Roodhouse council learns about hedging gas prices
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By Carmen Ensinger
Before his death, former Mayor Tommy Martin did all of the hedging for the city of Roodhouse’s gas prices. At the May 8 city council meeting, current Mayor Charlie Huffines said he is now learning the process along with alderman Dennis Cumby and Terry Ross.
“Dennis and Terry and I met with the IMEA and the IPEA and they gave us a lesson on hedging on gas prices,” Huffines said. “We are locked into some really good rates until May of next year so no real urgent action is needed to take at the moment but we learned a lot about it today.”
Huffines said another zoom meeting is scheduled during the first two weeks of June with the guy from Constellation.
“During that period between now and then, Mike Genin is going to get our sign in information to the Constellation website and they are going to teach us how the market is fluctuating,” Huffines said. “Prices are updated every 10 minutes. It is going to be interesting. From everything we have learned today, we have been locked into very good rates from 2017 to today. If we can get $3 or under per dekatherm it is good for us and our customers and keeps the bills consistent.”
The city advertised for summer help and received five or six applications. Terry Ross picked two applicants that he would like to see employed. The city was able to get ahold of one of those applicants, but the other one has not responded to the voicemails left to them. They have until Monday or another applicant will be chosen.
After a closed session, the council voted to employ Chandler Gilbert as one of the employees for summer help.
Terry Ross also requested that the council hire a third part-time employee to fill the role of an employee that recently left. This would be a part-time position of 30 hours or less each week and would consist of picking up brush each week throughout the city and helping out wherever needed.
The council approved purchasing a PLC screen for the water plant at a cost of $12,764.
They also approved a three percent increase, effective May 1, for the three full-time non-union city employees.
