City adds big gas customer
By Elizabeth Billips Associate Editor

The City of Waynesboro will invest $50,000 to supply natural gas to a new grain drying facility.

Last week, city administrators unanimously agreed to foot the bill for a 1,500-ft. gas line extension off Barron Street.

The gas will power a 45-million BTU unit as big as a pickup bed, City Administrator Jerry Coalson said, that will be used for drying corn and wheat at Collins Bonded Warehouse.

One resident was concerned about noise, but council members said it won't be as loud as the older, smaller models that are currently in use.

City council had already budgeted $20,000 for gas expansion, but will have to amend the 2007 budget to allow for the additional $30,000

"All the other projects we've done for this company have paid for themselves (through gas revenue)," Coalson said. "With the way corn is going, this could all be repaid within the first year."

In an unrelated request, city council also agreed to help extend a fire line to AREVA (formerly Ritz).

The city will provide the labor needed to tie the industry to the existing high pressure water line along the Industrial Bypass while AREVA will be responsible for materials.

The city engineer estimated that the tie-in would cost the com- pany nearly $90,000, but Coalson said it should significantly lower its fire insurance premiums.