Small items cost big bucks
Amanda Bergmann
Issue date: 10/16/09 Section: News
Every year, Western Illinois University spends large sums of funds on an assortment of projects, but the amount of money Western spends on necessities like paint and toilet paper is remarkable.
For example, every year, Western orders nearly 1,500 cases of toilet paper. That's the equivalent of two and a half semi trucks full of toilet paper provided across the campus, from academic buildings to residence halls.
"We roughly use 3,500 to 4,000 gallons of paint, that's not counting maybe a contractor on campus building something new or going to remodel or be some kind of new construction," said Eldon Morrison, superintendent of building maintenance.
For the 2009 fiscal year, the Macomb campus alone will spend $4,174,171 for electricity and $2,966,661 for natural gas.
Many may not be aware, but Western has to burn coal for our heating plant, which leads to the university purchasing 11,246 tons of coal at a cost of $509,636. As for water on the Macomb campus, nearly 200 million gallons will be consumed at a cost of $1,007,816.
"Water is quite high for our campus," said Renee Edwards, account tech III for the Physical Plant. Services such as recycling and waste by the ton are also high expenses for Western, with recycling costing $295.95 and waste $1,272.
In addition to water, potholes have also become an issue. Each year $20,000 is used for parking lot maintenance.
The city of Macomb is responsible for the upkeep of potholes on streets such as University Drive and Western Avenue, which is not included in the $20,000 that Western uses.
There are many trees, plants and grassy areas, across campus. Trees across the campus are not replaced often, since a tree will usually last for 35 to 40 years.
In high traffic areas, such as Sherman Hall, the lawn can be mowed up to five times a week whereas places further from campus, such as Lamoine Village will be mowed every 10 days. On average, other grassy areas on campus are mowed once every seven days.
Also, Document and Publication Services serves the entire community of Macomb.
In regard to how much paper they use Meg Walsh, university copier program coordinator for DPS, said one can only imagine how much paper is actually used on a yearly or semester basis.
"I can't even begin to tell you; I don't even know," she added.
For example, every year, Western orders nearly 1,500 cases of toilet paper. That's the equivalent of two and a half semi trucks full of toilet paper provided across the campus, from academic buildings to residence halls.
"We roughly use 3,500 to 4,000 gallons of paint, that's not counting maybe a contractor on campus building something new or going to remodel or be some kind of new construction," said Eldon Morrison, superintendent of building maintenance.
For the 2009 fiscal year, the Macomb campus alone will spend $4,174,171 for electricity and $2,966,661 for natural gas.
Many may not be aware, but Western has to burn coal for our heating plant, which leads to the university purchasing 11,246 tons of coal at a cost of $509,636. As for water on the Macomb campus, nearly 200 million gallons will be consumed at a cost of $1,007,816.
"Water is quite high for our campus," said Renee Edwards, account tech III for the Physical Plant. Services such as recycling and waste by the ton are also high expenses for Western, with recycling costing $295.95 and waste $1,272.
In addition to water, potholes have also become an issue. Each year $20,000 is used for parking lot maintenance.
The city of Macomb is responsible for the upkeep of potholes on streets such as University Drive and Western Avenue, which is not included in the $20,000 that Western uses.
There are many trees, plants and grassy areas, across campus. Trees across the campus are not replaced often, since a tree will usually last for 35 to 40 years.
In high traffic areas, such as Sherman Hall, the lawn can be mowed up to five times a week whereas places further from campus, such as Lamoine Village will be mowed every 10 days. On average, other grassy areas on campus are mowed once every seven days.
Also, Document and Publication Services serves the entire community of Macomb.
In regard to how much paper they use Meg Walsh, university copier program coordinator for DPS, said one can only imagine how much paper is actually used on a yearly or semester basis.
"I can't even begin to tell you; I don't even know," she added.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Terry Jacobs
posted 10/23/09 @ 8:04 AM CST
Many very interesting facts in the Courier's "Small Items Cost Big Bucks" story of 10/16/09. One, in particular, begs even deeper journalistic questioning and, perhaps, re-evaluation on the part of the University - the coal-fired heating plant. (Continued…)
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