some districts got more money back and some got less, but in Hardin-Houston’s case they maybe got less because they were already in good shape to begin with.
The utility cost reduction per pupil at Hardin-Houston was $14.13.
The rebate dollars received by Hardin-Houston will be used to offset future energy costs and related projects. They are also working to put together a plan to see what opportunities are available in order to maintain and to continue to find savings, Superintendent Larry Claypool said. Treasurer Amy Ayers said she is also working to find other rebates available for items that were upgraded when the school was re-done five years ago.
The On Board Program resulted in $1.36 million in avoided utility costs between all the districts that participated and DP&L awarded more than $900 thousand in rebates for electric savings.
Also at the Hardin-Houston Board of Education Meeting Monday night, the board:
• Approved all treasurer recommendations.
• Accepted the resignation, with regret, of Kelly Steineman, JV Basketball coach, Misty Gibson, JV Volleyball coach, and Amy Makela, Varsity Volleyball coach, effective at the completion of the 2015-2016 school year.
• Employed Nicole Hartings and Lynda Higgins as classified substitutes, for the 2015-2016 school year, contingent upon successful background and proper licensure.
• Employed Adam Seas on a one-year limited contract as a bus driver, retro-active April 11, 2016, for the 2015-2016 school year, contingent upon successful background check and proper licensure, at $21.99 per hour.
• Employed Erica Jester on a one-year limited contract as a custodian/substitute bus driver, for the 2016-2017 school year, contingent upon successful background check and proper licensure.
• Terminated the contract of Jacob Benanzer, Varsity Girls Track Coach, effective April 12, 2016, and approved Sharon Roeth as Varsity Girls Track Coach, effective April 12, 2016.
• Employed the following staff members on the stated contracts, beginning with the 2016-2017 contract year:
Continuing Contract: Stephanie Merickel; Limited Contracts: Brad Allen and Beth Hollinger, 5-year; Limited Contracts: Lisa Koesters, Amy Makela, and Andrea Wintrow, 3-year; Limited Contracts: Josh Billing, Jill Bornhorst, Mark Platfoot, Abby Pleiman, Kara Smith, Samantha Smith, and Lauren Tuente, 1-year; HS Instructional Aides: Sandy Kemp, 1-year, as needed; ES Instructional Aides: Beulah Clark, Chastity Crowder, Terry Ewing, Peggy Roeth, and Jackie Selover, 1-year, as needed; Transportation Aides: Kay Couchot and Belinda Hoelscher, 1-year, as needed; Cooks: Karen Ballou, Belinda Hoelscher, Joan Lichtenberg, and Lee Wemmer, 1-year, as needed; Bus Drivers: Julie Adams, Elizabeth Schrubb, and Adam Seas, 1-year, as needed; Scott Branscum, Carol Voorhees-Elliott, Charles Reid, and Terry Graves-Thumma, 2-year, as needed; Jerome T. Schmidt, continuing; Custodial Staff: Erica Jester and Lee Wemmer, 1-year, as needed; Scott Branscum, 2-year, as needed.
• Approved JH Summer School classes for May 31 to June 10, 2016, for a rate of $50 per student. They also approved the dates of May 23 to June 3, 2016, for summer Physical Education class free for Hardin-Houston School students and $100 for non-Hardin-Houston School students contingent on available seats. They also approved the following summer school teachers at a rate of $20 an hour: Scott Bayless and Jenni Paulus, summer school teachers; and Ron Boeke and Doris Monnier, summer physical education teacher.
• Approved FFA Camp Muskingum in Carroll, Ohio for June 6 to 10 and May 5 and 6 for the FFA State Convention.
• Approved students for graduation from the class of 2016 from Houston High School, pending completion of all local and state requirements.
The next regular board meeting will be Monday, May 16 at 7 p.m. in the Media Center.
