Published: July 15, 2008 08:29 am      

County raises fuel reimbursement; moves to rebid fuel purchases

By Libby Cluett
lcluett@mineralwellsindex.com

PALO PINTO – Citing rising mileage reimbursements at the state and national levels, Palo Pinto County Commissioners opted Monday to immediately increase the county’s mileage rate reimbursement from 45 cents to 51 cents.

County Auditor Sharon Allen noted that the Internal Revenue Services now allows a standard mileage reimbursement rate of 50.5 cents per mile for business miles driven.

Starting in July, Texas upped its maximum state mileage reimbursement rate by 8 cents to 58.5 cents per mile for state agencies and universities.

This is one of many ways rising fuel costs affect the county.

The issue of asphalt used for paving roads is in limbo while the county has a casting call for bids. Rising prices forced the companies with existing bids and quotes on road material to rescind their agreement with the county.

The result – the county recently rewrote their bid specifications on road material. Allen said the new specifications allow an option for purchasing on a “cost-plus basis – their cost plus a profit margin – and the possibility of adding a fuel surcharge for delivery.”

Also in Monday’s meeting, the county approved advertising for sealed bids for motor fuel – both gas and diesel. Recent fuel prices made the Precinct 2 barn a target for vandals stealing close to 1,000 gallons of red diesel fuel used for heavy equipment.

Even though he lost some fuel, Pct. 2 Commissioner Ed Laney said he has experienced increased fuel consumption merely by “keeping up with road repairs because of all the heavy oil trucks using and tearing up the roads” in his precinct. Laney also noted that the Fairfield Acres flood mitigation project “is using up all of my reserves.”

Commissioner certified an insurance reimbursement of $26,257 for costs associated with the damaged Old Christian Road bridge in Precinct 2 On Monday. Laney designated $20,000 of the proceeds to help offset his precinct’s fuel budget and the remainder to the road repair budget.

Several other county departments, which rely on county vehicles for work, have requested additional funds from contingency for unanticipated fuel costs. According to Allen, this is “due to the volatility of the fuel situation.”

However, Allen said the county prepared last year when commissioner’s court added “a fuel contingency line item as well as a regular contingency line item.”

“We’ve depleted the fuel and are now taking future requests [for fuel] from the regular contingency,” she added.

In other business commissioners:

• Approved waiving the 60-day notice requirement pertaining to the reinvestment zone in support of the Baker Hotel project and to be created by the City of Mineral Wells. Commissioners also approved a resolution to show their interest in participating in the reinvestment zone and nominating the judge as the county’s representative.

• Accepted Harris Welding and Construction’s sealed bid submitted for bridge construction in Precinct 4. The company out of Springtown bid a cost of $48,500 to build the bridge.

• Approved a re-plat for Phase 1 of the 7-R Ranch.

• Approved advertising for sealed bids for road material, topping rock and caliche.

• Certified and budgeted unanticipated revenue from damages to two sheriff’s vehicles.

• Approved a request by EOG to bore Rambling Road, Cook Road and Cooper Lane, all in Precinct 2.

• Discussed and approved requiring notification before any citizen or business places an entrance on a county road and easement. Laney cited an example where an oil company built an entrance onto property by dumping road base in the county bar ditch without installing a culvert for water flow.

Laney asked commissioners to approve the entrance notification request along with a routing regulation for overweight, oil and gas trucks. He said this would help keep trucks from tearing up a county road and then moving to another county road. Commissioners solely approved the entrance notification requirement, but would not second his motion to pass both requirements.

• Approved a 50-50-split with the City of Mineral Wells on sales and proceeds from the 2007 seizure of 8-liner game machines. The machines were seized because the businesses owning them used them illegally according to state law.

• Approved setting a 35 mph speed limit on the following Precinct 2 roads: Brannon, Rambling, Heliport, Cooper and Cook.

• After a brief closed session, authorized the county judge to offer a land owner $50,000 for the purchase of real property.