Manawa looks at Alliant Energy’s pilot program
By Holly Neumann
The Manawa School Board learned about a solar pilot program when it met on Dec. 16.
Matt McGregor, with Hoffman Planning and Design Inc., presented information about Alliant Energy’s rent-a-roof project.
Hoffmann would help the district with the process if it decided to do it.
Phase one would involve contracting with Alliant Energy and setting everything up.
That would take about three months.
The second phase would include finalizing the contract and putting everything in place.
“This would require working with Alliant in putting the infrastructure on the roof or ground,” McGregor said. “And see it through fruition and it starts paying the district back.”
The district’s upfront costs would be Hoffman’s fees and hiring a structural engineer to determine if the roof could sustain the system.
The fees would be under $5,500 for the first phase and about $1,400 for the second one.
Installing solar panels could support STEM education, while also providing a monthly revenue stream for one or both schools.
The board did not take any action on it.
Project update
“Because of the rain in the fall and the early cold snap, we are about two to three weeks behind schedule,” McGregor said of the construction project.
In the administration addition, the walls are up and enclosed. Heat is being pumped in and dry wall will be installed in two weeks.
In the lower-level changing room area, all masonry walls are up, and the finishes will be going into that area as well.
The structural steel for the fitness center is targeted for the first week of January.
Walls for elevator shaft, fire walls and more structural steel will follow.
Pending weather conditions, the structure should be up and standing next month, McGregor said.
Corridor work is still in progress.
“In the areas where tiles are being put in place and lights have been put in, it looks like a completely different place,” he said. “It looks sharp and is starting to transform into that new space.”
The project is on track with a small amount of the contingency plan being used.
Money not spent would go back to the district.
Other topics
Also that evening, community member Joe Starr addressed the board about hiring a school resource officer (SRO).
Starr referred to the shootings that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 where 26 people were killed.
“The cost of hiring a resource officer is insignificant compared to what a tragedy it would cost this community if we didn’t have a SRO to help deter this kind of activity,” he said.
Sandy Hook Elementary is one of seven schools that part of Newtown Public Schools, which serves about 4,200 students.
“At the time of the shooting, Newtown employed resource officers that were stationed at the high school and middle schools,” he said. “They did not have them at the elementary school.”
After talking with administrators from Newtown Public School, Starr learned that today, the district has 21 employees in its security department, with most armed and stationed at all schools.
They also attend special events, such as football games, concerts and other activities.
Starr urged board to seriously consider hiring an SRO.