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LEHI, Utah (AP) -- The city is planning to build a convenience store and lease it to a private owner, who would maintain fuel in reserve for an emergency.
"The fuel in reserve would be owned by the city to be used during a natural catastrophe, terrorist attack, any number of things," said Robert Fox, a consultant hired by the city. "If that should happen ... the city would automatically take over the facility."
City leaders fear that during a regional gas or diesel shortage, empty fuel tanks in the city's ambulances, fire trucks, police cars and Lehi power trucks would leave the city paralyzed.
The concept has been approved by the city Planning Commission, said Councilman Mark Johnson. A preliminary design is being done and once a business is found to lease the store, a final design and financing arrangements will go before the City Council for approval.
Councilman Stephen Holbrook said the convenience store would be run like an everyday business, and, "Whoever leases it will not have any more advantages than any other c-store in Lehi."
Larger cities build and maintain their own municipal fuel depots, but for smaller governments the cost can be prohibitive, Johnson said.
"We toyed with the idea of how to better prepare the city for a fuel supply in case of an emergency," he said. "This gives us the ability without having to manage the facility."
Fox said the cost of building a convenience store, excluding management and maintenance expenses, would be about $800,000.
Preliminary plans include a basement communications center that could be used as an emergency command post, an emergency generator and oversized fuel tanks that would allow the city to keep a continuous reserve of 20,000 gallons, enough to last the city 30 days.
The privately run business would repay the city for the cost of the building over time through a lease agreement, Holbrook said. The city would use the store for everyday fuel service and purchasing fuel for city vehicles at wholesale prices.
The business owner would take care of the maintenance and management of the store, he said.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
