With fuel prices rising, Gilmer County is expected to exceed its budget for fuel before the end of the year.
“I don’t think there is going to be a line item in any budget for fuel that isn’t going to be blown out of the water,” said Gilmer County Chair Charlie Paris. “They’re horrible. They’re just destroying the budget.”
Prices for gasoline and diesel have risen above $4. According to the AAA website, the average price for regular gas in Georgia is $4.47 and $5.52 for diesel. The national averages are $4.98 for gas and $5.81 for diesel.
“The county uses a lot of fuel, especially diesel,” Paris said. “It has hurt us bad.”
He said the fuel budget has not blown through line items yet, but the budget is only entering the sixth month.
Among the county’s biggest fuel users are the road department, fire and ambulance and the sheriff’s office, in that order, Paris said.
Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson said his department is experiencing the increases much like an average household, just on a larger scale.
Overall, he said his department is running under budget, but the line item for gas is rising fast.
His budget for gas for the year comes in at $170,000. If prices keep rising, he expects the department’s total bill for fuel will hit $200,000.
“We can’t stop driving,” Sheriff Nicholson said. “We’re answering calls more than we’re patrolling.”
Call volumes have been increasing, he said. Deputies spend more time on calls than patrolling.
“We’re kind of at the mercy of prices,” he said.
Nicholson said they have been talking about stationary patrols to be visible in areas, but they still have to drive to calls. The department is watching for unnecessary driving.
As a county, Paris said they will be looking at some conservation measures if prices keep rising. The Gilmer road department also has an annual budget of $170,000 for fuel, and fire has a budget of $110,000.
“That’s probably coming, he said. “We’ll be looking at some ways, but I don’t feel encouraged.”
Most conservation will involve taking vehicles off the road, which means reducing services, Paris explained.
“Fuel is a big budget item, even at the old prices,” he said.