District sees results from energy program

The Lawrence school district cut its utility bills more than $380,000 in the first year of an energy-saving program, according to information presented at Monday night’s Lawrence school board meeting.

The district entered into a four-year agreement in June 2003 with an energy management company, said John Geist, district energy manager.

Energy-saving methods include shutting down the district’s more than 3,500 computers automatically every night unless a user responds to a prompt and tells the computer not to shut down, said Tom Bracciano, operations and facility planning director for the district.

The district used nearly 20 percent less electricity, nearly 14 percent less natural gas and 24.5 percent less water and sewer from September 2003 to August of this year.

The district pays about $120,000 a year to Wichita Falls, Texas-based Energy Education Inc. Including that fee, the district saved more than $260,000 during the first year of the program.

Boiler contract OK’d

The Lawrence school board voted Monday night to pay about $14,600 for a year of boiler and machinery insurance.

Board members also approved fee changes, including some decreases, for about 15 classes next year.

The board also approved adding two classes for Lawrence High next year — introduction to agricultural science and wood technology III — and four classes at Free State High School — introduction to veterinary and greenhouse science, horse and small animal science, floral design and floriculture, and agricultural business and entrepreneurship.