County commissioners have been paid a total of nearly $30,000 in “mileage” during this fiscal year.

Records obtained from county administrator’s office show that between October 2009 and August 2010, commissioners have traveled a total of 57,482 miles and claimed $29,414 in reimbursements. The county’s fiscal year will close at the end of this month, and commissioners are now paid the state mileage rate of 50 cents per mile. Prior to Jan. 1, 2010, that rate was 55 cents per mile.

In January 2009, commissioners voted to change from operating under a “district system,” where commissioners were responsible for the maintenance of the county’s roadways, to a “unit system,” which placed that responsibility on the county engineer’s office.

The county maintains approximately 670 dirt roads and 630 paved roads, for a total of 1,300 miles. The county engineer’s office was unable to provide a total breakdown of those miles in what used to be each “district.”

Records show that through the end of August:

• Chairman Lynn Sasser had claimed a total of 4,272 miles and was paid a total of $2,190. That averages out to approximately 388 miles per month or $199.

• Commissioner David Ellis (District 1, Opp area) had claimed a total of 6,602 miles and was paid a total of $3,323. That averages out to approximately 600 miles per month or $302.

• Commissioner Bragg Carter (District 2, Straughn area) had claimed a total of 17,007 miles and was paid a total of $8,720. That averages out to approximately 1,546 miles per month or $793.

• Commissioner Harold Elmore (District 3, Florala area) had claimed a total of 29,929 miles and was paid a total of $11,738. That averages out to approximately 2,084 miles per month or $1,067.

• Commissioner Carl Turman (District 4, Red Level area) had claimed a total of 6,672 miles and was paid a total of $3,443. That averages out to approximately 607 miles per month or $313.

Those dollar figures are in addition to commissioners’ annual salaries of approximately $21,950 and the chairman’s $27,700.

Currently, the county is in the midst of its budgeting process for the 2011 fiscal year.

Commissioners have discussed giving all county employees a 3 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA), if funding allows.

If these raises are approved, commissioners will receive comparable raises.