Staff Writer

For the Troy City Schools, the 2000-2001 fiscal year ended better than anticipated.

Monday night, Hank Jones, superintendent for the schools system, told members of the school board the September tax revenue collections were up at least $17,000.

"We ended the fiscal year with it up $43,000," Jones said. "That was significantly better than we thought it was going to be."

Jones also praised everyone in the school system for doing "a really good job under some tight restrictions."

He said cost of utilities was "a little better," although it was up 1 percent overall because of the warmer temperatures the past month.

In other business, the board:

· Approved a contract with Johnson Control, Inc., subject to the school system’s attorney giving his nod.

Johnson Control will conduct a Performance Contracting Program that has the potential of saving the school system more than $50,000 per year (over 10 years) in energy and operational expenses.

Jack Mansell of Johnson Control, Inc. said making changes can help the school focus on educating students, rather than on upkeep of facilities.

Some of the changes will include retrofit lighting, of which Johnson Control is the largest contractor in North America.

Since funding is always a problem for school systems, maintenance is often deferred, meaning students are often not in the best environment for learning. That, Mansell said, is what his company wants to change here in Troy.

The goal, he said, is to reduce operational and utility costs through a 10-year program that has a lease-to-purchase agreement.

Mansell said Johnson Control offers guarantees on savings, design, schedule and cost/eliminating change orders.

He said it will take six weeks for the Alabama Building Commission to give its blessing, but plan a December start date. The work will take 3.5 months and will be done after school hours.

The school system will not have to make its first payment until all construction is complete, Mansell said.

· Authorized Willie Thomas to signoff on purchase orders in Jones’ absence.

· Agreed to participate in PRIME, a program sponsored by the Alabama Association of School Boards. The AASB will sell bonds, pool that money and allow school boards to borrow at a "very low" interest rate, Jones said.

Although he does not anticipate the school system needing additional funds, he said the system could gain money from interest and not have to pay anything.

· Authorized the reemployment of Pam Carlisle as secretary of the Early Childhood Center and temporary employment for any system personnel who may be activated into military duty.

Those decisions were made after the board went into executive session.

Alabama’s Sunshine Law states public boards, may go behind closed doors "when the character or good name of a woman or man is involved."

Anyone found to have violated the Sunshine Law is guilty of a misdemeanor and can be fined no less than $10 and no more than $500.

· Selected Jane Vincent as a delegate to the AASB’s December meeting.

· Acknowledged the resignation of the Rev. Bobby Cox from the board. Cox has been reassigned to the Birmingham area.