KU fuel reserves dwindling
Staff Renorter
By DAVID SIMPSON
The University of Kansas has only five days of fuel oil reserves left with which to heat the campus, Richard Perkins, associate director of plant maintenance, said yesterday.
KU's contract with the Kansas Public Gas Service Company allows the utility to halt the flow of natural gas to the University during periods of peak demand. The university has been using its reserve fuel oil supply since Jan. 1, 2007.
Perkins, who is in charge of buying fuel oil and natural gas, said the University was having trouble getting additional supplies of fuel oil to replace what the University had been using.
"We've got 60,000 gallons of fuel oil that has been purified and is coming," Perkins said. "However, we're not running out yet."
"If we run out of oil and the gas company does not continue service we will not be able to heat most of the campus," Pellins said. "The Chancellor would then have to decide what the University should do."
Perkins said that the University had never been closed because of a fuel shortage, and that if it were closed, the
Dykes said the University was receiving consistent ships of oil and the situation had not yet reached the
final decision would be made by Chancellor Archie R. Dykes.
"I've been aware that we can get enough to meet our needs," Dykes said. "Either with gas or oil, we'll be able to do it."
The University's fuel problems began when officials were told by the gas company that the University's rasing system had been changed by the federal government. As a result, the natural gas would be cut off at lower demand levels.
Under the University's contract, the gas company can cut off service during periods of heavy demand, but this year the University was cut off at a lower demand level than last year.
"The University was not informed of this decision until the cold weather came," Perkins said. "This is the first year this happened. The cuts have hurt us for we don't have the reserve capacity to work under these conditions."
The University now has a reserve capacity, when all tanks are full, of 120,000 gallons of fuel oil, which would heat the campus for about 14 days. The University also has two tanks of 300,000 gallons, but neither tank has been usable this year.
"The two tanks have leaks that we have not been able to fix." Perkins said. "Our problem is that when fuel oil cools it's like tarnish. The leaks have to be viewed from the inside and you have to come up with some way to clean oil off the outside."
Perkins said that the University had asked for more money for oil storage capacity but that KU had not received any money yet. He also said that if money were available, it would be difficult to find a place for additional tanks.
"Puel tanks must have a skit prevention system if they are not built underground," he said. "We would need a water supply system."
During a fuel shortage, the University has a three-part program that can be implemented if the situation worsens. The program is open to all students.
Stage 1 involves full operation of the University, using fuel oil and reducing temperatures in all buildings. During this first stage, five buildings on campus would be closed down and their heat reduced.
In the second stage, more buildings would be closed, but residence halls and classes would be kept open. In the final stage, the University would be closed and only essential services would operate.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
The University of Kansas—Lawrence, Kansas
Thursday, January 18, 1979
Vol. 89, No. 75
KU solar project springs a leak
By RON BAIN Staff Reporter
An experimental solar energy project at KU's Slouffer Place apartment complex developed a leak Monday night, but the problem is minor and will be repaired soon, according to Donald Whiple, director of architectural services.
Whipple said yesterday that cold weather may have caused the leak. About 50 gallons of water and anti-freeze solution spilled from the project's liquid circulation system at Stouffer Place, the married students' housing complex.
The Stouffer Place project supplies supplemental heating and cooling to one building of the complex. The project cost more than $400,000 to build, but the University paid only $6,500 in site preparation costs for the project.
The remaining construction costs, about $350,000, were paid by a federal grant, which was supervised by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Whiple, the project's coordinator, said the project was designed by the Honeywell Corporation and installed by a local firm. Huxtable and Associates Inc., $15.9 F.12h.
A spokesman for Huxtable and Associates said the leak was the first big maintenance problem since the project began operating in September 1978. The spokesman, Lynn Olson, project manager for Huxtable, said the leak was one of many were routine with experimental projects.
"THEIS IS A one-of-a-kind installation. This one is a first, and because it's a first, it takes some de-bugging and some troubleshooting," Olsen said.
Repairs on the project, which has been operating at partial capacity since the leak developed, will begin as soon as the water flows in. Honeywell arrive in Lawrence, Olson said.
The solar energy project, when operating at full capacity, supplies 90 percent of the 12-unit building's hot water needs, 60 percent of its cooling needs, and 40 percent of its air conditioning. Whipple said.
"If there have been cloudy days and we don't have enough solar energy, then the system will call for the (natural) gas to come on." Whipple said.
One resident of the Stouffer Place solar project said KU housing officials had promised him a 50 percent savings on heating costs. However, the resident, Doug Greer, Lawrence graduate student, said he thought his heating bills had been too high.
"WEVE USED more gas, but it's been somewhat cooler, I guess." Greed said.
Recently, the solar panels have remained covered with snow for as long as two days
However, another Stouffer resident, Bruce Hollenbeck, Kansas City, Kan., sophomore, said he thought the solar project worked well.
"Our utility bills are down," Hollenbeck said.
The residents of Stouffer Place where apartments are connected to the solar project pay only for the natural gas and heating to J.J. Wilson, director of KU housing.
Wilson said the solar heating provided to Stouffer residents was free.
Snows delay work on gyms, satellite union
Bad weather has stopped construction of the Robinson Gymnasium addition and has slowed work on the satellite union, but the buildings should be completed on schedule, according to Keith Lawton, director of facilities planning.
Lawton said yesterday that both construction projects were about a month behind schedule when workers were forced to stop by the recent heavy snowfalls. But he said the companies could make up for the delays and complete the buildings on schedule.
The Robinson addition is scheduled for completion in early 1860. Lawton said the satellite union, northwest of Allen Field and completed this spring and ready for next fall.
