By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director

The Bradford Area School District is buying the former Crosby's on Interstate Parkway and the house next door for a total of $254,000.

The $169,000 to Reid Petroleum for the Crosby's property includes the removal of the gas tanks and the understanding the parcel be "environmentally clean" before the sale is finalized.

During Monday's Bradford Area School Board meeting, district business manager Kathy Kelly said Reid wants to get it finished "as quickly as they can."

Board member Joe Troutman said he believes the prices are "a little high," but on the other hand the properties are "like gold to us" because they're adjacent to school property.

Board member Keith Hatch added that part of the board's long range goal is to pick up properties near the schools for possible future expansion.

The money for the purchase of the two properties will come from the general fund budget. Kelly said the money is there because she budgeted conservatively in consideration of the economic climate, but the district received more in real estate taxes than she anticipated.

"Will it put us into a deficit " asked board president Tim Bean.

"No it will not, sir," Kelly said, adding with a smile, "You know I will never have a deficit, Mr. Bean."

"I had to ask," Bean said.

Board member Dave Feely voted against the sales. Board member Helen Cummiskey was absent.

Also Monday, the board voted to enter into an agreement with Clear Choice Energy for a conservation program, where electricity consumers get paid to reduce their electric usage during emergencies on the electric grid in order to prevent a blackout in the area.

The first year payment to the district is expected to be $17,578.

Kelly explained that even if Clear Choice asks the district to close buildings early, the district has the option to say they can't do it at all, or could only do it for part of a day.

She said the last time the district was asked to cut back to help prevent a blackout was in 2007.

In other matters, the board approved its share of the Intermediate Unit Nine operating budget for 2010-11.

The $87,060 is the same as last year.

Bean, who is also a member of the IU9 board, said school district superintendents in the area said they would not accept an increase in the IU9 budget.

Also, Superintendent Sandra Romanowski noted that the Go Green Committee is still working hard on "making the Bradford Area School District a greener place for all."

They're currently having a contest between the elementary schools and the secondary schools to see who can reduce consumption the most. During the first month, she said, the elementary schools won by a landslide, saving 54,000 kilowatts. Last month, the elementary schools still won, but by a much smaller margin.

She said the secondary school students are taking it very seriously now.

Romanowski said one high school student told her, "Those elementary kids toasted us, and they're not going to keep doing it."

She said the goal of the committee is two-fold: to recycle plastic bottles and paper, and to reduce energy consumption.

Also Monday, assistant superintendent Katy Pude said the re-introduction of geography and spelling bees at School Street Elementary have been very successful. She also wanted to give recognition to the district's career and technical instructors, who also take an active role in making sure students take their other classes seriously.

Pude also noted that PSSAs start on April 7 and end on April 30.

The board also approved the school calendar for 2010-11, with the first day of school on August 30.