Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan yesterday told the Board of Education that PSS officials will meet with CUC Executive Director Antonio Muna today to “dispute” the records of the utilities corporation which, she added, showed “major discrepancies.”
In fiscal year 2007, PSS said it was overcharged by $528,000.
In FY 2008, according to PSS, CUC overcharged the schools $303,000.
Sablan said in fiscal year 2006, when the central government was still paying for the schools’ utilities, CUC overcharged PSS $414,000.
She said they’re looking forward to a “positive” meeting with Muna.
“We are set to discuss with CUC our concerns with their billings,” she told the board, noting that some schools have been “excessively” billed for their water usage.
Kagman Elementary School, which used to pay a monthly water bill of only $6,000, was charged over $188,000 in Nov. 2007.
From November to June 2008, PSS recorded “discrepancies” in CUC billings amounting to $303,000.
Sablan said for three classrooms of Oleai Elementary School, the Nov. 2007 water billing reached $126,000. Yet the average monthly consumption of the classrooms was only $400.
“This is ridiculous,” BOE Vice Chairman Herman T. Guerrero said during Sablan’s presentation.
He said despite the “creativity” of schools in conserving energy, savings have not been realized due to high water and power rates.
Sablan said the principals have created “school patrols” composed of staff and students to regularly monitor their power and water meters.
In anticipation of CUC’s “negative reaction,” the board said it may have to bring the dispute to the court “to protect the rights of the school children.”
