Soaring fuel costs prompt budget amendment by Whitfield commissioners

Published 2:00 pm Wednesday, April 13, 2022

In 2021, the Whitfield County Public Works Department paid an average of $2.59 a gallon for gasoline. In March 2022, the price was $4.02 a gallon. For diesel, the county paid an average of $2.45 a gallon in 2021. In March 2022, it paid $5.02.

Citing those rising fuel costs, the county Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 Monday to add $300,000 to the Public Works Department’s budget line item for fuel, more than doubling that part of its budget to $525,000. Board Chairman Jevin Jensen typically votes only if there is a tie.

“I appreciate the heads-up (from the Public Works Department),” said Jensen. “We obviously can all see that the price of gas is going up, and we are big consumers as we mow our right-of-ways and pave our streets and answer calls to clean up after storms. I certainly don’t want to punish departments for things that are out of their control.”

The department has already spent some $98,408 on fuel. At that pace, it would have exhausted its fuel budget by early summer. and Jensen said the department will likely be using fuel at an even greater pace during the coming months as mowing picks up.

Jensen asked if the commissioners wanted to vote on the budget amendment or wait and monitor the price of fuel.

“Maybe it will come down. Maybe it won’t,” he said. “I don’t believe we pay state (fuel) tax. Of course, the citizens are not paying state tax for the next 30 days. But I don’t think we pay state tax ever.”

In March, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill suspending the state fuel tax through the end of May.

Commissioner Robby Staten said he didn’t want commissioners to have to “adjust the budget every month.”

“We know it’s going up,” said Commissioner Barry Robbins. “Let’s do it now.”

“I agree,” said Commissioner Greg Jones. “Let’s do it now.”

Jones said he does not think the county should get behind in its mowing or abandon its goal of paving 30 miles of road in 2022. He also said he expects other county departments will be asking commissioners soon for their own budget adjustment to cover rising fuel costs.

The commissioners also voted 4-0 to approve a $1.9 million contract with E&D Contracting Services of Savannah to rehabilitate five bridges. The work will be funded from the county’s share of the four-year, $66 million Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) approved by county voters in 2020. A SPLOST is a 1% tax on most goods sold in the county.

The work will include:

• Beaverdale Road over Coahulla Creek: bearing replacements, fiber wrap installation, joint replacement and spall repairs.

• Dawnville Road over Coahulla Creek: concrete spall replacement, erosion repair, handrail repair and joint replacement.

• Houston Valley Road over East Chickamauga Creek: concrete spall repairs, fiber wrap installation, joint replacement and pile encasement.

• Lower Dug Gap Road over Swamp Creek: Deck removal and overlay, joint replacement and shear stud installation.

• Old Tilton Road over Swamp Creek: Bearing replacement, bent cap repairs, concrete spall repairs, joint replacement and pile encasement.

The commissioners also voted 4-0 to approve a $50,000 contract with LDV Custom Specialty Vehicles of Burlington, Wisconsin, for repairs to the Whitfield County Fire Department’s mobile command vehicle. LDV made the command vehicle and is the only company authorized to work on it. The leveling system, mast and lighting systems need to be repaired or replaced.