Facilities director flags $742,000 electricity increase after power-purchase agreement ends

Josh Burrow, the district’s facilities director, told the committee he had tried to keep facilities spending flat but that several unavoidable cost drivers have increased. He said the district formerly benefited from a long-term power purchase agreement at roughly 6.5 cents per kilowatt-hour; that agreement expired in December and, coupled with higher transmission and distribution charges, is projected to raise the district’s electricity bill by about $742,000 this year—an increase Burrow described as “extremely high” but explainable by market changes.

Burrow also reviewed maintenance workload and safety upgrades: roughly 3,275 completed tickets since July 1, multiple building repairs (Montello main entrance work), inspections done with the fire department, and ongoing training and preventive maintenance efforts. He said some projects are part of LCIP and a near-complete facility-condition assessment will inform capital priorities over the next 10–15 years.

Committee questions and procurement: Members asked about contract cycles and why some custodial supply lines rose; Burrow explained the district uses group purchasing organizations and a three‑year RFP cadence for major contracts, while quoting flexibility built into the current vendor agreement for specific consumables and one-off equipment purchases.

Ending: Burrow said a new power contract runs three years; committee members asked staff to look for cost‑saving opportunities, potential used-vehicle purchases and continued collaboration with the city on energy projects.