BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
For a video of Mayor Johnny Hammock’s presentation to the Council Tuesday came during a work session, so no vote was taken. See https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=870826610173151&extid=NS-UNK-UNK-UNK-AN_GK0T-GK1C
A possible tragedy concerning a gas leak in Tallassee was averted, according to Tallassee Mayor Johnny Hammock. He says it is time for the city to address the 35 miles of cast iron gas lines in the city, and with bond rates at historic lows, the time is now.
The issue was a few weeks back for Senior Awards Night at the high school where around 200 people had to be evacuated from the event.
“We lost a lot gas,” Hammock said in a video presentation to Council members Tuesday evening, but he stressed it could have been much worse.
Hammock told councilors that Tallassee has about 35 miles of cast iron gas lines.
“The Federal DOT has mandated all cast iron lines be replaced due to their brittle nature and propensity to leak. We have leaks all over. That one at the high school was a major one. We have them right now that we don’t even know about,” Hammock said. A definitive timeline has not been put into place on by the DOT on exactly when the gas lines must be replaced. However, Hammock said it is not wise to wait.
Natural gas does not have a smell. Without the addition of a chemical, a natural gas leak could go undetected.
Hammock asked the council to consider a $5 million bond issue that would replace the majority of the cast iron lines. He said that this will eventually be mandated, and the city will have no choice. He would like to be proactive, seeking a bond now, at historically low rates, to replace the majority of lines before a tragedy could occur.
Only two percent of the gas lines in Alabama are cast iron, which makes Tallassee’s 35 miles much more important for replacement consideration.
“Right now if we were to go to bond market and get $5 million with historically low rates you are looking at about $50,000 a year for 30 years per million. Looking at debt service of $250,000 for 30 years but we have almost all of that replaced,” he said.
This would allow the city to attract more interest from contractors which typically yields a lower cost of linear foot, he said.
The recent gas leak at the high school cost the city $70,000, not including overtime for city employees Hammock told the Council.
“You think this can’t happen to us. We almost had a tragedy at the high school,” he said. “You would have lost your whole utility department…plus probably 300 people in town if it would have blew. I had people walking over there with cell phones. Static charge could have killed us all. I was having to scream at them to get back.”
Hammock gave several examples of tragedies that took lives due to gas leaks. It also opened up cities to lawsuits.
“From a safety standpoint this is critical. From a financial standpoint it is fiscally responsible. Everybody wants to be the council that builds the Rec centers and swimming pools and new municipal complexes. But this right here is a safety concern that helps fuel the city coffers.”
