Northwest Georgia, Southeast Tennessee governments stretch fuel dollars

Government officials in Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee said figuring a fuel budget is “a shot in the dark” these days, but the certainty of high prices has many devising programs to reduce fuel use.

“Our public works and highway employees are working 10-hour, four-day shifts weekly to conserve,” Rhea County, Tenn., Executive Billy Ray Patton said. “We are virtually in a Catch 22 situation, reducing consumption but with higher fuel costs.”

Dalton, Ga., Public Works Director Benny Dunn said his crews are rethinking scheduling of work areas, getting three men in a truck instead of taking two vehicles and shutting down engines when stopped.

“We have reduced garbage collection from twice to once weekly and use two trucks instead of three,” he said. “That saves 50 gallons per day and adds up over the course of a year,” Mr. Dunn said. “We are also using dump trailers for recycling and deliver those items to the recycling facility 15 miles away twice a week, not daily.”

But while reducing fuel consumption helps, it has not been enough to make up for the high cost of gasoline and diesel.

“We are still 25 percent ahead of what we budgeted for in this department with a $100,000 overrun already,” Mr. Dunn said.

Sequatchie County, Tenn., Executive Michael Hudson said producing an accurate fuel budget is difficult.

“We haven’t implemented any specific programs, but I’m aware the sheriff has asked officers to park for half an hour three or four times per shift, but if they receive a call they respond,” he said.

Bledsoe County, Tenn., Mayor Gregg Ridley said in his county the sheriff’s patrol vehicles are doing more parking in area communities than constant patrolling.

Most local officials agree it’s hard to quantify how much the policies are saving the taxpayers, especially with the cost of fuel continuing to rise.

Walker County, Ga., Coordinator David Ashburn said conservation measures ease the pain a bit.

He said the county has a central fuel system and buys in bulk.

“We have a truck that makes a circuit of fire stations around the county rather than having those large firetrucks all travel to one location for fuel,” he said.

Mr. Ashburn said the county has bought more fuel efficient vehicles and stresses steps such as checking tire pressure to maximize efficiency.

“Unfortunately, 80 percent of what we do is mobile,” he said about government service. “That ranges from law enforcement patrol cars to repairs by the highway department and assessing the value of property.”

Mr. Ashburn said county departments projected gasoline at $3.25 a gallon when setting the current budget nearly a year ago.

“We passed that level months ago,” Mr. Ashburn said. “We’re probably 15 percent over our estimates with several months remaining in this budget year. The sheriff is seeking $200,000 in additional gasoline funds for the next budget.”

In Catoosa County, Ga., County Manager Mike Helton said last month a rescheduling of road projects to keep crews in the same geographic area cut fuel use by about 300 gallons compared to April.

Rural counties are taking a hit, Meigs County, Tenn., Mayor Ken Jones said, and they cut back where they can. His county’s highway department is taking on only essential projects.

“We have no specific programs or plans in place,” he said. “We have discussed reducing training trips that may be beneficial but not essential. I attended a Southeast Tennessee Human Resource Agency meeting in another county this week, and I carpooled.”

Mr. Jones said emergency vehicles move only when needed, while amendments to the fuel budget serve as a constant reminder that rising gas prices are eating up savings from reduced consumption.

“We’ve had to amend our fuel budget upward at least 15 percent,” he said.

Dade County, Ga., Executive/Manager Ben Brandon said the public works department switched three years ago from a five-day workweek to 10-hour, four-day weeks.

“That reduced mileage and fuel, but we also switched from a higher octane to regular unleaded fuel,” he said.

Dade Public Works Director Billy Massengale said take-home trucks for supervisors have been reduced from four vehicles to two since 2005.

“Our department fuel bill was $56,000 in 2005 and dropped to below $40,000 in 2006,” he said.

Marion County, Tenn., Mayor Howell Moss said his county highway department implemented a 10-hour, four-day week several years ago, too.

Fort Oglethorpe Streets Director Jeff Long said tighter scheduling of work crews has helped.

“We don’t have a large enough work force to permit 10-hour, four-day weekly work shifts,” he said. “If a water main breaks and we need all hands on deck, any gas savings would be wiped out quickly with overtime pay.”

He said the city has cut back on street sweeping, though, by covering fewer streets and sweeeping less often.

Bradley County, Tenn., Sheriff Tim Gobble said his department plans or has implemented fuel economy measures including using lower octane gas when possible, changing air filters regularly, keeping tires properly inflated and other preventive maintenance.

His department has cut back take-home vehicles, he said, and in some cases technology is helping save fuel.

While his deputies are in the field, they use mobile data transmissions to file reports rather than going back to headquarters.