FAIRFIELD POSTMASTER Paul Johnson and longtime postal clerk Rene Cruz were honored on their recent retirements at a reception attended by friends and former postmasters. Pictured are: l-r, former Fairfield Postmaster Tony Matteo, Johnson, Cruz and former Fairfield Postmaster Wayne Donaldson. Fairfield city officials continued to voice opposition to XTO Energy's request to drill natural gas wells within city limits.

Mayor Roy Hill and city council members joined the chorus of concern along with residents who filled the Fairfield Conference Center during a public hearing held last Tuesday.

Many of those concerns centered around the health and safety of the city's residents.

Hospital administrator Raz Cook was troubled by the planned locations for two wells situated to the north and west of the hospital.

With 48 beds, Mrs. Cook's primary concern was for the health of the hospital's patients.

"It doesn't look right to have them that close," Mrs. Cook said as she asked XTO to respect the healthful environment that the hospital provides to patients during recovery.

FAIRFIELD RESIDENTS Lane Stripling and Donna Tyus look over documents pertaining to a proposal by XTO Energy to drill five natural gas wells within city limits. Fairfield schools superintendent Tony Price also expressed his concern for the proposed well near Lovers Lane and its proximity not only to the hospital and elementary school but the future site of the school district's new intermediate school.

"I cannot understand why we would want a well that close to 1,000 of our kids," stated Price.

Fairfield resident Nancy Grizzle echoed the sentiment as she told council members and XTO representatives that, "We as citizens shouldn't have to put up with the noise or the risk."

Noise level was also an issue of content among those present. Many were concerned about the temporary disturbance that production noise would cause to surrounding homes and businesses.

Several residents also feared the installation of compressor stations which compresses the natural gas with a turbine, motor, or engine and is not temporary.

The city of Fairfield's existing ordinance allows for environmental noise emission of no more than 78 decibels, comparable to a vacuum cleaner or city traffic which measures at 80 decibels.

There were also those who had resigned themselves to the energy company's imminent presence in the community.

"Ya'll have got the money and you are going to force us," says resident James Bonner. "But we ask that you exercise safety precautions."

Bonner also questioned representatives about the damage heavy trucks used during production could cause on city streets and how the company intended on compensating taxpayers.

And there were those who could not look a gift horse in the mouth. "We enjoy our mailbox money and we are not opposed to prosperity," says housing developer Donna Tyus.

But some felt that the gas wells themselves would delay prosperity. With an average life span of 30 years, architect Lane Stripling saw the natural gas wells as prohibiting growth and development on valuable property located within the city.

Other concerns included a decline in property value, pipeline configuration, the use of horizontal drilling, whether any of the proposed wells produce sour gas or if mercaptan would be added to the gas due to its proximity to the school and hospital.

No questions regarding an increase in well site locations were raised during the public hearing by citizens or by Fairfield Industrial Development Corporation president David Zuber who was present for the proceedings.

Questions regarding a fifth well located on FIDC property were initiated during a city council meeting held earlier this month.

In that meeting Zuber informed council members that the energy company had staked a well site on FIDC property along the west service road of I-45.

XTO's initial presentation to council members included only four wells and none of them at the location mentioned by Zuber.

After hearing comments, Mayor Hill addressed residents and representatives of XTO.

"The city council can decline permits for any of the wells and XTO doesn't have to accept it."

"We want you to develop your properties without jeopardizing our community but I will fight it to the death before permits are issued at these locations," stated Hill.

As he continued to speak, the mayor's opposition to the current parameters of XTO's proposal escalated.

Mayor Hill's threat to "file a lawsuit if needed" evoked an offending facial response from an XTO representative and the mayor in turn threatened him with expulsion from the building aided by Fairfield's chief of police.

Response from XTO was limited as the mayor had instructed company representatives to write down questions and concerns and after further communication with the him and city council members they would collectively decide the best way to respond to residents.

And indeed throughout the proceedings, XTO employees busily scribed the questions of citizens only to be answered at a later date in a yet unknown form.

Unfortunately no one explained this to agitated citizens who questioned the company's lack of answers and information which was done unbeknownst to them at the request of their city officials.

Representatives from XTO included Bobby Stark, Trey Carlile, Gene Young and Dr. Daniel Johns of Titanium Environmental Services in Longview, a company retained by XTO to conduct a noise assessment and provide information regarding environmental noise emission.

In the city council meeting that followed, action on XTO's drilling applications was tabled until further communication.