County engineer Darren Capps told employees in a 6:30 a.m. meeting Monday that he was instituting new policies in the wake of thefts discovered last week that resulted in arrests and terminations.

Capps, who met with employees and the county commission, said each vehicle would be inventoried for equipment before the workers left yesterday, that the inventory would be signed, and the driver would be responsible for the tools and equipment.

He said county employees who drive county vehicles home are to only have county employees in the vehicle.

“You can’t take the kids to school, can’t pick them up in the afternoon,” he said. “It is for home to work and work to home.”

He also said he would ask commissioners to approve a new position, a parts clerk/purchasing agent who would be responsible for all purchasing.

“This will give us more accountability,” he said.

Details of the theefts have not been released, and Sheriff Dennis Meeks said the investigation is ongoing.

Both Capps and commission members addressed the issue of time theft, and said employees were to begin work at 6:30 a.m. and remain busy until 5 p.m.

“Some of you don’t need to be standing outside waiting for 5,” Capps said.

Several employees asked questions, including a foreman who inquired whether he and other managers would have the “backing of the county” if they documented problems. When he specifically pushed for support in enforcing the county’s no tobacco policy, which would prevent employees from smoking or chewing tobacco in county vehicles, commissioners asked that supervisors not “write up” anyone for violating this policy until they could review it.

Commissioner Bragg Carter did not attend the meeting. Sasser reported that Carter was sick with the flu.