Faulk proposes group to study commission’s gas costs
By David GoodwinWith gasoline prices nearing $4 per gallon and diesel prices climbing even higher, the price of oil has taken a heavy toll on Elmore County’s budget.
County Commission Chair-man Joe Faulk reported at Thursday’s meeting that Elmore County is around $125,000 over its budget for petroleum for the 2008 fiscal year. But cutting county petroleum costs is no minor task.
Faulk called Thursday night for each commissioner to appoint “one member with a business background” for a new study group that will examine ways to reduced petroleum costs in Elmore County government.
Appointees will meet with Sheriff Bill Franklin, Probate Judge Jimmy Stubbs, Revenue Commissioner Mike Harper, County Administrator Jeanette Medders and County Engineer Richie Beyer to “study and make recommendations regarding petroleum savings from taxpayer and employee points of view.”
The plan was passed unanimously by the three commissioners present at the meeting; Don Whorton (D-3) and Mickey Shaw (D-2) were unable to attend.
With the difficulty of cutting petroleum costs at the county level ” sheriff’s deputies have to patrol, road equipment needs diesel fuel and the very asphalt we drive on contains petroleum byproducts ” Faulk urged commissioners to appoint “sharp, business-minded” people to help officials trim the fat.
Faulk referenced cost-saving measures taken in other counties and municipalities, such as Prattville’s move to a four-day work week. The Elmore County Highway Department is already on such a schedule, starting work around 6 a.m. Monday through Thursday, but parking the pavers and dump-trucks each Friday.
The five appointed study group members will assemble to plan their first session at the next commission meeting, July 10, Faulk said.
In other business:
•Approval was given for a number of liquor license applications. HAH Marketing was approved for Class 2 retail liquor (package), retail beer and retail wine licenses for Elmore Package Store and Elmore Grocery, which is at the foremer “Dozier Grocery” location on Alabama 143 in Elmore.
Commissioners approved a special events retail liquor application for Sinclair’s Kowaliga to serve alcohol at a wedding they plan to cater Aug. 23. They also authorized Rock Springs Grocery LLC to advertise a public hearing for an off-premises retail beer license for the store at 11122 Redland Road, Tallassee.
•Approval was given to David Law, a partner in Joe’s Fish Camp LLC, to advertise a public hearing to get a platted, yet undeveloped, portion of Joe’s Fish Camp Road vacated by the county. Plans for the road ” near the shores of Lake Jordan near Titus ” were approved by commissioners around 1959, county attorney Patrick Pinkston said, but the path was never paved or developed.
“No one even thinks it exists, because if you tried to drive on the platted road,” Law said, gesturing for effect, “you’d hit a pine tree this big around.”
•Approval was given to a Memorandum of Under-stand-ing which allows Wetumpka, Millbrook and Tallassee to use the county’s handicap voting machines for municipal elections. There will be no charge, according to the memo, but any damages to the machines must be paid by the municipality.
•Commissioners authorized revenue commissioner Harper to proceed with final settlement of the county’s “insolvents, errors and litigation in taxes 2007,” an annual standard operating practice that allows Harper to complete tax accounting for the year with the state comptroller.
•New standard contracts were approved for the county’s license inspectors, who will henceforth be contract employees, as opposed to the current mix of employment statuses.
•Commissioners approved the FY 2008 Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant Agreement.
•On the consent docket, Faulk was approved to attend a trade show in London, England with Gov. Bob Riley, where they’ll attend the Farnborough International Air Show July 11-18. He’ll help pitch Elmore County as a potential hotspot for aerospace industries.
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