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Utilities report: district utility costs near $4.7M annually; LED and turf‑removal projects underway

Thompson School District R-2J Board of Education · December 18, 2025

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Summary

Operations presented five‑year utility trends: rising costs (about $4.7M annually), increased water (outdoor use >75%), steady electricity and declining natural gas; an energy performance contract is replacing lighting with LEDs and plumbing work is scheduled, and the district is pursuing grants and electric-bus charging infrastructure.

The board received the annual utilities and energy-department report. Operations staff summarized five-year trends and current projects intended to reduce ongoing utility costs and support sustainability.

Key points: - District-wide annual utility costs are roughly $4.7 million, with water, electricity, natural gas and administrative fees included; waste costs have risen over $200,000 in the last year, largely tied to landfill changes that increased transportation costs. - Water use is increasing overall with outdoor irrigation accounting for more than 75% of water consumption; the district is pursuing turf removal and native landscaping grants to reduce outdoor water demand. - Electricity usage has been steady; the district is implementing an energy performance contract that already began gym LED upgrades at selected sites and will roll building‑wide LED retrofits (22 schools planned) and plumbing work expected to start in February with completion targeted by summer 2026. - Natural gas usage has trended down owing to milder winters; staff noted some meter‑reading discrepancies at a few sites under investigation with utilities providers. - The district is pursuing electric bus chargers and had ordered electric buses; a vendor declined a public‑charger proposal this month but district staff plan to continue exploring public and fleet charger options.

Operations staff stressed that grant funding (state and regional water/energy programs) and pilot projects are important to advance projects without absorbing full capital costs. The report was informational; no board action was required.