Luzerne County Government

March 13, 2010

Controller wants better gas card records

Griffith: Now no proof fuel is being used by county vehicles only.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
Jennifer Learn-Andes on Facebook   |   @TLJenLearnAndes on Twitter

Luzerne County Controller Walter Griffith said he wants more accountability with gas cards that are used to fuel up at the county pump.

He has no evidence of misuse but said he is concerned because there’s no video camera to prove that the gas is going into only county vehicles as required.

Gas cards are supplied to departments with county vehicles, and each card has a password.

The county currently has 288 active gas cards, county records show.

Department heads are supposed to monitor card usage, but Griffith said he wants some way to independently verify.

“How do we know personal vehicles are not getting gas? There’s nobody at the pump and no cameras,” he said.

Griffith said he started looking at the fuel because he noticed that the sheriff’s office was billed for $1,500 in gas from the county pump last month.

“There’s no mileage with it, and the gas card was not assigned to a particular vehicle,” Griffith said.

Griffith said his office should be receiving back-up reports for all gas cards indicating which vehicle was fueled and the vehicle’s mileage at the time of fueling.

If departments opt to allow multiple employees to share the same card, a log should be kept requiring the card to be signed in and out and listing the vehicle that was fueled and its mileage, he said.

The pump, located near the county engineering office off Water Street, dispensed about 210,176 gallons of gas in the past year, records show.

The county’s transportation department used the most – 155,288 gallons. Next in line was the sheriff’s office, with 12,069 gallons, and probation services, with 11,475 gallons, records show.

The following departments also use the fuel pump: assessor’s, building and grounds, children and youth, community development, controller, coroner, district attorney, domestic relations, emergency management, environmental special projects, planning, prison, public defender, recreation, solid waste, road and bridge, security and veteran affairs.

Griffith said he has scheduled a meeting Monday with the county administration to discuss solutions.

The gas at the pump is exempt from tax because it is used for county vehicles, he said.

“I’m sure the state would not be happy that we’re not logging this information. If the county doesn’t want to issue a directive, then I will,” Griffith said.

County Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla said the county is strict about the issuance of cards, and she believes logs are kept. However, she said she will consider any suggestions to improve the tracking system.

County minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban said he supports Griffith’s push for increased documentation. Urban said he believes each card should be assigned to a vehicle so the fuel could be easily matched to mileage on monthly reports.

Jennifer Learn-Andes, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7333.

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