By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Things are literally a little brighter at Buckeye Central specifically in the gymnasiums and Multipurpose Room and on Wednesday night the school was presented with a grant from North Central Electric Cooperative.
North Central Electric Energy Service Advisor Scott Carbary and Communications Director Teri Lease were on hand to present Buckeye Central with a grant totaling $7,500 for a lighting retrofit which replaced fluorescent lighting with LED lighting.
Buckeye Central Superintendent Mark Robinson explained that it was the district’s maintenance supervisor that secured the grant.
“Our maintenance supervisor Jarrod Clady is the one who looked into this through north Central Electric Cooperative and found out we could earn up to a $7,500 grant through North Central Electric as well as Buckeye Power, and Buckeye Power is the supplier of our power,” Robinson said. “He filled out all the application paperwork and we were granted the $7,500 grant.”
The lighting retrofit is expected to save the district $80,000 over a 10-year period.
In Treasurer Nancy Ackerman’s report she explained that appropriations for this school year are close to last year. Ackerman also noted that the Crawford and Seneca counties’ income tax came in with Crawford County being the same as the previous year and Seneca County being slightly higher.
Ackerman finished by saying that she is still building a lot for the five-year forecast.
In Robinson’s report he thanked Tom McKean for being a leader with the work with the stadium concrete. Robinson also thanked the volunteers who have helped McKean noting that with their help, time, and effort the school was able to save $6,000 to $8,000 in expenses.
Robinson noted that the 2015/2016 school year has started off on a positive note.
“A lot of neat things are happening. The schedules are in place. The kids are getting to know where they are going,” Robinson said. “Most of it has to do with the staff, PTO, and community groups that help make the school as great as it is.”
The school board approved all items on the Consent Agenda including the resignation of Food Service employee Cindy Alt. Alt was approved to be added to the substitute list for Buckeye Central. Board members thanked Alt for the service that she provided to the school.
Board members discussed the school’s implementation of the Leader In Me project noting that Wednesday was the first meeting that the school had for the project. The school board has hopes that the program will be running in full by next school year.