You may remember that the Pocahontas Commentator broke the news of a state DOH vehicle being used by an employee of the DOH in Lewisburg who lived on Droop and was driving it daily to work. The vehicle for some strange reason was being hidden over at Droop Park.

Well, the news is up again that Manchin wants the use of state vehicles more closely supervised. And that is going to happen.

From Drop Box

From Drop Box

This same thing has been a topic of discussion for the past 40 years. Just like previous governors Manchin isn't going to do anything about it. They will talk about it awhile and it will then be forgotten until the next audit comes up.
All he would have to do is say no more commuting in state owned vehicles. Make them drive their personal vehicles to work like the taxpayers have to do.

Norman:
You are allways going on about the state car on droop. I agree with you but what about the county landfill truck parked across the field from your house. I know you have seen it if we get a deep snow it plows your drive way, what's fair for one is fair for all.

Are you saying Normans driveway is plowed by the county free to him? Maybe that is part of his retirement package.

If this is true Norman do you think you have the right to complain about others using state or county vehicles? My road is not plowed or maintained by the state or county. Maybe a etater rat should investigate.



Stay cool Norm just having a little fun tonight.

State parks have missused vechicles for years,and still do today.

E-tater exclusive!!!! A$$ beats dead horse!

theres not a word of truth to the landfill truck parked across the field from normans, plowing his driveway. theres a blue and white truck that plows that drivway ive seen it with my own eyes. if the lanfill truck plows drivways out beaver creek it missed mine.

Well what about police officers??? I dont care town, county, or state........they shouldn't be allowed to drive the issued vehicles home either then. They can drive to work and then pick them up just like the rest of us!!! But do you think we will ever see that day??? Here in Pocahontas County????? I very seriously doubt it

What is the SHERIFF's hours again?

I have a neighbor who plows me out when it snows! Thank you anyway!

Isn't it funny that after all this, Inch High Private Eye Normie still hasn't broken the scoop on this! He just likes to stir the pot. For some people, it makes sense to take state or other government vehicles home. In some cases, there are very valid reasons. Shame Inch High hasn't checked this out. He just likes to whine & complain all the time! Some people just can't stand to see other people get perks on the job! If it saves the state money in the long run for this vehicle to be allowed to be left there, then good job!

Why doesn't Inch High Alderman find out? Because he's afraid there just might be a valid reason for why the vehicle is left there & he'll be left looking like a fool YET AGAIN!

A government job is a "perk".
Except for the State Police, it doesn't save the state anything by allowing employees to commute to and from work in state vehicles. In fact it is costing the taxpayers millions.

This issue resurfaced in the Gazette. I didn't bring it back up. All I did was to remind folks that etater was on the issue a long time ago. We pride ourselves in keeping history in context. (That's code for "I told !you so

Who Cares....

You are wrong. I do know the circumstances.
I just don't understand why the governor allows it to continue. This one case seems really insignificant but multiply it by about 5,000 and it adds up to a lot of money.

Do share tom.

If I were to share everything I know with you then you would know everything that I know.

Based on you etater postings I don't believe that your brain is capable of handling that much information.

We already know everything you know. A handful of insulting four letter words is the extent of your vocabulary and knowledge.

No you don't know everything that I know.
I know the story behind the DOH vehicle and you don't.

bump for tom to tell us "what he knows."

Why are the school buses driven bach to school at the end of the day.Seem like alot of extra miles on them.

bump for tom to tell us all the "REAL" story behind the vehicle mystery. I mean he claims he knows the truth. Let's all hold our breath for him to bless us all with what he knows.

bump for tom


looks like he might have gotten in over his head when he claimed he knew what the big scoop was. He probably hates it when he spouts off & someone actually calls him out to back it up.

Unlike Norman, I don't want to stir things up.
The man that drives the vehicle is a friend of mine and he is not doing anything illegal.
He is authorized to use the vehicle to commute between Pocahontas County and his place of employment near Lewisburg.
That's it. No big mystery.

