Jefferson County commissioners will be able to drive a county-owned car or choose between two reimbursement methods for driving their own vehicles under an agreement reached Monday afternoon.
Reimbursement rates for commissioners and the administrator came under scrutiny two weeks ago after a citizen questioned the previous system which based a flat payment on driving 1,000 miles per month at 37.5 cents per mile.
The motion approved Monday will allow the commissioners to either:
* Drive a county-owned vehicle while on county business.
* Be reimbursed for actual miles driven and documented at the rate set by the Internal Revenue Service (currently 37.5 cents per mile).
* Accept a flat rate of payment based on a percentage of the average monthly rental rates.
Each commissioner will have to make a decision about the reimbursement method he chooses during the yearly budget season.
Commissioner Pat Rodgers, R-Brinnon, spoke in favor of driving a county-owned vehicle, while Commissioner Dan Titterness, R-Port Townsend, sought to require a straight mileage system.
Glen Huntingford, R-Chimacum, declined to second Titterness’ motion or make one of us own, pointing out “I’m chair of the board,” even though at one point he said “straight mileage might be looking better all of the time.”
