An unique set of circumstances caused the Edgecomb Fire Department’s fuel card to be turned off the weekend before Hurricane Sandy hit, according to Selectman Stuart Smith.
In a phone interview on Nov. 6, Edgecomb Fire Chief Roy Potter said some of the town’s firefighters were fueling up the department’s trucks on Oct. 27 to be ready for Sandy when it was discovered their Wright Express fuel card wasn’t working.
Two of the drivers ended up having to pay for the fuel out of pocket, Potter said.
Only one warrant was signed in Edgecomb during the month of October due to Columbus Day and Wright Express shut off the card due to lack of payment, Potter said.
Once Potter called and explained the situation, Wright Express was “super” and turned the card back on, he said.
Potter said having a fire department credit card would eliminate the need for firefighters to pay out of pocket in such an emergency situation.
“If something like that happens again…I’ve got a backup. It’s my job as a chief to plan ahead and plan for the unexpected,” Potter said. “I don’t want to have all my eggs in one basket.”
Potter brought the issue to the Edgecomb Board of Selectmen’s meeting Nov. 5 to request a credit card for the department.
The fact that two of the drivers had to pay for the fuel out of pocket is “absurd,” Potter said at the meeting.
Potter said in addition to helping with emergency situations, having a credit card would also let the department take advantage of sometimes substantial savings by purchasing parts for the trucks through the internet instead of buying locally.
Selectman Jessica Chubbuck said situations where people end up using personal credit cards to buy things for the town and need reimbursement have come up before.
Smith said he was against providing a credit card due to concerns over fraud or misuse, particularly when options such as a pre-paid debit card are available.
“I don’t want to extend any more credit out on the town’s nickel if we can avoid it,” Smith said.
The fuel card issue is a situational problem that can be dealt with without credit, Smith said.
Smith suggested joining with the town of Boothbay to use their fuel depot, which could provide substantial savings on fuel costs and eliminate the need for a credit card. The depot uses a pin system instead of a card, Smith said.
“I’m all for saving money” and would consider joining with Boothbay, but even the fuel depot could lose power and necessitate going elsewhere for fuel, Potter said.
Chubbuck said she would look into the various options for the department.
In other business, the selectmen approved a motion to partner with property owners and the Department of Transportation to resolve safety issues enumerated in the 2012 Road Safety Audit.
The 2012 Road Safety Audit, which took place on June 4, identified safety and traffic issues along US Rt. 1 in Edgecomb and Wiscasset. On Oct. 2 DOT special projects engineer Gerry Audibert met with selectmen from Edgecomb and Wiscasset to discuss results from the audit and finalize the list.
Chubbuck said she is gearing up for the fifth annual Edgecomb Toy Drive, where new unwrapped toys are collected and given to Edgecomb families.
There will be boxes to collect the donated toys at the town office and post office, and anyone interested in hosting a box can call Chubbuck at 841-4038.
