The Augusta Commission has bought enough gas this year to drive around Earth nearly five times.

With a monthly gas allowance set at 125 gallons in 1965, when fuel economy was at most 14.5 miles per gallon, eight Augusta commissioners and the mayor have guzzled 5,286.8 gallons of gas this year. It's enough with modern fuel economy to drive more than 116,300 miles.

This year's gas purchases exceed $13,000, a record since The Augusta Chronicle has been obtaining the data and far higher than two years ago, when only five commissioners spent $5,484 with the cards during all of 2017.

Today, only Mayor Pro Tem Sean Franton and Commissioner Mary Davis aren’t using the cards.

Fuel purchase data is easy to obtain because the city pays the firm Wright Express to issue elected officials and other city workers gas cards, which they use at the pump. The city’s system can easily spit out a spreadsheet with dates, times, amounts and even station locations.

The leader, which he’s been almost every year since taking office, is Commissioner Marion Williams. He bought 968 gallons of gas and some diesel since January, at a total cost of $2,663.65.

Williams, a car enthusiast, said he’s fueled his current fleet, which includes a truck, a BMW and a vintage Chevrolet Chevelle, and doesn’t exceed the cap, although he did in April and June this year.

“If I need some gas, I get it,” Williams said. “I didn’t set (the cap) up – that’s what it was when I got here.”

Williams said that his role as a super district commissioner takes him “all over the city.” He said commissioners, who garner around $15,000-a-year salaries, need the perk.

“We don’t get paid much and I don’t have a problem with using the gas,” he said.

Trailing Williams by 70 gallons but spending less than Commissioner Bill Fennoy was Mayor Hardie Davis, who is not subject to the 125-gallon cap and has free rein over his budget. Davis’ biggest gas month was 153 gallons in May, and he has spent a total of $1,943 this year on fuel.

Since April, he or a staffer have also gassed up the mayor’s office's new Chevy Tahoe, although most of Davis’ purchases were for his personal pickup. They’ve put around 6,000 miles on the 2019 Tahoe, according to the fuel records.

Davis, who has a full-time salary but not a car allowance, did not answer questions about elected officials’ spending on fuel.

Neighboring Columbia County has adopted a different approach, Administrator Scott Johnson said. The county’s five commissioners receive a $879 monthly travel stipend covering all expenses in addition to their base monthly pay of $675, he said. That would bring total annual commissioner pay to $18,648.

Fennoy, whose regular district is the county’s second-largest, has spent $1,970 on 722 gallons of gas this year, including two purchases in Virginia.

Next is Commissioner Sammie Sias, although he didn’t use a gas card in January, February and most of March. Sias overshot the 125-gallon cap in May and made near-weekly 30-gallon fill-ups of unleaded plus, each costing around $70 to $75 each.

From April 4 through Aug. 1, he gassed up nine times at the Fort Gordon Gate 5 Shoppette. On post, gas is not taxed.

Sias hauls tools and equipment in the cargo van he’s driven to commission meetings and city functions for several years, and its license plate is 2M, the name of his one-time business.

With a fuel economy of around 15 miles per gallon, Sias could have driven 22,000 miles in the van. He did not return a message seeking comment.

Commissioner Brandon Garrett’s District 8 is by far the largest, spanning 193 mostly rural square miles across south Richmond County. Garrett spent $1,450.88 on 581 gallons of regular gas for his pickup.

Next was Commissioner Ben Hasan, who gassed up his Kia more than 50 times, typically at a Peach Orchard Road station. Hasan spent $1,096.76 on 499 gallons of regular.

Commissioner John Clarke was the third-lowest spender with 460 gallons for $1,008.60. Commissioner Bobby Williams, who took office in April, bought 281 gallons of super unleaded for $810.03.

At the bottom was Commissioner Dennis Williams, whose District 2 is the smallest. He spent $570.12 for 256 gallons, mostly regular.

Williams said his colleagues are likely staying busier than usual and that gas prices have been high.

“I think there’s more involvement and visibility in some of the commissioners,” he said.

Clarke, whose super district spans 248 of Augusta’s 329 square miles, said he tries to be frugal with the card, buying about a tank a week.

“We use our own automobile, the wear and tear, we pay our own insurance,” he said. “I use mine, but I use it sparingly.”

DistrictLeaderSquare MilesGallonsPriceDistrict 1Bill Fennoy38.3722.2$1970.98District 2Dennis Williams10.6256.3$570.12District 3Mary Davis17.3$0District 4Sammie Sias17.9576.2$1,461.28District 5Bobby Williams13.7281.4$810.03District 6Ben Hasan25.3499.223$1,096.76District 7Sean Frantom12.7District 8Brandon Garrett192.9581.461$1,450.88Super District 9Marion Williams80.5968.369$2,663.65SuperDistrict 10John Clarke248.1460.115$1,008.60MayorHardie Davis328.7898.107$1,943.22