02 City Council (8/19/03) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Regular City Council Meeting August 19, 2003 Page 8 to make it as fair over all of the departments that he could. There are some differences between the various departments and what their needs are and that is something that they can take a look at again. The City Manager said he would be happy to try to bring forward the information as to what they are doing with the various departments as for allowing them the use of vehicles for all purposes, then let the Council recommend or put a policy in place. That would be fine with him, but he will say, and the Council should note that throughout his tenure as City Manager the policy has been much more flexible and more favorable to the employees. He did tell that City Council those things at the time. Councilman Bell said he did not see why the firefighters could not go to a restaurant and eat. Chief Grooms said that they can govern themselves within the Fire Department. He felt that they can work through policy to insure that the firefighters are not taking liberties with the vehicles. Mayor Fendley said he could understand that they are restricted to the shift when they are on duty and he could see some leeway there. Mayor Fendley said regarding taking vehicles home in the evening, he could only see that if you have to come back if you are on call for some reason. Councilman Bell said another problem was people taking home vehicles every night who lived 20 miles outside the city limits of Paris and using city gas to drive 40 miles a day and that is what started this. There is a happy medium that a policy could be created and be operational. Chief Grooms said he has submitted a policy to the City Manager that addresses that issue and he feels that the firefighters should be allowed to go out to restaurants and eat, and he does not have a problem with that as long as it is not abused and they stay within their districts. The City Council requested that the City Manager bring back a review of the policy that is currently in place on the use of city vehicles for the Council's review. Mayor Fendley announced that the City Council would take a short break at 5:05 P.M. Mayor Fendley reconvened the meeting at 5:15P.M.