School Districts Save on Their Gas Bills

By Harold Gwin, Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio

Jan. 10–YOUNGSTOWN — School districts pay a small fortune to keep their buildings heated in the winter, and the higher-than-normal temperatures are translating into lower utility costs for many of them.

Some, like Columbiana schools, are on a budget plan, paying essentially the same monthly bill for natural gas that they were paying last year.

The savings, if the mild weather holds, won’t be realized until the bill is adjusted in the next fiscal year, probably July or August, said Lori Posey, Columbiana treasurer.

Others, such as Hubbard, are getting their energy savings now.

Treasurer Blaise Karlovic said the natural gas bill is running 10 percent to 15 percent behind what it cost a year ago to heat the buildings. The price the district is paying for gas is the same, so the savings are directly attributable to warmer winter weather, he said.

Hubbard spent $155,000 for gas between July 1 and the end of December in 2005 but paid only about $135,000 during the same period in 2006, Karlovic said.

“We are ecstatic about the warm weather,” said Mark Donnelly, executive director of business operations for the Warren schools. The district was able to lock in a lower gas cost rate this winter and that, coupled with milder weather, is resulting in significant savings, he said. The district paid $119,142 for gas in November 2005 but only $72,795 in November 2006, he said.

Austintown, however, is experiencing higher bills this winter than last, said Treasurer Barbara Kliner. The district has experienced an increase in gas rates, she said, noting that Austintown paid out $57,000 for natural gas between June 1 and Nov. 30 last year but the bill came to $62,000 for the same period this fiscal year.

Boardman is realizing significant gas cost savings, said Treasurer Richard Santilli. The district spent $117,814 for gas between July 1, 2005 and Jan. 9, 2006, compared with $103,690 for the period from July 1, 2006 to Jan. 9, 2007, he said.

In the Poland schools, Treasurer Donald Stanovcak said bills through the end of November were about on a par with the same period the previous year. The district hasn’t received its December bill yet, he said.

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