Friday, March 29, 2024

GISD hopes to save via fuel co-op

Posted

The Gatesville Independent School District is hoping to reap significant savings on fuel costs by participating in the Texas Association of School Board's energy cooperative.

Darrell Frazier, chief financial officer for the district, presented details of the plan during the March 21 meeting of the Gatesville ISD Board of Trustees.

Frazier said TASB is in the process of building the fuel pool at a fixed rate for both diesel and unleaded fuel that could substantially reduce the fuel bills of participating school districts.

"Have y'all been to the pump lately?" Frazier asked the school board. "You know what the prices are doing. Diesel was at $5 (per gallon) and regular (unleaded) was around $4."

Under the fuel co-op, the district would commit to purchasing 36,000 gallons of diesel and 9,000 gallons of unleaded fuel. The diesel would be discounted to $2.81 per gallon with unleaded costing $2.68.

"This would be a big thing for us – it would really help out a lot with expenses," Frazier said.

Following board approval, the district committed to purchase $125,280 worth of fuel at those discounted prices from June 1 of this year through Aug. 31, 2023.

"The savings could be pretty substantial," Frazier said. "This would help protect the school district in terms of costs."

Board Vice President Charles Alderson asked if the prices could change.

"No," Frazier said, adding that the bigger question is if the fuel co-op would be able to be established.

"Will TASB be able to do this? I don't know," Frazier said. He added that he has contacted a TASB representative about the fuel co-op who said he is still hopeful.

"It's a really good rate, no doubt, if we can get it for that," Alderson said.

Board member Mary Anne Leib asked what if fuel costs dropped down to $1.50 per gallon.

"You'd hear me hoot and holler," Alderson said.