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County Bosses Put Brakes On Fuel Station

By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: January 19, 2009

Updated: 01/20/2009 05:23 pm

BROOKSVILLE - Saying they need to watch their dollars during this time of budget austerity, county commissioners nixed a request from staffers to spend $191,175 at this time on a new 12,000-gallon fuel island at the county landfill.
Instead, they will wait for a later date to see whether the state will ease up on its requirements to bring underground fuel storage tanks into compliance with new safety standards.
Utilities Director Joe Stapf said the fuel station is needed to satisfy the state's impending deadline to convert to double-walled structures for increased safety and to increase the gallonage capacity to accommodate more vehicles and eliminate the need to pay an outside vendor.
"We can't accommodate a full tanker delivery so we pay a drop charge every time we have it refilled," he said.
Also, the new station would allow the county to more efficiently track fuel usage via computer. The current above-ground 5,000-gallon station is equipped only with a manual device.
"We want to bring this in compliance with the rest of the fuel systems in Hernando County," Purchasing Director James Gantt said.
County Commissioner Jim Adkins said an enhanced fuel station, which could also be used to accommodate other county vehicles in the event of a weather emergency, would be nice. But it isn't practical in a down economy.
Commission Chairman David Russell said being able to accommodate a full tanker load and increase tracking capabilities would be a plus. But not, he said, in the present budgetary environment.
"(But) I think the question we are going to have to ask ourselves over and over and over, 'Do we really have to have this right now?'" Russell said.
County Commissioner John Druzbick said the drop charge of $35 is inconsequential compared to the almost $200,000 outlay of funds for a new fueling station.
Druzbick said his only concern is meeting the state's Dec. 31, 2009 deadline of converting underground fuel tanks to double-walled systems.
The thicker walls would presumably reduce the chance of leaks and subsequent groundwater contamination.
Resident and former firefighter Wayne Dukes said he doesn't believe the expenditure is warranted at this time and believes the county can use that money for something else.
"I don't think that we've made that argument that we have to do it today," Dukes said.