By MIKE CORN

mcorn@dailynews.net

QUINTER -- Make no mistake, Dwight Tummons is confident that Quinter will prevail in the Take Charge Challenge that is pitting six Kansas communities against each other to see who can reduce energy use -- saving money along the way.

Tummons is the mayor of Quinter and not so easily dissuaded that his community will prevail in the battle to save energy and money. It is a campaign by the Climate and Energy Project, part of the Salina-based Land Institute's efforts.

In addition to Quinter, Salina, Kinsley, Mount Hope/Haven, Wellington and Merriam are all participating in the yearlong contest to see which town can save the most energy.

The winning community will get to choose an energy-saving prize: a solar panel for a city building, a wind turbine for a school or $10,000 to use toward an energy efficient project for the city.

Quinter already has a wind turbine, so it likely would pick one of the other prizes being offered.

Quinter is currently in the lead, and on a per-capita basis, its residents already have replaced more conventional light bulbs with 1.324 compact fluorescent bulbs.

Based on the switch in light bulbs alone, the savings is estimated at nearly $10,500.

Kathy Flora is among the converts.

"I think 18," she said of how many conventional bulbs have been pulled out and replaced with the more energy efficient bulbs.

And she's noticed a difference.

"Maybe $20 month," she said.

Flora has replaced virtually all of the bulbs that she can so far, skipping a few in a ceiling fan and a few in a recessed ceiling light.

Tummons has virtually all of his switched over as well, other than what's in a set of recessed lights.

He had those switched over, but they were on a dimming switch. The switch didn't work properly, as they would simply go out when the lights were dimmed too low.

As a result, he's been forced to put conventional bulbs back in those fixtures, but is hoping that as technology improves, he'll one day be able to switch back.

So far, neither Tummons nor Flora are looking back on the old-style lights.

"It takes a little bit at first to get used to them," Flora said. "Now, you're so used to that you don't see any difference."

And she's spreading the word to her friends.

Tummons is spreading the word as well, and is virtually incandescent free.

"I am pretty much 100 percent now," he said of the new CFLs."

In fact, this past weekend, he installed five more bulbs that haven't been put online, a running tally of energy-saving efforts.

Tummons also took part in the energy audits that Midwest Energy has been conducting through its Get$mart program, designed to lend money to homeowners to make improvements and pay for it through energy savings.

While he has already upgraded most of his appliances and installed insulation, Tummons said he has been told he would benefit from a heat pump.

"We're considering that," he said.

Flora said she made the change to the new style of bulbs slowly.

"We did a little at a time," she said. "That cost up front."

At kick-off events, Quinter has had some CFLs to hand out, and Tummons is confident some of those went to county residents as well.

The city also has worked with local businesses to reduce the cost of bulbs when possible.

They're also working on a replace-your-porch light campaign, which will entitle the winning block to recognition.

"A lot of effort is going into this," Tummons said. "We're going to win this thing. I don't have any doubt."