Cities Scrimp, Save To Cover Gas Costs

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The price for premium gas has risen to more than $4 per gallon in some midstate locations, and AAA said regular unleaded isn’t far off.

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With the ever-rising cost, cities are already finding it hard to operate and are being forced to cut some important services.

The city of Mount Pleasant cut the number of days for garbage pick up from two to one.

"Trash trucks are not the most fuel-efficient animals in the world, every time you crank them up, you're sucking down a substantial amount of gasoline," said Richard Goode.

It’s just one way many midstate communities are being forced to tighten their belts.

"In a small community like this, revenues are limited," Goode said.

In Trousdale County, road crews are only working four days a week instead of the normal five and dire straits has Metro cutting Public Works positions, which means more grass will remain uncut.

High gas prices are also affecting the way some police departments do business.

In Montgomery County, if someone calls with a non-emergency like a report of a neighbor's dog barking, instead of sending an officer, dispatchers will take the complaint over the phone.

And if gas goes up much more, officials said, the city of Lafayette will start putting two officers in each patrol car.

Fairview police are already being told to turn off their engines two hours every shift and some cities have exhausted their fuel budget several months early and are brainstorming for other ways to save.

And while no one wants to see services disappear altogether, many realize that tough times might call for serious steps to be taken.

"The city's got to do what its got to do, because we all have to make those sacrifices. We are all in this together. We all have to do our part," said Joan Kittrell.

Fuel prices have also forced many cities to put a freeze on hiring. Officials with the city of Waverly are using their rainy day fund to help with the costs.