The governing body will vote approval at the annual reorganization on Jan. 6.
The five officials are the mayor, city administrator, public safety/police director, fire chief and superintendent of public Works.
The mayor, city administrator and public safety.police director will have 24-hour use of city-owned vehicles for 2014, if the council approves on Jan. 6. The fire chief and superintendent of Public Works will be given 24-hour use of marked vehicles for the year.
No objections were raised at the agenda-fixing session, although such use has been contentious in years past.
In 2009, Councilman William Reid offered $5,000 of his own money to settle a dispute over authorization of city-owned vehicles. Here is an excerpt from Plaintalker's post:
The big fuss about 24-hour use of city cars may be over with tonight (Feb. 2, 2009), if the City Council heeds William Reid.
The meeting is 8 p.m. in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.
On Jan. 26, Councilman Reid called for a vote tonight to allow cars to be assigned to City Administrator Marc Dashield and Police Director Martin Hellwig for the balance of 2009. If a policy change is warranted, it could then take place in 2010. Reid went so far as to offer $5,000 of his own money to cover costs of car usage for this year.
The issue came up at the Jan. 1 reorganization when a council majority voted to allow yearlong city car use for the mayor and fire chief, but limited use for the city administrator, Public Works supervisor and police director only through January pending further talks on how the perk fit into compensation packages. All had previously received permission without question.
On Jan. 15, the council approved yearlong 24-hour city vehicle use for Public Works Supervisor John Louise and extended car use for the other two just through February.
But the Jan. 26 discussion broadened into exactly what went into contract talks for top city officials and how costs for use of 24-hour cars were documented. If permission for yearlong use is granted, council members said they still want more facts on how it actually works.
--Bernice
The Mayor and City Administrator are not entitled to full time car privileges. In prior years if these officials used their cars for City business they were reimbursed for the mileage incurred at the rate established by the US Tax Code, plus any direct out of pocket expenses such as tolls and parking. If Mr. Reid is still of a mind to pay for the private use of a vehicle by any or all of these officials I think that would be a wonderful idea. It is not a Council matter and Mr. Reid can purchase or lease the cars and provide them. Mr. Reid can also give them credit cards from his account so that they can charge auto expenses as they are incurred for non-city related travel.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone suggested a helicopter pad on the roof of City Hall? And of course an appropriate helicopter to expedite travel of the Mayor to urgent functions?
If Mayor elect Mapp needs a car perhaps his permanent employer is the more appropriate one to furnish it to him rather than Plainfield ? Bill Kruse