Greater Dickson Gas Authority

 

 History of the GDGA    (* as of February 4, 2004)   

The Authority was created and established by a private act of the State Legislature (The Act) and is a public and governmental body acting as a agency and instrumentality of the City of Dickson, Tennessee (the "City") and the Sam Houston Utility of Houston, Stewart and Dickson Counties, Tennessee (the "Utility District").  The Authority was created for the purpose of planning, acquiring, constructing, furnishing, equipping, financing, owing, operating and maintaining a natural gas system, including facilities, properties, and services related thereto; the selling, donating, conveying, or otherwise disposing of or utilizing natural gas and propane gas; and, undertaking any project or work related thereto or connected therewith.

The Authority is operated under the control of a Board of Directors composed of five members consisting of (i) the Mayor of the City or the designee of the Mayor; (ii) an elected member of the City's governing body; (iii) two individuals residing within the geographic area served by the Authority, all of whom shall be appointed by the governing body of the City.  The term of the Mayor of the City or his designee and the elected member of the City's governing body shall be concurrent with the term of their office.  The remaining directors are appointed so that they hold office for staggered five year terms.

The officers of the Authority are as follows:
       
       Donald F. Richardson................Chairman
       Robert N. Milam, Sr......Vice-Chairman
       John Duke........Sec./Treasurer
       Donald L. Weiss, Jr.......Mayor, City of Dickson
       Mike Legg...........Board Member


The Authority operates and manages the System, headquartered in Dickson, Tennessee, the largest city in Dickson County.

The Greater Dickson Gas Authority was created by the Act which allowed the City of Dickson and Sam Houston Utility District to divest their respective natural gas systems and transfer the assets and liabilities of their systems to the Authority.  Today the Authority serves Dickson, Houston, Stewart, southern Cheatham and south Montgomery Counties in Middle Tennessee utilizing 704 miles of main line - ranging in size from 1/2 inch to 12 inches.  This distribution network of predominately 4 inch piping provides gas service over an area of approximately 131 square miles to 15,815 service lines as of December 2007.

Gas is supplied to the Authority for distribution from the Tennessee Gas Pipeline through four tap stations.  It is then distributed and regulated through 40 regulator stations at pressures ranging from 20 psig to 450 psig.

A 13,300 square foot office-warehouse facility houses the Authority's administrative offices as well as its shops.  Adjacent to this structure is a 6,700 square foot truck garage.  The Authority also operates a propane bulk delivery service to serve customers where natural gas is not available, sweeping some 8 counties with service (Dickson, Williamson, Hickman, Cheatham, Montgomery, Houston, Stewart, and Humphrey's Counties).

On May 1, 1995 the Authority purchased the gas system owned by the Town of Erin, Tennessee located in Houston County, Tennessee.  The Authority previously supplied natural gas to the Town of Erin through a master meter and Erin operated their own system.  With the purchase of the Erin system, the Authority acquired 20 miles of main line and 416 services.   One employee of the Erin system became an employee of the Authority on the effective date of purchase.  Potential areas for growth are the Town of Tennessee Ridge, the Towns of Cumberland City and Dover in Stewart County and the Houston and Stewart County industrial park.

The Authority employs 69 full-time employees.

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