WINTON – It seems that rising fuel costs are affecting everything lately and the Hertford County Department of Social Services (DSS) is no exception.

DSS Director Gwen Burns came before the Hertford County Board of Commissioners on June 16 to discuss various rate increases due to the rising cost of fuel.

Several businesses and individuals that sub-contract for DSS services increased their rates for the upcoming fiscal year. The smallest of those hikes was six percent while the highest was 20 percent.

Burns asked the board for authorization to approve a rate increase plan for one group based on fuel costs.

“We’ve been working closely with Mobility Track Services and they have proposed a variable rate based on gas prices,” she stated.

Burns continued, “If gas goes up by three percent, their costs go up one percent, but if it goes down three percent then they will also go down by three percent.”

Commissioner John E. Pierce made a motion to accept the proposed variable rate plan, with Commissioner Curtis Freeman offering a second. The measure passed without objection.