School Board Could Decide Monday Whether to Install Solar Panels at Schools

The Board of Education tonight has scheduled a presentation, to be followed by a possible board decision, about whether to pursue a project to install solar panels at five of the district's six school properties.

If approved, the district could receive about $1 million worth of roof repairs to township schools in exchange for allowing an outside vendor to install the panels on every school roof except the as well as on a possible parking canopy that might be built at according to information on the school's website.

The board may vote at Monday's meeting whether to authorize a bidding process to seek a solar installer for the project, said Susan Carlsson, school board president. "We have to take some action in order to get the work done over the summer," Carlsson said.

Either way, Carlsson said that school officials have decided against a suggested installation on the grounds of the Mount Prospect Elementary School in The Hills.

"The initial recommendation to place ground mounted panels at Mount Prospect has been deemed unfeasible," Schools Superintendent Valerie Goger last week said in an email message to parents. "Without encroaching on play areas, there is not enough space to install panels to make the location viable, and the majority of the roof is slanted. Panels installed on a slanted roof have to be anchored through roof penetrations, and that would negate our roof warranty," Goger said.

Along with a description of the roof installations proposed at each school except Mount Prospect, a diagram of the proposed location of the parking canopy under consideration at Ridge High School also is online. The idea of a possible parking canopy at the middle school also is being explored, Goger said.

A representative from Spiezle Architectectural, which has proposed coordinating the project, is expected at the meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday at the on Quincy Road.

The school district has at this time decided against pursuingon school property that had been proposed as part of a larger project to be coordinated by Somerset County, Carlsson said. That proposal was designed to lower electric costs for the district over the long run, rather than providing upfront roof repairs.

School officials have repeatedly said while planning this year's budget that leaking roofs are a problem that must soon be remedied.

Spiezle representatives suggested the trade-off of allowing solar panel installations in exchange for roof repairs during a budget planning discussion earlier this year.

"There has been much interest in the board’s exploration of solar projects at our schools, and the possible savings that can be achieved," Goger said in her email. "The (board's) facilities committee has continued to work with the district’s architect in researching locations and optimum placement of panels. Our website has information presented to date on the project."