Woodland School Board members Monday agreed to take the next step in the proposed wind turbine project.

The board agreed to grant Kirk Heston of Johnson Controls his request to proceed with studies and estimates on the $2.4 million project, including related work.

Superintendent Doug Foster said the board is not locked into anything -- approving the request only allows Heston to gather and present more information, including costs.

"I prefer keeping costs on the conservative side so the board members won't be disappointed in the future," said Heston. He said he would rather have the members be surprised if the cost is lower than predicted.

Included in the proposal were slider doors unlike the doors that the school has now; electric and gas boilers; turbine monitoring; lighting upgrades; and a new phone system.

Board members discussed the type of phone system with certain options given attention, a combination of a PA system at a cost of $50,000, a voice over IP system costing $130, which would amount to $180,000 when comnbined with the PA system cost; or a voice over IPPA phone system costing $110,000, which was the system with the best capabilities.

Originally the cost of parking lot improvements was in the project at a cost of $300,000. Foster recommended that be removed as the cost was more than the district could afford.

A representative of the Illinois Clean Energy Foundation visited the school Saturday. A grant has been applied for with the foundation. "Usually the grants are awarded in April," Heston said.

Grants for the lighting upgrade is a separate grant.

Heston also said that as many certified local businesses will be employed as possible. He will proceed with the gathering of information for the approximate $2.4 million project.

Johnson Controls is based in Glendale and has offices across the country.