By Marley Seaman
According to the report, which was prepared and presented by Director of Facilities Mike Sheehan, the district spent approximately $900,000 on energy during the 2004-05 school year, an increase of more than 7 percent over the year before, and prices are expected to continue to rise faster than the rate of inflation.
Sheehan said the district projects an increase of 5 to 8 percent next year, totaling $945,000 to $972,000 for energy costs in the 2005-06 school year.
According to Sheehan, the growth rates are not normal historically, but they are typical of recent years. Part of the increase is due to the rising price of oil. "The price [of oil] has tripled in three years," he said. The school district was paying 60 cents per gallon three years ago and pays almost $1.60 per gallon today. Because it's a commercial user of oil, the school district pays a slightly lower rate than the public does. It also attempts to save money by buying oil in bulk from New York state. But the price of oil is not the only cause for increased prices.
"Electricity is going through the roof. Natural gas is going through the roof," Sheehan continued.
Baldwin Middle School spent more on energy last year than any other school in the district, including the high school - an estimated $260,000 in total.
Because part of the high school property is in Freeport, for the past 10 years the school's electricity and heat have been provided by Freeport Power. The Long Island Power Authority is responsible for energy at all other schools. Sheehan estimated that this reduced the high school's power costs by $100,000 last year.
In the past few years, the district has undertaken a number of projects to reduce costs and improve efficiency, including roof, window and boiler replacement. In addition, the district is working with a contractor to introduce more energy-efficient lighting. The new lights will include sensors that turn themselves off when schools are closed.
Comments about this story? MSeaman@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
