Ellis Williford, Wilson County manager, said high fuel prices are a big expense for the county, and employees are trying to do everything they can to save gas.
"We are trying to cut back as much as possible to minimize the impact," Williford said. "But the vehicles still have to go. We have to provide the services. There is not a lot of discretionary travel we can cut back on."
Williford said county employees from deputies to home health providers try to make sure they don't leave vehicles running when they're not in use. Deputies, when possible, park along major thoroughfares like U.S. 301 or Interstate 95 instead of constantly patrolling, and Home Health leases fuel efficient vehicles, he said.
"Unfortunately some of the vehicles use diesel fuel, like ambulances, and that is very expensive," Williford said. "But we are doing everything we can to conserve."
Denise Stinagle, assistant to the county manager, said for several years the county has encouraged county employees to carpool when traveling somewhere for training. The county also contracts with Write Express, a fleet management company, that provides gas cards to employees and allows the county to have more control by monitoring each fuel transaction, she said.
Stinagle said the cards are also more convenient for county employees because they are accepted by most gas stations.
The county still pays the gas pump prices, but the gas tax is not included when Write Express bills the county, Stinagle said.
Gas taxes in North Carolina are 48.6 cents per gallon, and 54.6 cents per gallon for diesel fuel, according to GasBuddy.com.
The most recent invoice the county received from Write Express was $50,630 for a month of fuel consumption. The county has a fleet of 196 vehicles. A year ago the county was paying $2.87 per gallon for gasoline. Last month it was nearly $4, Stinagle said.
Joyce Wetherington, public information officer for the Health Department, said that department could not do much to lessen travel. The Health Department has the second largest fleet in the county with 57 vehicles.
Environmental Health is eliminating any unnecessary trips and waits to do restaurant inspections until there are a number of them that need to be done in an area within close proximity of each other, Wetherington said.
It also helps that the county is getting a discount on fuel by not paying gas taxes, she said.
"We were looking at combining home visits, but that is not very practical," Wetherington said.
Home Health workers do not go from one house to another all over the county. They have specific areas where they work and that saves on fuel, she said.
"We have to provide this service," Wetherington said. "We have homebound people who cannot get out to visit doctors. They must get the medical attention they need."
The Wilson County Public Library has only one county vehicle, the bookmobile. Two years ago that service was stopped for two months, in part, due to increased gasoline prices.
Other vehicles in the county fleet include: one for the agriculture extension service, three for the tax office, four for inspections, 13 for EMS, 95 for the sheriff's office, five for maintenance, 10 for solid waste, two to transport inmates, two for emergency management and three for the water department.
eddie@wilsontimes.com | 265-7820