Collinsville prepares for an election next week over natural gas

Natural gas has become a volatile issue in Collinsville and now the city wants to buy the gas system from Oklahoma Natural Gas and run it themselves. <br/><br/>Voters will decide the issue next week.

Tuesday, August 2nd 2005, 5:48 am

By: News On 6

Natural gas has become a volatile issue in Collinsville and now the city wants to buy the gas system from Oklahoma Natural Gas and run it themselves.

Voters will decide the issue next week. At a town meeting Monday night, supporters including the mayor, say the gas service would generate vital revenue for the city. Collinsville is growing, but not many people shop there, so sales taxes don't keep up with needed services.

Opponents think the city might be getting in over its head, but the mayor says the city already runs the water, electricity, and sewer services, which he says are a lot more complicated than gas.

Mayor Stan Sallee: â€œand we do that quite well, we provide our citizens with reasonable rates on all those utilities."

The vote is August 9th.