Monday, the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors approved a motion to no longer supply the county administrator, Adrain Lumpkin, with a vehicle.
While his vehicle was not the only one questioned by the public in attendance, Lumpkin’s was the only one the board took action on.
It’s important for citizens to question how their tax dollars are spent, but why was only one employee singled out?
These community members also mentioned they have seen county trucks parked in various places in the county, but the board only took action on Lumpkin’s access to a county vehicle.
Employees should be held accountable for the manner in which they use these vehicles. They are purchased with taxpayer’s dollars and should be used for county business only.
However, if it’s close to their lunch hour and they are still in a county vehicle and want to stop at a restaurant to eat, what’s the harm? It might cost more money and gas for them to drive back to where their personal vehicle is parked.
Now, if they were driving to Slidell, New Orleans or Hattiesburg to dine, then that would be unacceptable.
Pearl River County is the fourth largest county in Mississippi and we are fairly certain most employees do not want to use their personal vehicles to conduct county business on a regular basis.
And if they do, the county would be responsible for issuing reimbursement for mileage costs.
With all of this in mind, perhaps the discussion should be, how many of them, supervisors included, really need county funded vehicles?