Gas moves above $4 line

The price of regular gasoline has topped the $4 mark in northern Denton County.

“Actually, it has been a week or so,” said Paul Schmieder, owner of the Travel Centers of America, which includes a Conoco Phillips gas station off Interstate 35.

He was referring to the $4.05 per gallon of regular gasoline sign atop his station at I-35 and U.S. Highway 77 at exit 471.

Prices topped $4 per gallon for regular gasoline during the Fourth of July holiday weekend across the state.

“I sympathize with the consumer,” Schmieder said, who drives a General Motors Suburban and pays more than $100 to fill the sport utility vehicle.

“It is affecting everyone’s pocketbooks,” he said.

Oil prices, which peaked during the holiday weekend, dipped some earlier this week before rebounding $5 per barrel on Thursday as a missile launch by Iran stoked worries that escalating political tensions in the Middle East could cut off supplies from the region.

County out to cut energy expense

Denton County officials are exploring whether changing work schedules could save money and help employees cope with rising commuting costs.

The open-ended discussion during the county commissioners’ meeting Tuesday came in response to reports of other businesses and governments changing working hours for the same reasons.

The U.S. Energy Information Admin­istration on Monday reported a new, all-time high in the nationwide average for the price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline — $4.114. Texans paid a little less, an average of $3.953 per gallon.

County Judge Mary Horn said that she asked for the discussion because she felt it was important that the county write a policy in case departments want to make changes. She acknowledged that the commissioners couldn’t dictate to other elected officials how they should run their offices, but she thought some departments might realize savings with a change.

Commissioner Cynthia White said that the road and bridge department, which is particularly busy in her precinct, was doing well with a four-day workweek, in which employees put in 10-hour days.

“It’s been a whole lot more productive,” White said.

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