The Titans have a new athletic director, three schools may get solar-powered hot water heaters, and ticket prices for most high school athletic events will go up sharply, beginning with football season, some four weeks away.
The McDowell Board of Education met Monday, a week later than intended, due, said Chairwoman Priscilla Owenby, to several schedule conflicts which would have led four members to miss the meeting.
At Monday's meeting, all members were present with the exception of Kay Sinclair. Three administration workers were present to present their annual grant applications for approval. No members of the public were present.
A closed session, apparently to consider personnel recommendations, led to the quick approval of MHS Principal Ben Talbert's nominee for athletic director, Dennis "Flea" Blake.
Blake will take the post held the past two years by Brian Franklin. (See more about the appointment on Page 1B.)
The high school is now a member of the Mountain Athletic 4A/3A (MA 4A/3A) Conference, beginning with football season. The board discussed the ticket price schedule the new conference has agreed to.
Board Member Wayne Miller said the higher prices would drive away fans.
"This is ridiculous," said Miller.
But Member Brian Piercy said that for a football fan, the ticket price is the ticket price; the important thing is the game.
High school football and basketball games will now cost $7 per ticket, an increase of $1. There will be no cost to attend cross country, track, golf, swimming or tennis.
All other events, including JV football, will cost $5.
Student tickets to football and basketball games will cost $5. Senior citizens will be admitted free.
A motion was made and seconded to approve the fee increases. Board Member Mark Cauthen suggested the matter be postponed until the next board meeting. But, said another member, football season begins on Aug. 21. Cauthen responded that the board meets again on Aug. 17.
"I'd like time to consider the numbers on this," he said. Is the program really losing money right now? How much money could be raised with higher ticket costs, if it would cause some fans to stay away?
Owenby asked the board's attorney to comment on the propriety of discussion after a motion has been made and seconded. The lawyer said discussion should cease until the board has voted on the motion.
The new ticket price schedule was approved, with only Cauthen voting against it.
Associate Superintendent Mike Murray introduced the board to Michael Shore, owner of FLS Energy, the Asheville-based solar power company recently contracted with the McDowell government to provide hot water for various county facilities.
Murray spoke highly of his experience touring some Buncombe locations of FLS projects, including the YWCA swimming pool and the Hilton hotel near the Asheville Airport.
After a general discussion of the advantages of clean technology, as opposed to burning non-renewable fuels to provide energy, Shore got down to business.
An institution like a public school, he said, has other issues at hand than finding clean energy. Educating children takes precedence over investing in innovative technology. His solution is to install a system belonging to his company and buying the BTUs of energy.
This eliminates the capital outlay for the equipment, the maintenance and insurance costs and the cost of installation. He proposed installing a roof-mounted solar water heating system to provide hot water at the high school, East Junior High and at Marion Elementary.
Murray said these there were chosen due to their having relatively new roofs in good repair, with no expected replacement foreseen in the next decade.
Shore estimated the three schools demanded about 5,450 gallons of hot water per school day. He said FLS could provide that by installing 109 roof panels.
This is not a solar electric system. Rather, it is a recirculating system that heats water and transfers that heat to a water tank.
This will cost $7,500 per year, he promised, as opposed to an estimated $11,000 per year to heat the same water by natural gas.
What's more, he added, his company promises a fixed cost, guaranteed for 10 years. The school system will not be responsible for maintenance or installation. If the system fails, the existing natural gas system will continue to heat the water.
The incentive for FLS to make quick repair will be that they will not make any money when it is down.
Murray said he saw this as a clear win/win proposal. "Buncombe County doesn't have this," he said. "I really want to beat Buncombe at this."
The board thanked Shore for the information and agreed to consider his proposal.
The board agreed to modify the calendar for the 2009-10 school year to make Good Friday (April 2, 2010) an optional teacher workday.
The board agreed to Superintendent Ira Trollinger's recommendation to open elementary school earlier each day. This was strongly encouraged by the principals, he added.
School will begin at 8:15 each morning at all eight elementary schools.
Board secretary Charlie Holland Mace read a letter of thanks from Superintendent Ira Trollinger. The board had given him a gift certificate for his birthday; Trollinger stated in the letter he had spent the money on fly fishing gear.
The board agreed to Murray's recommendation to add a $25 usage fee for groups using the school facilities for reunions, shows and dances, in addition to the existing power and light fee.
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