By By Steve Gillespie/The Meridian Star
Oct. 16, 2001
The Meridian School Board approved a contract Monday with Energy Education Inc., an energy management consulting company based in Wichita Falls, Texas, to help lower its power bills.
The Meridian school district spends an average of about $1,800 a day in energy costs.
The board first approved the contract in May, but the state Department of Education had to approve it as well before it could be implemented.
Terms of the 48-month contract require the school district to purchase certain software and hire an energy manager to work with the company in teaching the basics of energy conservation.
If the district's savings in energy costs do not exceed the total cost of the program, Energy Education will pay the difference. The company says it will save the school district 20 percent to 30 percent on its utility bills each year.
In other business, the board asked Superintendent Janet McLin to ask the city to respond to a request on receiving its property tax money directly from the county.
The county delivers the school district's tax money to the city, which in turn delivers the money to the school district about the middle of each month.
The board is interested in receiving its property tax money directly from the county so that it can earn interest for the school district.
Suzanne Smith, chief financial officer for the school district, said she would expect to earn about $14,000 a year at the current interest rate of 2.37 percent.
The property tax money received by the district varies monthly. The bulk of it is received in February and March and amounts for about one-third of the district's revenue.
Steve Gillespie is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551, ext. 3233, or e-mail him at sgillespie@themeridianstar.com.