Wayland will extend natural gas line

By STEPH TAHTINEN

Mt. Pleasant News

WAYLAND ? The Wayland City Council voted Wednesday night to proceed with extending the natural gas line.

The council decided to proceed with extending the natural gas line to Cottonwood, Tim Meyer, what is known as the Bob Yoder farm and Eichelberger Milling, Inc., pending agreement and shared expense provisions. No homes would be allowed to hook up to this gas line at this time.

The agreement would require the businesses share the expenses of the project at a cost of 50 cents per mcf, based on their maximum usage. The businesses would also be required to keep the natural gas for five years.

?We can?t hold them to five years, but I think we should be able to recover the cost of installation less what the profit was on the gas,? said Mayor Brad Roth.

City Clerk Bev Conrad plans to talk to City Attorney Mike Vance about writing an agreement to use and about including a penalty clause to the agreement if a business should pull out early. The city will also have to look into easements and state permits for the project.

The council had previously received two price quotes from companies for the project. However, since there was never a bid letting for the project, the city was not able to choose one of those quotes and will still need to hold a bid letting for the project. Therefore, the only action the council could take was deciding to proceed with the project.

Adding these businesses will increase the city?s natural gas usage by one third, and there is an estimated three-year payout for the project.

In other business, the council voted to give a 55 cent raise to all full-time employees.

?I think each and every one of our employees does an excellent job. They?re very dedicated, very good employees,? said Karole Miller, council member.

Roth said he spoke with Fire Chief Michael Shepherd and explained that the fire department will have to sort out any potential raises in house.

?They can rearrange the money we give them any way they want to do it, and he (Shepherd) was okay with it. He was okay with what he was given,? said Roth.

It was not in the budget to give raises to part-time employees.