DEMOPOLIS &045; Alagasco has extended the timeline for making a decision on whether providing gas lines to a neighborhood in the city.

The company originally said that it would make a decision on whether or no they could provide service by last Friday but said that the decision will now come bay the beginning of January. The company was prompted to examine the possibility of providing access to gas for residents after a petition signed by members of the community was presented to it at a meeting Nov. 20 setup by the company and city council member Thomas Moore.

Patricia Jones, a resident of the neighborhood, said that the company told her that they would be putting in gas lines for the residents of the community, though she was told it would be towards the end of January before work was complete.

Ratcliff said that the company is still looking for enough residents of the neighborhood to commit to gas usage before any definite plans for installing a line can be formed. She said that the company is also having a hard time scheduling meetings with residents to look at their current appliances that run off of propane and see if they will convert easily to gas.

Ratcliff said that the company will need enough resident to commit to gas usage to offset the price associated with installing new gas lines. She said that according to the formula the company uses they will need at least five residents to confirm that they will use the gas supply before they can move forward.

Ratcliff said that as members of the neighborhood have their appliances checked and decide to use the gas supply the company will have a better idea for a timeline of installation.