L-EISD facility fixes 97 percent complete

Liberty-Eylau Independent School officials will make a final review next month of $1.13 million worth of facility improvements that include lighting, controls, power management and water conservation.

Ashley Sales of McKinstry Construction Co. in Dallas told trustees during their regular meeting Thursday night the project is 97 percent complete and the remaining work will be done in time for a Dec. 3 walkthrough with school officials.

The district contracted with McKinstry in April to make the upgrades to save money on utilities. L-EISD expects to save more than $73,000 annually.

The firm helped the district obtain grants and rebates, and the remainder of the cost for improvements will be paid over 15 years. Matt Fry, L-EISD media coordinator, said the bond has a 0 percent interest rate.

Sales said McKinstry applied for various rebates and the district will probably receive around $32,000 from SWEPCO.

McKinstry also helped the district secure $90,416 in grant money through the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) Public School District Energy Efficiency Grants program to replace some heating, ventilation and air conditioning units.

Last year, SECO allocated $3.8 million in funds for the Energy Efficiency Grant program to provide funding to replace existing, inefficient HVAC systems with new, energy-efficient systems to reduce facility operating costs for taxpayersupported Texas public school districts.

School officials will also meet with McKinstry reps in the near future regarding a second phase of work to replace more of its aging HVAC systems. Sales said about 30 units have been replaced, but around 150 units on L-E’s six campuses are 20 years old or older and require costly maintenance and repairs.

In other matters, CPA Mason Andres from Thomas & Thomas LLP in Texarkana gave trustees a glowing report regarding the district’s fiscal year 2012-13 financial audit.

“You are in a very healthy financial position,” Andres said.

When the last fiscal year ended, L-E had a fund balance of $7.7 million. The district had $21.7 million in revenue and expenditures, amounting to $20.8 million.