Dear Editor:
Thank you very much to all who have reached out to me or someone on staff to ask about how the new renewable energy bill (SB 309) affects our use of solar energy at Sheridan Community Schools. I have been
Dave Mundy
honored and humbled by the support our community has shown in regards to our solar energy project. Through your emails and phone calls, I continue to learn even more about the community pride in the work we, a small school in a small rural town, have done together. The project has been an asset to the entire district fiscally, environmentally, and academically.
Hopefully, I can answer the many questions we have been asked by our community. To begin, and specific to SB 309, here are the steps that have been taken thus far at the state house. In its original form, SB 309 would have potentially destroyed all the work we have done with solar. In short, it would ruin our ability to store credits, make us sell our extra solar back on the months that we make extra at a much cheaper rate than a rate for purchasing (buying back) needed power during the months we are under producing. The ratio of purchase to sell in the proposed legislation was over a 3-1 cent deficit for SCS. If this bill passed, it had potential of a $300,000 to $1,000,000 negative impact on our district.
I can say that for all the years I have been in administration and education, this is by far the most time I have ever spent working to adjust or impact legislation. However, it is that important to our schools and our community. At Sheridan, we are working hard to assure our concerns are heard. Why should we be penalized for doing a project that has positive fiscal, academic, and environmental impact on our district and entire community? As well, why should we be penalized for having the courage to jump into the solar pool in order to save our district money and do what is right and not cost the state additional dollars at all? In fact, during the summer when we don’t have students, we produce solar that can be stored helping energy providers make money.
For over two weeks, Mrs. Popejoy in our business office and I worked diligently to either get our contract grandfathered into the legislation or exempt schools completely. We spent many hours making phone calls to legislators, meeting with them, and sending emails. We both spoke on the Senate floor in hopes they would grandfather SCS in and not destroy a project of which our school and community is so very proud and one that is working for SCS. Before the vote in the final committee meeting, Senator Mike Delph made an amendment to add a “grandfathering clause” into the bill. This amendment was passed and added to the current language. This is HUGE to SCS, and we are very appreciative of Senator Delph’s efforts.
As it is written now, our project will not be majorly affected. Are we out of the woods yet? NO, but we are on a good path. Last Friday the entire Senate passed the bill. Our grandfathering amendment was still intact as part of the bill. Now it goes to the House where, I believe, it will be assigned to the House Utilities, Energy, and Telecommunications Committee for study. They will have open floor discussions which we will attend, again speaking to the House if necessary. If the bill passes out of committee, it will go to the entire House for a vote. We are very fortunate to have numerous local representatives in the House who understand schools and their finances. I truly believe those legislators will help assist schools who have ventured into renewable energy as a creative strategy for pushing more dollars to the classroom where students benefit most.
I appreciate all the continued support we have received from our community and throughout the state.
Thank you,
Dave Mundy
Sheridan Community Schools