Contact: Elaine Tricoli
Phone: (336) 373-2421

City Manager Calls for Increased Efforts to Conserve Fuel

GREENSBORO, NC – (September 15, 2008) – Greensboro City Manager Mitchell Johnson said today that the City is taking measures to preserve its fuel supplies and reduce its fuel usage in the wake of shortages resulting from Hurricane Ike. However, residents should see no adverse impact on City services.

“Many of our City departments depend on fuel consumption to provide services to our residents,” he said. “We intend to continue providing excellent municipal services while at the same time making every effort to be good stewards of our fuel supplies.”

Fuel suppliers have assured the City of next-day fuel delivery, if needed, and City staff are closely monitoring the City’s underground fuel storage facilities to ensure that the City maintains an adequate supply. In addition, Johnson has encouraged all City departments to conserve fuel whenever possible.

City staff have already taken several steps to conserve fuel, including:

• Parks & Recreation crews are leaving heavy equipment on job sites rather than transporting it daily.
• Park managers have asked their staffs to reduce mowing, increase foot patrols, enforce the City’s “no-idling” policy, and combine trips whenever possible.

In addition, the City Manager has asked all City employees to continue their conservation efforts, including driving hybrid vehicles whenever possible, limiting trips to those that are urgent, carpooling to meetings, and observing the City’s “no-idling” policy.

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