$318,512? Nothing to sneeze at!

Today's Middleboro Gazette (still only 50 cents) contains an article reporting that the School Department saved

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$318,512

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from previous energy expenses of $1.2 Million.

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That's about 26% with no major renovations or expenditures. Isn't that money better spent on children than energy? Kudos to all who made it possible!

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The Unsexy Solution explained about Efficiency Is Our Best Untapped Energy Source.

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Imagine what each of us could accomplish if we slashed our personal energy consumption by a comparable amount and put the money to better use?

Per Pupil Cost

According to the Massachusetts DOE site, per pupil expenditures in Middleborough were:

$10,160

Kudos to the Middleboro Gazette and Jeff Stevens

Kudos to the coverage by the Middleboro Gazette (still only 50 cents) of town energy issues.
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The School Department selected Jeff Stevens as Energy Manager to spearhead the school's energy saving efforts. Mr. Stevens is a great choice for his personal commitment to the issue and his education skills. Kudos to the school for their choice as well!

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Included in the article, a statement by Mr. Stevens:

"Leaving a computer on overnight, for instance, is a small thing, .... It might cost 50 cents. But when you realize there are probably 1,500 computers in the system, you're talking about hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of inefficient use. "

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Simple math? Get out those calculators.

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1500 computers X $.50 = $750 PER DAY

X 30 days in a month = $22,500

X 12 months = $270,000 Annual cost if every computer were left on overnight (which surely is not the case)

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Hopefully, the School Department will make arrangements to post the information and reports so taxpayers can monitor progress and employ any cost savings techniques that are appropriate for homeowners. If we all work together and share information, we can help reduce our energy costs while still enjoying the same amenities.

Middleboro schools sign up to save energy

The Brockton Enterprise reported the following:
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The School Committee got an offer it couldn’t refuse and will ante up nearly $200,000 over the next three years to an energy consultant.

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The deal: within three months the district will save more than it’s spending, guaranteed.

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And the savings should begin by August.
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The consultant proposing the deal, Charles D. Fasnacht III, regional president of Energy Education Inc., said other districts are already saving money: Plymouth has saved over $2.4 million in three years, Taunton nearly $1 million in 18 months and Wareham has saved over $1 million in 4-5 years. Norton, Bridgewater-Raynham and Braintree schools are on board too.

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An idea long overdue!

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The statistics are available. The information is available.

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The Brockton Enterprise reported:

Pembroke energy panel wants town to ‘go green’
The Energy Committee will propose a town meeting bylaw that sets higher standards for energy efficiency throughout town government.

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The Pembroke Energy Committee will ask residents at town meeting to include energy conservation in the town bylaws — and set higher standards for energy efficiency in town government.

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Do taxpayers wonder where the Middleborough Municipal Gas & Electric Commissioners are? Or the Middleboro Board of Selectmen?

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Crude Rallies.....
Buildings account for 43% of the nation's carbon emissions and the consumption of 39% of our total primary energy, 71% of our electricity, and 55% of our natural gas.

Energy: Retrofitting Older Buildings

Energy, Alternatives and RMI

Middleboro School Department: Science Fluff and No Substance?

Middleboro residents have long been aware of the threatened loss of accreditation of the Middleboro High School due partly to the science labs.

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As the Superintendent read the list of items being considered in the upgrade to satisfy the state, conspicuously missing from that list was EQUIPMENT that would enhance students' educational experience.

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Hopefully, the School Committee will give greater consideration to the $250,000 expenditures beyond replacing cabinents and superficial changes.

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A number of people with diverse educational backgrounds availed themselves of the opportunity after town meeting to comment on their disappointment with the proposed school changes.

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Someone seems to have their priorities skewed when cabinets are more important than equipment.

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Some of those parents who commented have taken their children out of Middleboro's Public School System for precisely this reason. And a few commented on the need to go to a voucher system.

Dr. Sullivan: You have a problem ....

At Middleboro's Candidates' Night on Thursday, March 20, Neil Rosenthal asked the candidates for School Committee about the incident of child abuse that has been widely reported in the media and labelled the school's handling 'INSTITUTIONAL INERTIA.'

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For those members of the Middleboro community with ComCast, a viewing of that exchange is a necessity because of the clear revelations of a callous and inept committee.

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For those members of the Middleboro community with Verizon, maybe you can have a friend with ComCast tape the event for you to view. You need to watch it!

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The School Committee and the Superintendent have danced around carefully worded phrases, nonsense about legalities and protecting the rights of the victim and perpetrators, and an insistence they 'followed protocol.'

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Incumbent School Committee member, Joseph Masi, Jr. told a member of the audience that if he thought it was easy, he should take out nomination papers and run for School Committee.

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Is that what an outraged community wants to hear? Think about his comments when you cast your ballot on Saturday, April 5.

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A child was sent home to be abused and tortured.

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The community wants assurances that action will be taken to assure that an incident such as this WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN and YOU will put into place ALL necessary protections to provide that assurance.

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The community doesn't need to know the details, legalities or protocol. And frankly, the community doesn't care.

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Dr. Sullivan, YOU failed. Accept some culpability and do what needs to be done. The community deserves more than arrogant assurances that YOU followed protocol.

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School Superintendent Robert M. Sullivan defended the actions of his department.
School staff members followed normal procedures by notifying the Department of Social Services of the possible abuse, Sullivan said. Enterprise

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Boston Globe

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Enterprise