Alto City Council addresses water, gas problems
BY LELAND ACKER

The Alto City Council continues to clean up the mess left after the Jan. 14 dismissal of Utilities Supervisor Charlie Luse. Since Luse's departure, signs of negligence have surfaced at the sewer plant and ongoing leaks have been discovered in the gas system. The council continued to take steps to rectify both situations during the Jan. 23 special meeting at city hall in Alto.

Mayor Pro Tem Annie Walker opened the meeting by suggesting the council appoint utilities employee Brandon Tyer as the new utilities supervisor.

"I agree!" said Councilman Monty Collins. "He appears to know what he's doing, and he's doing it."

Mr. Tyer currently holds a Class D water license and will have to obtain a Class C water license to be qualified to become the utilities supervisor on a permanent basis. He will also have to get a license to operate the gas system.

Mr. Tyer told the council he is testing for the Class C water license and is working toward his gas license. Mrs. Walker said she expected all of his licensing requirements to be met within the year.

In the meantime, Alto will stay in compliance of state regulations requiring licensed operators of water and gas systems by enlisting the help of Carl Pennington to oversee the water system and Doug Allen to oversee the gas system.

"(They) have graciously offered to let us work under their licenses," Mrs. Walker said.

Mr. Pennington was hired by the council on an emergency basis prior to the Jan. 23 meeting, while Mr. Allen was hired during the meeting. Mrs. Walker said Mr. Pennington was hired at a rate of $400 per week when the city administrator polled the council members by telephone, which is legal in an emergency situation. The council also voted to raise Mr. Tyer's pay by $per hour and pay him for the overtime he put in since Mr. Luse's departure.

"We can't give you the (supervisor) salary until you get your qualifications," Mrs. Walker told Mr. Tyer. The council voted to search for new employee for the utilities department.

With personnel issues settled, the council was briefed by Mr. Tyer concerning problems in the gas system and progress toward rehabilitating the sewer plant.

Mr. Tyer told the council a gas leak has been discovered underneath the parking lot at B&B Foods on U.S. Highway 69 north in Alto. The leak is a grade one leak, with one being the most critical, and three being the least. The B&B Foods leak is a grade one because of its proximity to residences and businesses.

Mr. Tyer said the Texas Railroad Commission has written up the city for the leak, which was actually cited by the commission at their last audit.

Mr. Tyer told the council a second leak was located in Wells on U.S. Highway 69 close to Wright Patnam Drive. The council contracted with Gramco Services of Henderson to make the emergency repairs to both leaks.

Sewer plant repairs are going well, Mr. Tyer told the council. AAA Sanitation services has pumped 21,000 gallons of sludge from the system, he said.

"The bottom chamber is totally clean with bluish type water," Mr. Tyer said. "We're not busting permit on residual. We're getting all of the green stuff off of the clarifiers."

Mr. Tyer said repairs were being made to the number-two weir so that the plant can run at 100 percent capacity.

In other action, the council voted to use Roger Sanders as the supplier for the city's utilities department. Mr. Tyer said he preferred the services of Mr. Sanders because he made the parts available after hours and he is familiar with Alto's infrastructure.

Attending the meeting were Councilmen Bob Pearman, Mrs. Walker, Kenneth Brethouwer, Earl Clark and Mr. Collins.