Local & State Headlines

Four-day workweek seen as cost saver

• Some Dougherty County employees are now working four 10-hour days each week.

Carlton Fletcher

ALBANY — With their department’s fuel costs for the year projected to be around $290,000, officials with Dougherty County Public Works started looking at ways to conserve fuel while still providing services that residents have come to expect.

Director Larry Cook outlined a plan for the Dougherty County Commission during its work session Monday morning that has many employees in the department working four 10-hour days instead of the typical five 8-hour days as part of an effort to save up to 10 percent on projected fuel costs.

“It’s really hard to predict what kind of impact our plan will have, so we came up with what we think is a realistic goal,” Cook said after the meeting. “We hope that (the 4/10 work week), along with other measures we’re taking, will allow us to reach or even surpass that goal.”

Among the other measures Public Works employees are being asked to adhere to are halting the practice of idling vehicles for extended periods, eating lunches at the site where they are working rather than traveling elsewhere and carpooling as much as possible.

“If we stick to this plan and can cut 10 percent or more of our fuel costs, that will be a savings to taxpayers of around $30,000,” Cook said. “I also think the four-day work week will help cut sick leave as well, and it should cut our employees’ personal fuel consumption.”

Public Works’ road maintenance, drainage maintenance, engineering and environmental controls departments started the 4/10 work schedule last week, while fleet maintenance and administrative office personnel remain on a 5/8 schedule.

Cook said having fleet maintenance available to work on equipment on a day when other personnel are off is an added advantage.

“Those guys are able to work in the shop and not have to go out to job sites,” he said. “We expect that’s going to increase productivity as well.”

Cook said county Public Works is committed to the current program for six months.

“We’ll look at it after six months, and if we find it’s not efficient, we’ll go back to the regular (business hours),” County Administrator Richard Crowdis said.

Commission Chair Jeff Sinyard praised the program being utilized by the department, saying it would mean savings to taxpayers without the loss of services.

“All of us applaud you for the energy savings,” Sinyard said. “It’s not a big deal, it’s a huge deal. We’re saving taxpayer money while maintaining a staff to meet our needs at all times.”

Also at the meeting, Dougherty County Police Chief Don Cheek updated commissioners on the force’s plans for the National Night Out Aug. 5. DCP personnel, as well as other law enforcement and first-responder groups in the county and city, will take part in a kickoff event at 2 p.m. at the Target retailer, 2721 Dawson Road.

“We want to make neighborhoods in the county aware of the crime problem and make them aware of what local law enforcement does,” Cheek said.

Other issues discussed by commissioners included the employee wellness program “Hooked on Health,” which is a joint effort of the county’s human resources and health departments; a low bidder for gasoline and diesel fuel (totaling $803,540.69) to supply the county’s fleet; appointments to the Historic Preservation Committee and the Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful board; a contract for services to upgrade railroad crossings at Holly Drive and Antioch Road; an easement issue with BellSouth Telecommunications; and a right-of-way issue in the new College Park Subdivision.

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