Drone photo of Arkadelphia Town Hall. | James Escue for arkadelphian.com
By JOEL PHELPS | arkadelphian.com
The Arkadelphia City Board of Directors made quick work of a light agenda Tuesday, July 7, before addressing the elephant that’s always sitting in the room: Why are gas prices higher in Arkadelphia than in other Arkansas communities?
The July 7 agenda included action items to name a commissioner to the Arkadelphia Housing Authority and extend terms for an airport improvement loan. An item to recognize a citizen for community service was scratched from the agenda.
The board gave its unanimous approval to name David Jaskey to the Housing Authority Commission. Jaskey’s appointment comes after the death of commissioner Gary Hunter. Jaskey’s term will expire in August 2029.
Directors also gave their nod to extend an airport construction loan from Citizens Bank. It was explained that construction projects at the airport are reimbursed grants, meaning the city pays upfront costs from its cash flow. The loans date to 2024 and have funded “numerous” projects that have been completed. Citizens agreed to extend the terms of the loan through December 2027 at the same rate of 5.89%.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mayor Scott Byrd took aim at social media complaints about high gas prices in Arkadelphia and Caddo Valley. Byrd asked City Manager Gary Brinkley to reiterate how much influence leaders in city government have over fuel prices.
“Zero to none,” Brinkley replied.
The mayor said he, too, notices that the price at the pump is routinely higher in Arkadelphia than in other towns. Other board members chimed in on the topic, as well.
In his recent travels to the South Arkansas city of El Dorado, Director Jason Jones said that gas prices there — headquarters to gas retail chain Murphy USA — were higher than what he had seen in Arkadelphia. Both towns, he contended, are at the “end of the line” for distributors, meaning higher shipping costs factor into the increased transportation distance from major pipeline and storage terminals to those end-of-the-line areas such as Arkadelphia.
It also boils down to supply and demand, Director Emily Merryman learned from talks with regional distributor David Blackmon, who explained that, because Arkadelphia has fewer fueling stops than cities like Little Rock or Texarkana, there is less local competition to drive prices down.
The national average at the pump Wednesday was $3.77/gallon. On Wednesday afternoon, KARK’s Gas Tracker noted stations in Arkadelphia and Caddo Valley were selling fuel at about $3.50/gallon, while gas was 6 cents cheaper per gallon in Prescott, 25 cents cheaper per gallon at one Malvern station, and up to 30 cents cheaper per gallon at some Little Rock locations.
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