Pay Close Attention To What I'm Saying It's Good News and Bad News

A single budget item  eliminated  on Monday night demonstrates progress. 
A recommendation was to add four light trucks to the fleet to replace  the use of personal vehicles. 
Uneven surface,obstructions, loose gravel and dust at construction sites was the rationale wear and tear on employee vehicles was the rationale.
Councillor Thompson started  the questions.  The vehicles were not replacements, they were additions to the fleet.
I picked up; additional space  would be required for accommodation, additional insurance, 4 new licenses , added demand for servicing.
Councillor Pirri took the opposing view. How would we like to be forced to use our personal vehicle and have them subject to damage and abuse?  or words to that effect,
The Mayor elicited  the information that use of personal vehicles is a job requirement. No-one is being  forced . 
Councillor Humphreys noted payment of 58 cents a kilometer for use of personal vehicles.
The rate was recently increased from 52 cents.
That's a dollar a mile. It's not chintzy.
It's the  CAA  calculation to cover all costs. 
Annual  payments to individuals  may be in the range of  $5,000.
I noted funds for the purchase were from development charges.
How much is in the fleet reserve fund. 
$3. million was the answer. "Oh My Lord". I said," that's embarrassing"

"Could we be  buying these trucks to use up some of those funds?"
I pointed out the recent OMB decision on D.C. overcharging means the town will have to re-imburse $700,000 to developers. The money will have to be found. 

The answer was  the  fleet reserve will be  extend  into  the needs of the future .
I'm not sure about that.
The town is required to re-calculate development charges every five years. If the funds are not  used within that period they are deemed not to have been needed. Could  re-imbursement be ordered there too.
The trucks are not needed because of growth. 
A further thought occurred  the morning after;  construction season ends in November. The trucks would sit idle  until June when construction starts again; six months.
 Outside or inside storage?
 W ere they included in   space requirement calculations  for the new joint facility planned at an estimated cost of $13.million?
 The Mayor made  the  final comment  this was obviously a policy discussion .The item did not belong in the budget.

At this point, I want you to note that  the budget is  a document  vetted at several levels within the administrationbefore it reaches Council. 
It has been subject to the scrutiny of the Executive Leadership Team. 
It bears the signature of the Chief Administrative Officer and the Chief Financial Officer.
The  four new trucks are in the budget of Infrastructure and Environment. the net  senior director.
No logic supported the recommendation.    
The item was struck. Your Council is coming of age.   
 

 
 
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