The Chouteau Public Works Authority met Monday. PWA members Frank Klucevsek and Russell Sullivan attended.

The PWA approved 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. office hours with an unpaid 30-minute lunch break.

The PWA approved the 2012/2013 budget.

The PWA approved Livingston Propane and Oil as the vendor for off-road diesel and loan tank. This is for the wastewater treatment plant.

The PWA approved renewal of property insurance through the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group for 2012/2013 in the amount of $7,917.29. This is insurance for PWA facilities.

The PWA approved renewal of automobile liability insurance through the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group for 2012/2013 at a premium of $9,956.09.

The PWA approved payment of $1,442.33 to the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality for permits.

The PWA went into executive session regarding a 50-cent per hour pay increase for PWA Superintendent John Crowson. The board came back after a few minutes having approved Crowson’s raise.

The next agenda item was a report given by Crowson about the PWA and an accident that occurred when a construction company was taking soil samples for a new doctors office. The gas line was punctured and the surrounding area had to be cleared. Crowson said the company taking the soil samples were using maps provided by the town that had incorrect data. Ultimately, the town was at fault for the accident because the maps were wrong. There were no injuries due to the punctured gas line.

Town attorney Ben Sherrer told the PWA the contract the town has with gas vendor Clearwater Gas may not be terminated. It is a one-year contract and Sherrer recommended the town not renew it at the end of the year. The contract price is decatherms of gas for $3.95 per thousand. The contract obliges the PWA to buy 10,000 decatherms and sell back any unused decatherms to Clearwater at a discounted, index price, meaning at a loss for the PWA. The warm winter led to the PWA selling back decatherms at a great loss.

Mayor Jerry Floyd said the town will, “take a beating for the next five months.” Frank Klucevsek said, “The board [PWA] really made a mistake. The price has been going $8, $11, last month it was $13 dollars.”

“We’re not going to litigate, the contract is very clear.” Sherrer said.

Floyd said he is looking for a different gas company to hire when the current contract expires.