by James McEvoy, Managing Editor
PLUMSTED — The Plumsted Township Board of Education took the first steps to pursue solar panels for New Egypt High School.
Two resolutions were passed unanimously to amend the district’s long range facilities plan and submit an application to the Department of Education.
While the preliminary steps were take at the May 29 meeting, board members and district officials emphasized they have not formally committed to the project.
”This is the preliminary step,” said Business administrator Sean Gately.
In addition, officials pointed out that the resolution authorizing state submission states the board is seeking neither state nor taxpayer funding for the project.
Mr. Gately said the costs would be covered by a power purchase agreement.
”There are a couple of steps that go into the process,” Mr. Gately said, adding the resolutions constituted the first two.
”The next step would for our consultant to seek bids for that project. At that point, the board would have a chance to evaluate whether they even want to pursue it or not,” he said.
Mr. Gately said during the bid process the board would be able to evaluate what companies would charge back to the district for electricity and what the actual plain itself would entail.
He noted while officials have identified the detention basin behind the high school as a potential site for the project, companies may present other proposals.
In other board news, the district formally approved a resolution expressing opposition to the state School Development Authority’s efforts to force districts to pay principal and interest for construction grants it has funded over the years.
At the May 9 meeting when the matter was initially discussed, Mr. Gately noted that by law the SDA is only supposed to charge for administrative and “organizational” costs.
In the case of the Plumsted school district, the increase resulted in a net decrease in state revenue, according to school officials.
Previously, Mr. Gately noted that while state aid was increasing, albeit by only $275 in the 2013-14 budget, the increased amount paid to the SDA resulted in a net decline in revenue of approximately $40,000.
As a result, officials said the payments to the SDA are budgeted as an expense in the district’s operating budget, taking away funds that could be used for other district programs.
The district has utilized such SDA funds for the building of New Egypt Primary School, upgrades at the Dr. Gerald H. Woehr Elementary School and the addition at New Egypt High School.

