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LOCAL
NEWS
Gas shortages impact operations
Wayne Ruple
10-09-2008
An on-going gas shortage, both of regular fuel and diesel, is creating problems for county residents and local government operations as well.
“The county is out of gas,” reported Cleburne County Engineer Shannon Robbins during a Cleburne County Commission work session Monday afternoon.
“We’re getting by and doing what we can,” Robbins added.
Robbins said the county highway department has been without gas and diesel since last week and this also presents problems for other departments who get their gas from the highway department.
He said his department has done some patching of pot holes and trying “to work two or three things at a time” in one area to cut back on fuel use.
He noted that the EMA has provided the department with some diesel fuel.
Cleburne County EMA Director Steve Swafford explained, “We had access to a reserve of diesel fuel that we released to the county public works department on Monday to help span the gap and keep their operation up and running.”
Cleburne County Sheriff Joe Jacks said his department has cut back on some patrols but, “so far we’ve been able to get some gas,” from local stations and answer some calls by phone.
Robbins also reported that the county receives a half million dollars per year from the federal government for certain types of road work. He said there has been no increase in the past 13 years and that a 11 percent “handling fee” is charged by the feds. In addition another 11 percent is taken off local matching monies as well.
Bridge inspections were also discussed by Robbins who said that when a bridge fails inspection it is closed if the county has no money to repair it.
In a letter to Robbins, ALDOT State County Transportation Engineer commended Cleburne County for their inspection program.
Robbins noted that the high cost of oil and petroleum products has driven up the price of asphalt and paving to $80,000 per mile of 1.5 inches of asphalt.
A safety project on County Road 24 is expected to be let in December. There have been numerous accidents and several deaths in several dangerous curves on the road, the most recent of which was last week in which a Decatur resident was killed after his vehicle left the road.
Another work session topic concerning low income residents receiving garbage pickup payment exemptions.
Those wishing to qualify must do so between Nov. 1 and Dec 31. No exemption forms will be accepted after Dec. 31.
Swafford reported that of the 3,400 customers, 250 were granted exemptions last year.
He estimated that 30 percent of those were acquired in a fraudulent manner and a new form must be filled out this year with several proofs of financial hardship required. Those obtaining an exemption in an illegal way can be charged with a felony he said.In other matters, officers with the ABC board discussed what enforcement actions can be done in unincorporated areas of the county should a cold beer referendum pass in the November election.
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About Wayne Ruple
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Cleburne News editor Wayne Ruple is a native of Ashville. Before coming to Heflin, he worked for three years as a computer systems manager in Birmingham. Ruple has worked for The Sand Mountain Reporter in Albertville, and was the editor of The Independent in Robertsdale. He has also worked for the Shades Valley Sun, the St. Clair News-Aegis and The Daily Home in Talladega.
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Contact Wayne Ruple
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