Charles commissioners allow reimbursement to themselves for Ubers

The Charles County commissioners have voted to give themselves the ability to reimburse costs from their usage of external transportation services, like Uber or Lyft.

In a 3-2 vote, the commissioners decided to amend their expense policy to add new language under the mileage section, to say, “Mileage funding may also be used to reimburse a county commissioner for expenses incurred in the employment of an external transportation service for business travel related to the execution of their duties as a county commissioner.”

Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II (D) presented the idea to his fellow commissioners, saying that he had the idea after having to drive to various locations throughout the state in relation to his role as a commissioner.

“It’s just an option,” Collins said.

After citing that every commissioner has the ability to use a county vehicle with reimbursed county gas, Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” Bowling (D) asked Collins “why there’s a need for an expense for somebody to chauffeur us around?”

Collins clarified that the allocated funds will still be from the same pool of resources that the commissioners have, but just provide an additional usage.

“It’s a tough fiscal year, and to the public, it looks like we need drivers. And I just don’t think that’s fiscally responsible,” Bowling said. “If you don’t spend the money in your travel account, you can transfer it to something like a project account.”

Bowling said that he had used some of the money for food giveaways in the past.

Collins once again clarified the source of the funding and said that he was not seeking any addition to what’s in place.

“I was only trying to seek clarity. … It’s not really a big deal,” Collins said. “If you don’t agree with it, I mean, fine.”

The commissioners later moved to amend the expense policy, with Collins, Commissioner Ralph E. Patterson II (D) and Commissioner Thomasina “Sina” Coates (D) voting in favor while Bowling and Commissioner Amanda Stewart (D) voted against.