Ohio County Schools Watching Budget And Gas Gauge
Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Board of Education President David Croft, left, and Superintendent Kim Miller provide comment during Monday’s board meeting.
Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Schools staff and supporters lately have been sporting these t-shirts to help better market public education in West Virginia.
Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Board of Education members Anne Hercules, left, and Andy Garber sport “I Love WV Public Schools” t-shirts during Monday’s board meeting.
Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Board of Education Andy Garber, left, and board president David Croft provide comment during Monday’s board meeting.
Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones, left, and board of education members Bernie Albertini and Jerry Ames provide comment during Monday’s board meeting.
Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Board of Education President David Croft, left, and Superintendent Kim Miller provide comment during Monday’s board meeting.
Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Schools staff and supporters lately have been sporting these t-shirts to help better market public education in West Virginia.
Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Board of Education members Anne Hercules, left, and Andy Garber sport “I Love WV Public Schools” t-shirts during Monday’s board meeting.
Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Board of Education Andy Garber, left, and board president David Croft provide comment during Monday’s board meeting.
Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones, left, and board of education members Bernie Albertini and Jerry Ames provide comment during Monday’s board meeting.
Trending
WHEELING - The high price of fuel has Ohio County Schools watching both gas gauges and the school district's gas and diesel budget.
Ohio County Schools vouchers for the past month show $43,598 was paid to Belmont Petroleum for fuel for school district vehicles. Of that amount, $35,322 was for diesel fuel, and $7,454 was for regular gasoline.
The topic was addressed during Monday night's Ohio County Board of Education meeting.
"My question... my concern... as prices for fuel have drastically increased… I'm hoping we are not over budget?" board member Andy Garber asked.
Steven Bieniek, business manager for Ohio County Schools, indicated higher gas prices are just something the school district has to watch for and address.
"It is pretty obvious what is going on in the world right now," he said. "Gas prices are quite high…. We manage the budget properly to make sure it is not going to be an overwhelming concern.
"We are getting about as good a price as we can right now."
Bieniek noted the most recent price paid by Ohio County Schools for diesel was $4.71 a gallon, much lower than the more than $6 a gallon being paid at the gas pumps.
He added the school district's gas tanks are filled "as needed" and not as often on a monthly basis.
Board President David Croft asked if there were "any alternative fuels out there" that could be used by the school district's buses at a lower cost.
Bieniek reminded him of Ohio County Schools' experience with an electric bus. The bus couldn't handle much of the area's steep terrain and would lose power.
Then there are natural-gas-fueled buses.
"The biggest problem with natural gas is if we had to take a trip to Beckley, where are you filling up at?" Bieniek said.
Garber suggested maybe some hybrid buses -- if available -- could be useful.
Board member Bernie Albertini also had a question about expenditures and why Ohio County Schools purchased 100 rolls of stamps.
"Do we still mail things?" he asked Bieniek.
Bieniek informed him that the school district continues to "mail things a lot."
"Schools don't keep petty cash, and you can't write a check (on the computer)," he explained. "It's hard for them to take payment to the post office, so we buy the stamps and they basically buy them off of us -- or we send it to them."
The board will next meet at 6 p.m. Sept. 28 at the board office, 2203 National Road, Elm Grove.