Keeping the Scales Balanced
If it can be weighed or measured, Gabriel Beatty wants to see it. Beatty is Henry County’s Weights & Measures Inspector. Every gas pump in the county has an inspection sticker with Beatty’s name on it. He’s also responsible for checking each scale in the county, including the ones at Henry County’s grocery stores. He even checks to make sure the 1-lb. package of flour in the baking aisle actually has one pound of flour in it.
“The Weights and Measures department in Henry County is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and fairness of commercial transactions within the county,” Beatty explained. Everything we consumers buy has a controlled unit of sale, whether it’s gasoline by the gallon or a yard of rope or fluid ounce of water. If those weights and measurements are not verified, there could be fraud. “I am responsible for making sure that the method of sale is correct, and the commodity is weighed, measured, metered, counted and labeled correctly. Anything from propane, gasoline, gold, pet food and people food,” Beatty said. “My department is also responsible for non-commercial scales such as 4H scales, wrestling, pharmacies and WIC.”
Beatty checks calibration on scales and pumps and packages for the sake of both customers and owners. He wants to make sure customers get what they pay for and that businesses aren’t being taken advantage of because of faulty equipment. “We’re on each’s side,” Beatty said. He also enforces local and state laws governing commercial transactions to protect consumers from fraud and unfair business practices. “My goal is to create a level playing field in the marketplace where businesses compete fairly, and consumers can make informed purchasing decisions with confidence,” he said.
Beatty has served as Henry County’s inspector for six years this month. He started as a part-time employee until May of 2018. Since then, Beatty has been conducting routine inspections of local businesses full time. “It’s been a very productive six years with many changes to help serve our citizens in a more effective and efficient way,” he said. “During my six years, I’ve had the privilege of working with many industry professionals and local businesses as well as other county, state and federal inspectors.
In addition to being the county’s inspector, Beatty is currently the Vice-President of the Indiana Weights and Measures Association. The role allows him to stay at the forefront of industry trends and contribute to meaningful changes that positively impact Henry County and beyond. Beatty said his average work day is anything but average. “I’ve never had two days the same in six years,” he said. “To do this job you need to be very fluid and understand your day is not going to be normal or make sense.”
Beatty might start his day at a gas station doing a fuel inspection and then receive a complaint about a short weight gummy bears package at a grocery store. On the drive to that complaint, he could field a question from a state inspector or get a request for help from another county inspector. Once he gets to the original package complaint, Beatty might hear from a local citizen about something they have issues with at a different business. “Or none of that happens because I get a call from the State about a water complaint that needs to be dealt with immediately,” he said.
Beatty said it is not uncommon for him to meet people who have no idea that his department even exists. “Most people have never heard of Weights and Measures, but our reach extends beyond ensuring measurement accuracy and fair-trade practices—it directly affects the economic well-being of Henry County citizens,” he said. “The cumulative impact of our work is significant, especially in this economy.”
Beatty used the example of a grocery scale that might be out of calibration by 0.03 pounds. That scale could be costing Henry County customers or that Henry County business as much as $200,000 per year. Some businesses have dozens of scales. Gas stations can be affected very quickly if the meters on their pumps are not calibrated correctly, Beatty said. For example, say a gas station that sells 2,000 gallons of gasoline a day at $3.75 a gallon. If that one meter is at the allowable maximum tolerance of +/-6 cubic inches on a 5-gallon test, that is roughly $15,000 gained or lost at that station in one year on one meter.
Henry County also has six truck stops that sell millions of gallons of diesel each year. Shortages on those sales could translate into shortages on reported gas taxes. Those shortages would then translate to Henry County receiving less state money than it should for local road repairs. “I take this job very seriously because we are talking real money that affects real lives,” Beatty said. “If I don’t do my job correctly to the best of my ability at a grocery store or fueling station, hundreds of thousands of dollars could be gained or lost. That’s not just taxes, that’s business profits, yearly bonuses, hourly wages, and money in your pocket.”
Beatty checks each gas station in Henry County at least once a year. He also verifies the pumps after every calibration or complaint. Besides checking the volume meters, he is also making sure the fuel hoses and equipment lights are working and that the marquee price matches what is showing at the pump. He checks the local grocery stores twice a year before heavy grocery seasons, like Thanksgiving. Any business that is out of the acceptable weights and measures range has seven days to fix their violation.
Anyone with concerns about weights, measures or volume being sold in Henry County can call Beatty’s office at 521-7062 or email gbeatty@henrycounty.in.gov
Source: https://www.thecouriertimes.com/
