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Regular City Council Meeting <br />August 19, 2003 <br />Page 7 <br />He explained that when Station No. One was designed, the training facility was <br />set up to allow for computer-based training for the firemen and we do not have <br />enough computers. Chief Grooms said that computers become dated so quick <br />it is not uncommon for them to go bad. <br />Councilman Bell said the policies have been in the newspaper about the <br />firemen could not go to some place to eat, and he wanted to know if they had <br />been lifted. <br />Chief Grooms said if it was at his discretion he would have lifted it a long time <br />ago. <br />Councilman Bell said years ago when he was on the Council, he obj ected in the <br />budget in those years as to why the city was allowing the truck running around <br />all over town. City Manager Malone gave him one of the best arguments going, <br />he was very specific that it improved contact with the citizens, it exercised the <br />equipment and he was convinced and went along with it. He said that now all <br />of a sudden the policy changes and he does not understand why. <br />Chief Grooms advised that the fireman should not be using them to go home <br />or to take care of personal business, but there are times when they need to be <br />running vehicles. He thought that it enhanced their image with the public. <br />City Manager Malone said this policy change was instituted the past year and <br />it, with some variation, applies throughout all the departments of the city. He <br />said that he issued the directive responding to years and years of input from <br />individual council persons who had been hammering on him throughout 16 of <br />those 17 years. He believed that the firefighters and others have been able to <br />use city vehicles. There have been vehicles taken home by various personnel <br />in different departments. He said that a lot of the input that he has received in <br />the couple of years has been due to perceived abuse of the privileges that have <br />been granted using theses trucks. Fire trucks have been seen in inappropriate <br />places on occasions and he has seen them. City Manager Malone advised that <br />receiving that kind of input from the City Council he devised a policy and tried <br />