Faulty parts continue to plague Conneaut turbine

CONNEAUT - Faulty parts continue to be the reason the wind turbine behind Conneaut Middle School isn't working, Board of Education members learned at Thursday's meeting.

Kent Houston, Conneaut Area City Schools' superintendent, said he recently spoke with NexGen Energy, the Colorado company that built the 600 kW generator earlier this year, for a status update. A part has kept the mammoth machine from cranking out power at levels it was designed to reach, Houston said. Technicians were working on the turbine Thursday, and a fix may be near, he said. A NexGen turbine at the city of Conneaut's wastewater treatment plant, built at the same time, has been operational for weeks.

Last year, the school district and city entered into a 10-year contract with NexGen aimed at reducing electric bills at the middle school and treatment plant.

The blades of the larger turbine at the middle school will not need to spin furiously to reach its 600 kW capacity, Houston said. Only 22 or 23 rotations a minute will achieve that level, he said.

"It will never turn like a fan," he said.

In other business, the board was told the district is working to make its attendance policy consistent among all its schools. Joel Taylor, athletic administrator who also oversees attendance, said new policies are in place, which will send letters at regular intervals to homes where students are absent for prolonged periods of time. Sanctions are possible for unexcused absences, Taylor said.

Also, board member Nicholas Iarocci said a new club is being formed for student-athletes. The Lettermen's Club will welcome students in grades 7-12 and has a goal to "create responsibility and leadership among student athletes," he said.

The district also is revising its policies on the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Coaches are reviewing the proposed changes before they are implemented, said Iarocci.

"The changes are well-done and something I would strongly support," he said.

Elsewhere, the board:

* Approved new salary notices for several administrators. None received salary increases, although some will see the usual pay hikes per the state step system in place for all educators;

* Accepted the resignations of longtime teachers John Gilpin (Conneaut High School science) and Patricia Guglielmo (Gateway Elementary Title I reading). Gilpin will retire May 28, while Guglielmo will retire April 24. Both had careers that spanned 35 years;

* Accepted the resignation of Sean Smith as Conneaut High School Orchestra director effective at the end of the school year. In that position, Smith was responsible for music at student theater productions;

* Hired substitute teachers Anne Emerton, Patricia Shean, Cristine Poff and Ryan Tattrie;

* Accepted the resignations of classified employees Beth Briestensky (custodian) and Monika Hosken (satellite school helper); and

* Formally accepted a $2,000 donation from the Conneaut Area Chamber of Commerce, money earned from the recent Daisy Drop at the football stadium. The money will be used to help build a band shell at the stadium.