Athens is not the Mayberry it once was, according to Janice Woodruff, who this week asked Mayor Dan Williams and members of the Athens City Council if the city would consider starting a shuttle-bus service to lower gasoline consumption.

“You’ve got a good idea but, at present, we are nearing budget time and I don’t think we have the money,” said Council President Johnny Crutcher.

“I don’t know what we can do, but you have recognized a very critical problem,” said Councilwoman Milly Caudle.

Woodruff asked the council Wednesday to consider the proposal.

“With Athens growing as fast as it is, we’re not a little Mayberry, as we once were,” she said. “A bus service here would help with the gas crisis and would help people.”

Mayberry is the fictional town in North Carolina where two American television sitcoms were set – The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D.

Athens considered providing a trolley service to downtown last year, Williams said.

“We looked at what Montgomery is offering their citizens with trolley cars but it’s an awful expensive project,” the mayor said. “I think it costs $400,000 for one bus. Plus, you have to hire people to drive those buses. It would be very difficult to do it with the confines of the current budget we have. I do agree this is a good time to have something like that in Athens, especially for those who do not make a lot of money and have to drive to and from work.”

Montgomery charges a quarter per ride.

“Of course, you can’t make money at that rate with gas as high as it is today,” the mayor said.

The City Council and County Commission give money each year to the Athens-Limestone Council on Aging to pay for bus service for senior citizens. The service takes residents to the senior center, doctors’ offices and other locations.

Council on Aging Director Emily Haney said Wednesday the city and county combined appropriates $57,000 annually to operate the eight buses that run in the city and county. In addition, she said the city and county provide a 20 percent match to purchase any new buses needed. The remaining 80 percent is paid by the State Department of Transportation.

Also, Athens and Limestone County also appropriates $20,000 each to operate the kidney dialysis bus.