The city’s natural gas will soon be coming from a different supplier. The city’s contract with Prior Energy, the company currently serving Jacksonville, ends at the end of May and, according to Mayor Johnny Smith, the company has not courted the city for a contract renewal.At Monday night’s council meeting, it was decided to take the city’s business to Southstar Energy Services.
“They are willing to offer us an even better deal than we have with Prior to get our business. They took our Prior contract and they have pretty much copied it word for word except they are going to give us $0.10 off our storage where Prior did not give us anything off our storage and that’s a good deal,” said Michael Rinker, utility office supervisor for the Jacksonville Water Works, Gas and Sewer Board.
During the work session prior to the meeting, the council briefly discussed raising the per mile fuel reimbursement for city employees from 40.5 cents to 45 cents per mile. The council will continue that discussion at their next meeting May 27. The work session will begin at 12 p.m. with the regular meeting to follow at 1 p.m.
In other action, the council approved the purchase of a float valve for the Big Springs pumping station to complement the 12-inch water line. The valve will help regulate the flow of water from Anniston coming into Jacksonville’s water system.
