County budgets for higher fuel costs

DAILY MAIL STAFF

While natural gas prices continue to increase as winterapproaches, Kanawha County has taken steps to alleviate financialcrunches when it comes to paying the bills.

This year, the county commission increased its yearly utilitybudget by 37 percent.

The commission set aside $360,000 for all utilities with about$48,000 going to natural gas bills. In 2004, the county spent roughly$263,000 on utilities with 13 percent of that cost representingnatural gas bills.

Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said thecommission saw the increase coming but now wonders if the effortswill be enough to cover high heating bills.

"I'm always …