FAIRMONT — Fairmont Area Schools has received a rebate check for $152,000 following a lighting replacement project.

A representative from Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency presented the check during the Fairmont School Board meeting Tuesday. Jeff DeWar of DeWar Electric, the local contractor on the project, also attended.

About 6,500 fixtures or bulbs were replaced with LED lights in the elementary and high school over the last year and a half at a cost of $672,000. The rebate equals about 1 million kilowatt hours in electricity savings annually.

Moving along to other matters, the board set the annual fee for boys and girls hockey at $130, the same as for all other sports except football, which is $135. Hockey fees were previously $350. A $220 refund will be paid to hockey families.

This is the first year that the local hockey association and Fairmont High School’s hockey team are separate. There has been a transition over the past three years to complete the break.

“We met with the association and it’s now clear that when players play hockey for the Fairmont High School there’s no association or dependence on the Fairmont Hockey Association,” said board member Nicole Green

For example, to play on Fairmont High School’s hockey team, players are no longer required to sell hockey association books. Rather, this will only be done voluntarily. Parents will not be required to work at the concessions stand, but volunteers will be welcome.

Hockey uniforms have been placed in the uniform rotation schedule of Fairmont High School.

In other news, two new school board members were sworn in Tuesday. They are Mari Myren and Mike Edman.

An election of officers also took place. Rufus Rodriguez was chosen president, Nicole Green vice president, Dan Brookens clerk and Julie Laue treasurer.

The board accepted the following donations:

o The Schmeeckle Foundation awarded a $50,000 grant to the school’s music department.

o Martin County Youth Foundation awarded Fairmont High School a $2,000 grant to provide scholarship funds for high school students basic needs.

o Fairmont Athletic Booster Club made donations in 2018 totaling $30,582.

o First Congregational United Church of Christ donated $2,600 to the student lunch Angel Fund.

o Kahler Automation donated $1,345 to Fairmont High School to be used to purchase gifts for students and families in need.

o Several Cub Scout members from Pack 57 donated $110 to the CER Youth Scholarship program.

o United Methodist Church of Christ donated $50 to Fairmont Elementary School’s Elf Shop.