Uniontown Has An Emergency Plan For Gas Supply Issues
Loretta George
Uniontown is located 17 miles west of Fort Scott.
Kansas Municipality Gas Agency is the natural gas supplier for Uniontown, in western Bourbon County.
“They are the broker that the gas comes through,” Mayor Larry Jurgensen said. “We are the only town in Bourbon County to get gas from them.”
This last week, during the long duration of sub-freezing weather, the Uniontown City Council was involved in a Zoom online meeting with the agency every day.
“The gas companies couldn’t keep up with the demand,” Jurgensen said. “We were close to being shut down.”
Due to the warmer weather, that has been averted, however people need to still conserve their gas usage, he said.
“We don’t want people to panic,” Jurgensen said.
“Our supply is going to be there,” he said. “The cost is extremely high.”
“We had money put back for emergencies, whether it’s enough, we don’t know, we don’t have the bill yet. We won’t get the February bill, until March.”
At a special meeting on February 18, the city, in conjunction with other local entities, devised an emergency plan. That plan is in bold in the provided minutes from Uniontown City Clerk Sally Johnson.
The following is a comment from the City of Uniontown Council that was approved at a special meeting on Feb. 18.
“As many of you have heard, with the extreme cold we have recently experienced, gas prices have skyrocketed.
At this time the City of Uniontown is able to pay for the gas we supply to you. However, a portion of this may
have to be passed on to you.
We have an emergency plan if for some reason our gas supplier is unable to supply us. We appreciate all of the conservation efforts you have put forth and ask that you continue to conserve. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
Following are the unapproved minutes of that meeting. Minutes are not approved until the next city council meeting.
CITY OF UNIONTOWN
FEBRUARY 18, 2021 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
The Special City Council Meeting on February 18, 2021 at Uniontown City Hall, was called to order at 7:00 PM by
Mayor Jurgensen.
Council members present were Jess Ervin, Danea Esslinger, Josh Hartman (by phone), Amber Kelly, and Charles Wehry.
Also in attendance for all or part of the meeting were Joe George, City Superintendent Bobby Rich,
and City Clerk Sally Johnson.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS/PROJECTS
To discuss and make decisions on the following topics:
KMGA February 17, 2021 invoice –
Invoice consisted of usual March 2021 estimate prepayment, January 2021 true-up,
but also included a Collateral Call to reimburse for the $1,000,000 cash collateral required to secure gas to all of their
members through the holiday weekend.
Our portion of the collateral call is $6,295. The invoice is due by Monday, February 22, 2021, instead of the usual 30 days.
Motion by Ervin, Second by Wehry, Approved 5-0 to pay the KMGA February 17, 2021 invoice in the amount of $10,178.22 by March 22, 2021
How to pay KMGA March Invoice –
Council reviewed the usage to date and the daily indexes to date. Clerk Johnson estimates the bill to be $133,678.47 without the collateral call adjusted back off. She will ask KMGA if the collateral call will be adjusted on the next billing and if we could possibly get a month-to-date or weekly statements/invoices to better understand the true financial impact for the month.
Council will look at whether to pass on to customers, how much, and in what manner at the March 9, 2021, regular meeting.
Finalize emergency procedures for this gas/extreme weather emergency.
Mayor Jurgensen, Councilman Wehry, Superintendent Rich, and Clerk Johnson met on February 16, 2021, with Will Wallis, Bourbon County Emergency Manager, and Commissioner Lynne Oharah.
Bourbon County Emergency Management has cots, blankets, etc needed to set up a warming station.
Clerk Johnson had spoken with Bret Howard, Superintendent USD #235, about using the WBE gym for a warming station in the event of loss of gas. It was verbally agreed on
A calling tree has been set up to notify the gas
customers in the event of loss of gas.
Superintendent Rich informed that manpower would be an issue if this occurred.
All gas meters would have to shut off and when the flow was reinstated all meters would have to be turned on, bled, and all pilots lit. This would require several people if to be done in a timely manner and each person would have to have to proper tools to complete the task. It was suggested to compile 4-5 tool kits with all the tools that would be needed.
The emergency procedures for a loss of gas event would be:
1. Notify Bourbon County Emergency Management and USD 235.
2. Notify Governing Body to implement calling tree. If no answer, visit the location. If they have special needs or need transportation they are to call City Hall.
3. Shut off meters.
4. Help transport citizens to the warming station.
5. End of the event, an adult household member must be present to turn on gas, bleed lines, and light pilots.
Moved by Ervin, Second by Hartman, Approved 5-0, to adjourn at 8:40PM
