Members of the Rock Hill Board of Education on Thursday took time during its regular meeting to accept a rebate check from AEP Ohio for more than $280,000.

The district enrolled in AEP Ohio’s Business Incentive Program, which helps businesses purchase and install energy-efficient equipment.

“We conducted an energy audit,” O’Tello Banks, customer services representative for AEP, said. “We put regulators on heating and cooling systems, installed new energy-efficient lights and other things that helped Rock Hill Schools take full advantage of this program.”

The district applied to participate in the efficiency program after school administrators realized that despite a renovation in 2001, the district’s utility bills for its four main buildings were still 40 percent higher than the average of schools in Ohio.

“With the energy efficiency incentives offered by AEP Ohio we have been able to resolve the humidity, operations and comfort issues that have plagued our buildings for years,” Wes Hairston, Rock Hill Superintendent, said. “The project performed so well that we met our first year savings target in less than six months.”

The school completed the 13-month project last June and the $281, 308.37 will be put into two different accounts.

“Some of it will go into our general fund and some into our permanent improvement and future projects fund,” Chris Robinson, board treasurer, said. “It will be used for ongoing maintenance and anything we need to improve.”

The board also honored the Rock Hill Elementary A-Team football and cheerleading squads for winning the league Super Bowl.

Information about the energy incentive program is available online at www.aepohio.com/solutions.