I’m getting bombarded with emails this morning from District 211 residents who have seen the article School Energy Pacts Debated by Mario Bartoletti.

I won’t be able to thoroughly assess the article until later today, so please keep checking back.

A few quick notes, though:

District 211 community relations director Tom Petersen emailed me this morning and said that if I want to know how much D211 pays to lobbying firm Ed-Red every year, I’ll have to file an Open Records request.

I assume there’s nothing preventing Mr. Petersen from simply giving me the information. He’s just making it as hard as possible. Nice. That really inspires confidence. His email to me was cc’d to Superintendent Roger Thornton.

Steve East has not responded to my email asking if his trips to Springfield to advocate in favor of HB 261 were done as part of his official duties and, if so, who told him to do this.

A first look at Mario Bartoletti’s article before I have to run. The key quote in the article is a stunning admission from D211 employee David Torres:

“Over a five-month period, we have saved about $133,000,” Torres said. “We project to save $1.6 million by May 2008.” The savings are measured with rates from ComEd, the district’s previous energy supplier.

It’s stunning that they are finally revealing the basis for their claim that the contract with the Illinois Energy Consortium saved the District money.

Consider this:

I’ve been paying $10.00 for a bushel of wheat. Someone offers to sell me a bushel for $9.00. Someone else can sell me a bushel of wheat for $8.00.

I buy a bushel of wheat at $9.00 and go home and tell my family that I just saved them $1.00?

I don’t think so.

I just cost them $1.00.