Commissioners Create Fuel Committee

By ABC-7 Reporter/ Anchor Stephanie Valle

EL PASO, Texas – A seemingly simple request prompts the Commissioners Court to create a committee to investigate how the county can become more fuel-efficient. At Monday’s meeting, County Constable Rick Gammon asked the court to approve more money for his Northeast precinct’s gas cards.

Gammon cited the rising fuel costs as the reason behind his request. That led to the Auditor’s Office calling out the amount of money dedicated to fueling that precinct’s fleet alone: $79,224.

Assistant auditor Wallace Hardgrove said the county will need $275,000 to get the Sheriff’s fleet through the rest of the fiscal year, to September 30. The monthly cost for gas for the Sheriff’s patrol units has increased by nearly $20,000, from $53,000 a month in October to $72,000 a month in April.

Sheriff Jimmy Apodaca told ABC-7 his office is already looking into increasing bike patrols.

“We’ll install a rack on the patrol unit and they’ll use the bike,” Apodaca described. “If the deputies get a call, they’ll ride back to the car, hitch up the bike, and respond in the car.”

Commissioners Court didn’t approve the funding increase to the fuel cards for the Constable in Precinct 4, instead opting to create a committee comprised of the Auditor, Purchasing Agent, County Attorney, County Judge Anthony Cobos, Commissioner Dan Haggerty to look into condensing the use of county vehicles and fuel.