By JOYANNA LOVE/Senior Staff Writer

CLANTON — The Clanton City Council unanimously renewed its contract with Alagasco on Jan. 9.

Councilman Jeffrey Price was absent from the meeting.

Despite four months of discussion about potentially increasing the rate the utility pays to the city, the rate was kept at 1 percent.

Council members said any increase the city charged Alagasco would have simply been passed on to the customers. The contract was approved for 30 years. Councilman Sammy Wilson voiced hesitation at approving the contract for such a long term.

Alagasco is working on replacing cast iron gas pipes throughout the city. Sharon Willis of Alagasco said the project is being done in phases. Councilman Bobby Cook asked if the company was done with its work on Yellowleaf Road because it was on the schedule to be resurfaced.

“There was a leak at the site of this one,” Cook said.

He said he wanted to make sure Alagasco finished its project before the resurfacing project began because the project required breaking through the asphalt in some spots.

“Surely they have a plan as to what streets they have got set up,” Mayor Billy Joe Driver said.

Willis said she could work on getting the list of scheduled projects to the city council.

A leak in a pipe would be addressed regardless of where that pipe may be on the renovation list.

In some areas, the renovation work can be done through directional boring to the side of the road instead of breaking up the asphalt.

“That has been a very cost effective and least evasive project for us,” Willis said.

Holes in the road made during the gas line replacement project will be fixed by Alagasco.