By John Howell Sr.
Batesville Gas Superintendent William Wilson was cited as “the most important person in the room” when he walked to the podium to give his department’s report during Tuesday’s meeting of the mayor and aldermen.

Wilson had just shepherded the city’s gas distribution system through record cold weather without incurring a costly fine for overuse, Autrey said.

Wilson said that city natural gas consultant Gail Blackburn of Utility Management had called him to notify the city that she had nominated the city for an extra 4,000 MMbtus (million British thermal units) during the cold snap. Through Utility Management the city books its gas purchases months in advance.

However, Blackburn said, the city’s supplier, Tennessee Gas Transmission, operates under a tariff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that places limits on gas use, “when it gets really cold like this, everybody’s use goes up.”

Blackburn said that after receiving notice from TGT, she nominated Batesville for extra gas to help meet its demand.

“What helped us yesterday was the schools,” Wilson said, citing another factor in curtailing city gas consumption. The Christmas holiday extended through Monday for South Panola and North Delta schools.

Wilson told city officials that pressure in city gas lines had dropped to 100 pounds per square inch on Monday due to extensive use for heating by city customers. Normal pressure is between 250 and 300 pounds per square inch, he said.

During a Thursday phone call, Blackburn said that the restrictions had been lifted as temperatures across the country rose.

In other city business, aldermen accepted the resignation of Quentin Garner as a Batesville Civic Center employee.

BCC Director Roy Hyde told city officials that Garner was resigning to accept other employment.
“It’s supposed to be a good opportunity,” Hyde said.

“For a good man,” Alderman Eddie Nabors interjected.

Later, following an executive session during which the hiring of two new police officers was also discussed, city officials returned to open session and voted unanimously to hire Jared Gordon as assistant BCC Director, to replace Garner.

Aldermen also voted unanimously to hire William T. “Bill” Furniss Jr. and Thomas Earl “Tommy” Lindsey as police officers.

Hiring of the new city employees is also contingent on satisfactory completion of routine background checks and screenings.

Another matter discussed during the executive session was the encroachment of a city guy wire onto property adjacent to Batesville Fire Station No. 2.

City officials have been negotiating with Uptown Storage owner Wally Pang about the purchase of the several feet of land where a large steel beam buried upright in the ground holds four large cables that anchor a BFD radio antenna.

Following the executive session, aldermen voted unanimously to cease negotiations and to remove the encroaching equipment.