The weather may be warming up, but the subject of natural gas heating — and its cost — is still on the mind of some Gardendale residents.

The ongoing negotiations between the Gardendale City Council and the Fultondale Gas Board were brought up near the end of the council’s regular session Monday night. Brian Hall, a member of the group Gardendale Citizens and Friends United, asked Council President Stan Hogeland about what progress had been made between the city and the gas board.

Hogeland’s response: not much.

“They sent us an agreement we couldn’t agree to, and we sent them an agreement that they couldn’t agree to, so right now we’re operating obviously without an agreement,” Hogeland said, adding that the cubic-foot rates shown on current bills were lower.

Hall said, though, that his rates were still high compared to a relative in Pleasant Grove served by Alagasco.

“She has 400 square feet more than I do, and we both have similar [heating] units, but I used 60 [hundred cubic feet] more than she did,” Hal said. “So something’s still not right. My meter has been full of mud for months, so I don’t know how they read it.”

“Mayor Lowery [Fultondale Mayor Jim Lowery, who’s also the superintendent of the gas board] told Mayor Phillips and I in a meeting, ‘If they have problems, tell them to call me,’” Hogeland said.

“I did, and I haven’t heard back,” Hall replied.

The issue dates back to winter, when Gardendale residents started to notice much higher gas bills. The rates were previously capped by the city’s franchise agreement with the gas board, but that agreement expired last year.

Since then, city officials have been bargaining with the board about a new agreement, but without success. That’s left Gardendale to pursue other options.

In other business, the council:

• declared a police service pistol as surplus and gave it to retiring Sgt. Jerry Suggs as a present

• hired Stephen Eason to fill the vacancy opened up by Suggs’ retirement

• reappointed Steve Doss to another term on the Inspection and Appeals Board

• reappointed Chris Lucas to a new five-year term on the Gardendale Board of Education

• authorized the sale of a surplus parcel of city property on Decatur Highway, adjacent to the Kiddie Park

• moved the second council meeting in May to noon on May 21 because of a conflict with the Alabama League of Municipalities meeting.