Penalties from gas accident may soon be known

Cairo city officials met behind closed doors Monday with an Albany attorney to discuss legal issues in connection with the Sept. 28, 2010, natural gas accident that claimed the life of a city gas crew member.
Albany attorney Robert J. (Bob) Middleton met with city officials Monday night to brief them on the ongoing negotiations with the Georgia Public Service Commission on a proposed consent order against the city.
Wendell Harrison, a member of the city gas crew, was tragically killed in the accident last fall, and the PSC issued a damning report last December following an investigation of the accident.
Middleton has been representing the city in the matter since January, according to City Manager Chris Addleton.
The city manager is hopeful a resolution will soon be reached.
“We continue to work on the issues cited by the PSC with our natural gas department. Our goal remains to become a model gas city,” Addleton said.
The city manager declined to comment on the details of the proposed consent order saying, “it would be premature.”