Stimulus Grant For Energy Projects Goes To Winslow Schools

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By Sam Conner
    The Winslow School District has been allotted a stimulus money grant of $590,000 by Governor Jan Brewer. Winslow was the only non-reservation school district to receive such a grant in Northern Arizona. The grant requires a match of 70 percent from the district to be obtained.
    Superintendent Doug Watson said on Monday that the district’s matching funds will come from a $2.8 million impact aid bond issue passed by voters two years ago. The school would likely not have received the stimulus funds had it not already had the money for the required matching funds.
    Given the economic conditions, it is likely that the bids from contractors will be less than would have been the case even when the bond issue was approved. This should enable the school to get more improvements made at a lower cost than would have been at that earlier time.
    Watson said that the likely contractor for the project will be Trane, a company which specializes in most of the products and work to be done. Watson said, though, that he expects much, if not most, of the work to be subcontracted to Winslow contractors, providing a boost to the community with the extra work.
    Plans call for a number of energy saving improvements, which will lower energy costs for the school system by some $166,000 per year. Watson said that there will also be rebates on some of the equipment being replaced, which will benefit the school system even more.
    Among the projects planned is replacing less efficient boilers in a number of schools, putting in HVAC heating and air conditioning controls to have those systems shut down when the area is not occupied or in need of heating or cooling. Lighting in some schools will be upgraded to become more efficient and use less electricity. Washington School and the Winslow High School gyms will have bulb changes that will save electricity. Some school areas will be equipped with skylights, which will make use of daylight and save on electricity costs. Some roof insulation will be added, some gas heaters will be replaced and solar water heaters will be installed at all schools. The kitchens will also be converted to use solar power.