Politics & Government

Board Passes New Employee Vehicle Policy

By a vote of 4-2, trustees finally approved a new policy, one that will restrict take-home vehicles to the police department and eliminate vehicle allowances.

It took four months of discussions, votes, suggestions and drafts, but the Village Board finally approved a new employee vehicle policy on Monday, by a vote of 4-2.

The new policy follows the at last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting. It restricts take-home vehicles to four members of the police department—the chief, the deputy chief (should one be hired), and two members of the investigations unit. It does not grandfather in current employees, and it sets no restrictions on where employees with take-home vehicles may live.

It also eliminates the vehicle allowance for Finance Director Jeff Zoephel, who had been receiving $1,200 a year. (Former Community Development Director Jane Tompkins had also been receiving the same amount, but she resigned from the village in September, and her position has not been filled.)

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Village Manager Anne Marie Gaura also gets a vehicle allowance—$7,200 a year, as guaranteed by her contract. Trustee Stan Bond had suggested language that would eliminate her allowance as well, citing a section of her contract that allows for a reduction of benefits, so long as all other non-union employees see the same reduction.

But Village Attorney Steve Andersson disagreed, saying that since all non-union village employees do not currently receive the vehicle benefit, reducing it would not affect Gaura's contract.

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Director Mike Pubentz will be the most affected by the new policy, which takes effect May 1 of next year. He currently takes a village vehicle home, and had been the subject of a lot of the controversy, since he lives in Ottowa, 45 miles from the village. Zoephel estimated that the village spends $3,484 a year on fuel for Pubentz’ vehicle, not counting maintenance costs.

The board agreed to wait until May 1 to implement the new policy, to allow time for those affected to make other arrangements. But Trustee Pete Heinz vocally disagreed with this idea on Monday, saying that would allow Pubentz to put another 30,000 miles on his take-home car.

Heinz initially said he would vote for the ordinance, despite his reservations, but ended up voting against it. Trustee Andy Kaczmarek cast the other dissenting vote. He said he wanted the policy to take effect immediately, and eliminate Gaura's vehicle allowance as well.

Bond also asked to remove language that puts contractual agreements with employees above the rule of the new policy. Andersson said removing it wouldn’t make any difference, since the law requires contracts to be upheld.

Trustees began looking at the vehicle policy in July as a way to save money. The village currently spends roughly $6,072 a year on fuel for take-home vehicles, not counting maintenance costs, according to Zoephel, and had been spending $9,600 a year on vehicle allowances.

The new policy will save the village roughly $5,884 a year, using Zoephel’s figures, unless a deputy police chief is hired.  


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