I didn't say that I agree with the policy. I said he was given authorization to use the vichle and he is doing nothing illegal.
I still think the policy is wrong and government workers should not be provided with a vehicle and gas to commute to and from work at the taxpayers expense. They don't have to pay for insurance or maintenance on the vehicle. If the vehicle is damaged in an accident or breaks down they get another vehicle to drive. When their tires are worn out they are replaced. If they are involved in an accident their insurance premium doesn't go up.

State workers make more than employees at Interstate Lumber Co. Why are the employees at Interstate not provided with a vehicle and gasolene, at taxpayers expense, to drive to work?

Why don't all state employees get a vehicle to drive? Why just a select few?

Private companies can do that it is their money. Government workers shouldn't expect to be compensated equal to private sector employees.

Government workers are paid well above the private sector in West Virginia. Look it up. Too bad small business owners are taking a beating with this administration.

No, he is only saving himself money.
He is the District Equipment Supervisor and his office is located at the District equipment shop near Lewisburg. He doesn't work out on the road.
Basically his job would not require a state vehicle assigned to him full time.

BTW. If they want to continue to provide people vehicles to commute to work why don't the get more efficient cars like Ford Escorts instead of high priced 4 wheel drive SUV gas guzzlers?
They are furnished better vehicles than I can afford to buy on my salary.

Also, the DOH employees that are allowed to commute in state vehicles make somewhere between $50,000 and $90,000 a year salary.
Those employees that work for $8 to $12 an hour on the road in all kinds of weather are not allowed to use their state vehicle to commute. Many times they will drive their personal vehicles to work, get in a state vehicle and go back to work on a road that passes in front of their house.
Does this picture not look wrong to any of you?

I imagine the vehicles were bought when gas prices weren't an issue. Also, they probably bid out a contract to purchase multiple vehicles. Perhaps they need to look at whether the money saved on the purchase price isn't offset by money spent on gas.

Many state supervisors are provided a vehicle. I really don't have a problem with that. I don't think every employee deserves one for sure.

Many people on this site have a negative opinion of government workers. Whomever said state workers get more than the same jobs in the private sector is clueless. I mean really! And I have looked it up. There's an old saying, "you get what you pay for." If you want someone that is willing to work for peanuts, then you'll get work quality to match. You want good service from your government workers, pay them.

Don't bad mouth them, tell them they make too much, & then expect the cream of the crop to apply. It ain't gonna happen.

I have a brother-in-law that works for the state. He travels around the state inspecting nursing homes. His office is in Charleston but he only goes there once a week or so. He lives in Wheeling. The state provides him a car, as they should. They don't require him to drive to Charleston every day to pick up the car before he heads to the next assignment, he gets to take the car home. It's the only logical way to work it. There are ligitimate reasons for government workers to have a vehicle.

Alderman has just created an atmosphere where he's conviced everyone that all government workers are lazy, fat butt, freeloaders. They don't deserve anything.

That is the problem.
It is the lazy, fat butt, freeloaders that are getting the perks.
The hard working men that are out there in all kind of weather keeping the roadways open and safe are the ones getting paid peanuts.

They need to quit providing vehicles and free gas for supervisors to commute to work and use that money to give the working men a raise.

Tom, you make too much sense!

The man providing the service that is a necessity or a benifit to the public should be the man that makes more money. I don't want my tax money paying a college graduate to sit around on his ass because he don't want to work. Give my tax money to the highschool drop-out that puts in 12 to 14 hours driving a snowplow so you lazy b a s t a r d s can drive into a warm office, sit around drinking your coffee and thinking you are so much better than the next man.

BTW. Government supervisors "butts" are not on the line for anything. They are exempt from any liability if they screw up. It nothing like working in the private sector.

You can hire only so many college graduates and then you have to hire somebody to get the work done. College graduates don't know how to work.