Amherst District conserves energy, saves $1.3 million
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Blanford

Shutting off a light or turning down the heat when buildings aren't in use helped the Amherst Central School District avoid much bigger bills for energy over the past six years.

Energy Manager Brad Bardo said at the June 11 Board of Education meeting that the district has saved more than $1.3 million since participating in an energy cost avoidance program.

Bardo said the district was under contract with Energy Education for the first four years of the program. Bardo was provided with support services that made suggestions to save energy. For example, when the temperature outside is below 31 degrees and the buildings are unoccupied, the temperature inside can drop to 55.

For the last two years, Energy Education has been providing Bardo with support over the phone to make sure the district's data is reasonable.

"In terms of raw figures, we should be comfortable with what has happened," said Bardo.

In other matters: the board appointed Lydia Brenner and Thomas Ferraina to new three-year probationary positions. Brenner, assistant principal at the high school, was named principal of Smallwood Drive Elementary School. Ferraina, a social studies teacher at the high school, was named director of curriculum and staff development.

At the reorganization meeting, William T. Blanford and David A. Stocking were selected to remain on as board president and vice president, respectively, for the 2007-08 school year.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com