The Selma Times-Journal

The rising price of gas has prompted some employees of the Dallas County School System to request a shorter workweek.

At a special called meeting on recently, Dallas County School Board discussed considering a four-day workweek for clerical, bookkeeping, transportation and maintenance workers over the summer months.

If approved, the workers would still work their required hours, working longer hours per day.

The board took no action on the request, but said it was a reasonable request, as some employees commute more than 25 miles from Maplesville and other areas.

The board did not specify when a decision would be made on the summer schedule.

Motorists are paying a national average of $3.787 a gallon for regular gasoline, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service, and the price of crude oil soared to a record high of $127.82 per barrel on Friday. The surge comes a week before the Memorial Day holiday, the traditional start of the summer driving season.

County road workers went to a four-day workweek last year and are continuing the schedule as well as consolidating jobs by scheduling work by district.