Saving money through green
Ganado schools hope being environmentally responsible will cut costs

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Karen Francis
Diné Bureau

GANADO — Going green is not only good for the environment, but it could help the Ganado Unified School District save about $30,000 by shutting off utilities for certain unoccupied buildings and designating an employee to track which rooms and offices are not turning off lights and office equipment.

Pinpointing where savings can be made has become increasingly important as the school district confronts a decreasing budget.

All school districts in Arizona are feeling the budget woes.

The state is facing a $1.6 billion deficit, and about 43 percent of the state’s budget goes to K-12 education, presenter Joseph Mora said to the board.

The school board heard a presentation Tuesday evening on the plans that the district is making to cut its budget by approximately $900,000.

“Our biggest expense in the district is salary and benefits, which is personnel, and that is one area we did not want to go to, to have a reduction in force — RIF — so by using this plan of watching our expenses ... we can meet that goal,” Mora said.

Mora outlined some of the cost-saving measures that the district could take to address the budget shortfall.

Closing the Pavilion and the Aquatic Center could save the district approximately $100,000, Mora said. Last year, utilities for the facilities cost $26,000 for electricity and $74,000 for gas. The fire alarm system would continue to stay active.

One plan is to discontinue the activity bus route, requiring parents to pick up their children who take part in extracurricular activities. Eliminating the activity buses would save about $125,000, Mora said.

Limiting school athletics to provide one coach each for the varsity baseball, softball and track teams could save $16,800. Junior varsity and freshmen teams would be able to continue only with volunteer coaches.

Another plan to limit the use of substitutes could save the district $85,000, Mora said. That would require teachers to put in leave requests three days in advance and identify a substitute for the days absent.

Releasing long-term substitutes could save the district an additional $100,000, Mora said.

The plan to restrict staff travel to only that which is deemed “absolutely necessary” would save the district $60,000, Mora said. Protocol for travel authorization has already been revised, he indicated.

Having administrative vehicles returned could save the district $15,000, mostly in fuel costs, Mora said.

Administrators may also be asked to volunteer to take a two-day furlough without pay — a move that could save $70,000.

Another plan includes minimizing field trips for students.