Lawton said the roof of the union had been finished before the bad weather hit. He said the workers had hung plastic from the roof and installed wires for installing ductwork and laying concrete.
A SPOKESMAN for the Douglas Construction C Man. Topoka, the general contractor.
weather halted construction for 11 days in 1878. He said no work had been possible then.
Merrill Harris, vice president of Douglas Construction, said the state architecture had given the company an 11-day extension on its plans to construct the days no work had been done in 1978.
Harris said the company was "about even" with its schedule when the snowstorms forced the company to stop work.
"We may be 10 to 15 days back from what
Harris said construction would resume
"just the minute we can get back in there."
"Hopefully, we'll have an early spring and lots of sunshine."
A spokesman for the B.B. Andersen Construction Co., Inc., Topeka, general contractor for the satellite union, said some work was being done despite the bad weather.
we predicted but 11 of those days we get an extension on," Harris said.
He would not say how much the snow had slowed the construction schedule.
Staff Photo by ALAN ZLOTKY
Wilmore Fowler applies defensive pressure to Missouri's Steve Wallace last night in Allen Field Houston. KU didn't apply enough pressure though, and MU won the game, 38-27.
Unpaid fines may bite faculty, staff salaries
The University Senate Executive Committee, hoping to recover more than $36,000 in unpaid faculty and staff parking fines, decided yesterday to support administration attempts to withhold the money from the paychecks of faculty and staff.
The action was in response to a request from Del Shankel, executive vice chair of the law firm's solutions to the problem. SenXt had written an earlier proposal from Shankel that those owing money should have their names listed on the Kansan and Lawrence Journal World.
Approval from the Kansas Legislature is needed before the University can deduct fines from employees paychecks, but some students said they would support the legislation.
“There is nothing sacred about faculty, especially those who owe the University money,” F. Hutton Barron, professor of business, said.
collecting the unpaid faculty and staff fines.
Students who do not pay parking tickets may have their transcripts withheld and may not be allowed to enroll.
In reaching the decision, SenEx members debated several alternatives, including the use of a collection agency to collect the funds. At present there is no procedure for
The only resource available to the University for recovering unpaid faculty and staff parking fines has been to withhold parking permits from those owing money.
Also, a car parked on campus may be towed if its owner owes money on at least five tickets, even if it is parked legally. The driver must retreive his car until the fines are paid.
The latest action is the result of a report to SenEx last spring by Mike Torres, former head of the Parking and Traffic Board, who has been appointed as upset over the unpaid faculty and staff fines.
However, Torres said then that only $15,000 of the $36,000 in overdue fines were owed by KU employees. Torres said many of the fines were owed by persons who had left after working at KU for one or two years.
Parking fines are responsible for 35 percent of the Parking Board's budget, Torres told Senas, and the loss of revenue is a result. The recent increase in parking fees and fines.
Tubular Bells
Houston Bells
Job Matusaw will perform "Structured Improvisation" on his collection of 165 bells to raise funds for the Lawrence Open School. The program is at 7:30 tonight at the Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont St.
Bell ringer brings love to Lawrence
Staff Reporter
By RHONDA HOLMAN
He's a journalist, bell collector, storyteller, historian, wanderer, actor, cemetery commissioner, and disabled veteran. But, most of all, Job Matusow is a man of love.
Love is what brought Matsusow and his Honda car filled with 165 belts to Lawrence to raise funds for the Lawrence Open School, 14th Street and Monterey Way, through a series of benefit programs of bell-playing and story-telling.
He sits on a pillow, surrounded by his instrument of tarnished brass shell casings, orately engraved English and Tibetan bells, Thailand gongs and bells made of metals of Japanese and Vietnamese wars. The earthenware is complicated structure of ropes and metal rods.
"Even in the implems of war, God has found love," matusaw said last night before he died. "The congregation at Plymouth Congregational Church, 225 Vernon Street. This instrument is designed to
Matusow's last program is to be at 7:30 tonight at the church.
He also said harmonies and rhythms of
MATUOSW SAID his program, called "The Bells of Armach's Garden," began as a dream he had during his service in the intrepid Air Force. He also acquired actual metals of war become "bells of love, peace, God—you name it," with gifts from Army and other friends around the world.
It’s a way of expressing myself without words, he said, “I like the silence—that’s a nuance.”
Matsuwan said he did not call his bell-playing music but rather spoke of "structured improvisation" and the "excitement of sound."
many cultures added to a culture's tendency for violence.
"I've been searching for the truth all my life." he said.
BESIDES HIS tours, he has been on radio programs and has written four books. He said one book, "False Witness," was written in 1985 by his friend Jean Lichtenberg and has been translated into 32 languages.
"I worked for the senator for a while but I felt my conscience run me, and I helped put it off."
He also said he invented the "stringless y-y-yn", better known as the Wheelo, and a more flexible instrument called refusing to give information about a suspected Russian manufacturing of the device.
Matsuson, who was born in New York's Bronx, has lived in England, and various parts of this country during his 52 years. He said he served in two wars and enjoyed it, even though his only brother was a victim of World War II.
"I can say I'm proud I helped in the demise of Fascism in 1944 and '45," he said. "World War II was something special—it was our last romantic war."
MATU/SOW SAID he once appeared on the Howdy-Doody Show* and was the first national English touring England and a member of the original staff of the East Village Other, an underground studio.
"Before the underground press, journalism was in disrepute," he said. "There was a need for a free press and I think we have that now."
Matsuwon said he had a historical interest in Kansas because it was "the microcosm of the Civil War before it began" and because "I like the sky here, it's big.
"I lawrence has a lot of truth to it, you just have to look around and touch it."