Gas wells to drill in city

Hoping to begin production early next year, XTO Energy, Inc. presented plans to drill within the city limits to members of Fairfield's city council during last week's meeting.

The company has marked four sites including: Well No. 3 at the intersection of Williford and Wesley streets; Well No. 6, north of W. Main, between Jefferson and Newman, and south of C.R. 1161; Well No. 4 at Hwy. 27 and the service road ramp for I-45 North; and Well No. 5, off U.S. 84, near Awalt Road.

Concerned with the possibility of noise pollution, council member Jo Olive Zickuhr questioned what the company could do in an effort to reduce noise produced by compressor stations.

A company representative responded, stating that sound barriers could be erected around the station but that there was no way to completely eradicate the noise.

In reference to television commercials produced by Chesapeake Energy, Mayor Roy Hill responded by saying that housing compressor stations in metal buildings is not a realistic solution.

The city of Fort Worth requires companies to establish a pre-installation ambient noise level, which must be certified by the city gas inspector.

No compressor station can operate in such a manner as to create an exterior noise level that exceeds five decibels over established ambient daylight hour noise or three decibels over the established ambient noise during night time hours.

Each permit granted by the city of Fort Worth requires that the ambient noise level be re-monitored and checked regularly by the gas-drilling inspector.

If the council is concerned about noise pollution, stipulations may be placed on the permit before it is issued, as other Texas cities have done.

Both the XTO and the City of Fairfield will hold public hearings before production begins which will provide citizens with an opportunity to address concerns.

After adding the word "emergency," council members adopted an ordinance that requires the council to be notified when city resources are to be used on private property.

This ordinance agrees with current state law which prohibits the use of city resources on private property.

Feeling the ordinance was redundant and unnecessary, council member Luke Ward stated, "We can police ourselves."

Ward and Kirgan opposed the ordinance, which passed with a vote of 3-2.

City employee Scott Schick questioned the motives behind the creation of the ordinance and how it could hinder city employees from fulfilling their responsibilities.

"We all know where the ordinance was geared and I don't think its fair that our employees risk getting in trouble," said Schick.

"Taxpayers pay our salaries and we owe them a service, our employees shouldn't get in trouble for helping out the public."

Mayor Roy Hill called the ordinance "useless" but acknowledged that for the council it was a "question of credibility" and that passing the ordinance would make some council members "feel better."

In addition to adopting the ordinance, council members also voted to issue an invoice totaling $5,917 to businesses for work completed along the alley that runs from Mount to Keechi streets between Bradley and U.S. 84 North.

The cost includes: $4,600 for equipment, $1,117 for labor and $200 for materials.