By Ryan McCarthy, Appeal-Democrat

 When George Parker spoke about trying to get millions of dollars from the state for work at Yuba City High, a school board trustee made a promise.

If you can do that, Fred Northern remembers telling Parker, director of facilities for the Yuba City Unified School District, I'll throw rose petals at your feet.

Success in securing the funds in 2002 was seen as a longshot. Yuba City Unified sought more than 20 percent of the money available statewide.

But the funds from the State Allocation Board followed — and so did the petals.

Baldev Johal, the district's deputy superintendent for business, recalls walking outside of the school board room and Northern being handed the rose petals to toss at Parker.

After nearly a decade working for Yuba City Unified — and the single instance of the praise via petals — Parker, 48, begins a new post Monday with the Yuba Community College District.

Steve Plaxco, director of maintenance for Yuba City Unified, said Parker's legacy includes the district "going green" with efforts in energy conservation and other measures.

"He's brought the district to a whole new level," Plaxco said.

Parker talked about the support he's had from co-workers, school district trustees and others.

"These guys around me are so great," Parker said.

Those green-related efforts, including solar photovoltaic energy production from panels at Riverbend Elementary, have provided not only financial savings but a lesson for students. Riverbend Principal Dave Morrow said older students will show younger pupils the energy and water conservation measures at the school that opened in the 2007-08 school year.

About 50 percent of the electrical energy at Riverbend is produced by solar power, Morrow said.

Other school districts interested in going green have had help from the model known as the "Yuba City classroom." Energy management systems allow lower utility bills for the school district that pays about $1.8 million yearly for such costs.

Parker, who served on a state panel about green schools, was moderator at a discussion about sustainable and affordable energy conservation efforts during a February conference in
Sacramento. He also assisted a school in Foresthill in Placer County on energy saving measures.

"George was so critically important in the district's plan," Johal said. "The district and its students have a lot to be grateful for."

Parker said he'll be involved in extensive building projects at Yuba College.

"My hope," he said, "is to take everything I've learned to the college."