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County staff frozen out of vehicles
The county’s freeze on vehicle purchases must be thawed.
County Administrator Brad Thorpe told the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday he needed access to the vehicle trust available balance, a fund that commissioners were advised to freeze in December in response to Duke Energy creating a budget shortfall by paying just over half of its assessed property tax bill.
“That’s become problematic because literally you have frozen every vehicle, including lawnmowers, for purchase,” Thorpe said. “What I’m asking for you to do is basically unfreeze that. Let me have the authority based on the emergency nature of replacing vehicles and I will do that carefully and we will still maintain the vehicle trust fund as a reserve fund for the emergency response for the unfunding of the Duke Energy issue.”
The most immediate problem was that a new utility employee did not have a vehicle to go out and do his job checking leaks in water lines, the board heard.
Commissioner Scott Adams suggested putting vehicle purchases on the consent agenda, but Thorpe also could foresee repairs keeping vehicles out of service until the board met.
After discussion, the board voted unanimously to allow Thorpe to make vehicle purchases if the action was an emergency.
* Marla Chancey, director of tourism at Citrus County Visitors and Conventions Bureau, presented a full-color publication called Visit Citrus Magazine, to replace a brochure. Copies are placed where they will be taken and read and are mailed to people who ask about the county. County staff did the work and the printer was paid through the advertising, making the magazine budget-neutral.
* Robert Sheets with Government Services Group and Michael Bomar with Tetra Tech presented ways the county would benefit from the Restore Act of 2010 that will provide funds from the parties responsible for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on April 20, 2010, to invest in environmental projects along the Gulf Coast.
Funds will be available through five streams, but the board will need to get projects ready to make applications for the funds that will be spread among five states.
After discussion, the board voted in favor of asking Sheets and Bomar to return with a scope of work proposal for assisting the county’s applications.
Chronicle reporter Chris Van Ormer can be reached at cvanormer@chronicleonline.com or 352-564-2916.
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leakes
my be the employee could of waited untill the transportation was alvable lets listen to scott a little moore its his money also
BOCC Hands Over Cookie Jar to Thorpe
Brad Thorpe is like a child with their hand in the cookie jar. This behavior is unconscionable. Apparently, Thorpe & the BOCC don't understand what a "Freeze" on spending means. Only a month after the freeze went into affect we see Thorpe reaching into the cookie jar full of money and wanting to what? Put in his trust for emergencies? And he will determine what consists of an emergency? Are you people mad? BOCC buckles over one sob story of a state employee not having a vehicle to fix leaks and the ability to do his job? What a crock of BS! Other solutions to Thorpes minor or petty problems should have been explored before handing over the cookie jar to Thorpe to use as he chooses.
Vehicle maintenance needs to be paid for by the registered driver of the vehicle especially, if it is a take home vehicle. Taxpayers should not be liable for personal upkeep of vehicles and gas when not being used for government business. As for not having a vehicle to do "the Job", Vehicles need to be used according to priority. After that they need to be returned to be checked out for the next priority. Not having a vehicle to do the job is not an excuse or an emergency for access to how much money$$$? The story never quoted how much was in the fund.
Do you really think that the BOCC used proper rational logic in handing over the fund to Thorpe because he requested and was granted access to do as he sees fit? Who does Brad Thorpe think he is? The BOCC with 5 commissioners should have seen how problematic their decision is. I wouldn't call this very pragmatic because Thorpe is going to keep nickel and dime-ing the taxpayers to benefit his agenda only and his own monetary growth!
Brealistic