Published: May 22, 2008 09:52 am         

County reconsiders take-home car policy

CUMBERLAND - Allegany County government officials are considering whether the benefits of allowing nearly 60 employees to take home county-owned vehicles are worth the cost of fuel.

"If you take a look at the county's fuel expenses over the last four years, there has been just a dramatic rise in the cost of gasoline for county government," said David Eberly, acting county administrator. We are just like any average consumer on the street. Those folks are struggling with the rising cost of fuel and so are we."

In fiscal year 2005, the county's fuel costs totaled $491,000. This year, the amount is projected to top $800,000.

With increases in the cost of electricity and health care expenses, county officials have been forced to re-evaluate the benefits of the take-home policy, which allows public safety and public works employees, among others, to respond to an emergency 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Approximately 25 percent, or 58, of the county's 235 road vehicles are taken home on a daily basis by employees. Eberly said staff will consider what each person's job responsibilities are, how far their daily commute is and what type of vehicle is being driven home. Eberly said he expected a preliminary report to be available to the county commissioners as early as next week.

Eberly said county staff would evaluate any potential negative impact a policy change could have on the services county workers provide.

"This is something we have to evaluate very carefully," Eberly said.

Commissioner Dale Lewis said the policy was established years ago but "with the increase in the cost of gas and oil, it only seems natural you would review the policy for employees."

Lewis said it could cost less for the county to have certain employees drive their personal vehicles to an incident and reimburse them for mileage later. But Steve Young, director of public works, said it's important for people in certain positions to "have the ability to respond to emergencies and callouts quickly."

Emergencies for the utilities and roads divisions, Young said, include building problems or bridge washouts, water main breaks and sewer overflows. Young said about 17 employees, from supervisory to foreman levels, take vehicles home.

Young said the take-home policy is managed by having workers respond to areas in which they live, thereby reducing the potential fuel cost to the county. He figured the 17 workers averaged a round-trip commute of between 14 and 20 miles, including some destinations outside Allegany County.

The policy review includes the sheriff's office patrol cars. Six deputies live outside Allegany County, Sheriff David Goad said during recent budget meetings, including four in West Virginia and two in Garrett County. The longest commute is driven by a deputy who resides in Mountain Lake Park.

Goad has suggested the possibility of parking that patrol car at the Frostburg Police Department if it will help resolve some of the budget issues. Jerry Frantz, county director of finance, said eliminating that commute from Mountain Lake Park alone could save the county nearly $8,000 in fuel in a year.

Lewis said there was no rush to make a decision whether to change the take-home policy before May 29, the day the commissioners are expected to adopt next year's budget. Amendments can be made after that date, he said, to reflect any changes in policy.

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.