Reeling a bit from the news their new school won’t be ready until the fall of 2009, SAD 3 board members also received some good news Monday night.

Supt. Barbara Mosseau said Steve Cole of Coastal Enterprises Inc. has informed her the district is receiving a $60,000 grant from the Cox Trust.

The money will be used to assist the district in determining whether wind power will be feasible in the energy mix at the new school.

The district is already eyeing a wood chip boiler and board members think a windmill would be a good addition as well.

The grant is slightly less than the district was asking for but Mosseau said Cole thinks it will be enough to hire the experts needed. Some data is already available because of the extensive records kept by former board member Wes Kinney who operates a windmill on his property, which is only a short distance from the new school site.

Cole has told the district’s building committee that windmills have not been used in the state to provide power for schools so there might be grant money available to cover the cost, which is estimated between $500,000 to $1 million with a 25-year expectancy.

Board member Glenn Couturier, who is chairman of the building committee, said it is possible a windmill could meet more than half of the electricity needs at the new school.

Cole is expected to attend the district’s next building committee meeting set for Monday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. at Mt. View.