Effective Date: 8/11/80
Revised: 06/99
General Policy
The Town Manager is responsible for assigning vehicles which may be taken home at night by authorized employees. Town vehicles are not personal vehicles and are not for personal use. The vehicles should be viewed as belonging to the inhabitants of the Town of Concord in its municipal service sense, and assigned to the incumbent to be used in a manner consistent with, and beneficial to those services. Each use of the vehicle should be viewed in terms of its relevant benefit to municipal service.
Eligibility
The following categories of vehicle demand are established. A definition of each category is included in Appendix A.
l. Standby
2. On-Call
3. Emergency - Availability
4. Service Supervision
In order for a position to be assigned a vehicle for take-home purposes, the Town Manager must rate the vehicle demand of the position in one of these four categories. Department heads and managerial professional employees who attend more than one night or weekend meeting in a calendar week shall be eligible for mileage reimbursement. The following rules shall apply:
a. Even if the position qualifies for take-home authorization, the Town Manager will evaluate the merits of authorization if the incumbent lives in a city or town located more than l5 air miles, border to border, from Concord.
b. Any time a position becomes vacant, the position's authorization shall be reevaluated.
c. When an employee not authorized to take a vehicle home has a specific need or planned use, such as a conference, the employee may take a vehicle home for that specific occasion upon authorization from the Town Manager.
Use of Town Vehicles Outside of the Standard Work Week
Specific Guidelines
l. For vehicles assigned to standby personnel, the use is limited specifically to standby work duties and such travel as is necessary to perform the established standby duties. All other guidelines also apply.
2. Vehicle use is limited to travel to and from the residence and place of work. The vehicle should be driven over the most direct route and should not be utilized for trips which are out of the primary route for personal business.
3. Town vehicles are only to be used during the time frame of travel to and from the residence, and/or for work associated functions.
4. All vehicles (except police vehicles) shall be identified with the Town seal and the department.
5. Vehicles should only carry those items for which the Town vehicle is designed or utilized. Personal property should not be carried in the vehicle and is the sole responsibility of the operator.
6. The vehicle operator shall drive in a safe and courteous manner, in compliance with all relevant traffic laws. The operator shall be responsible to pay any tickets received and shall be held accountable for any damage to the car due to negligence on the part of the operator.
7. Passengers shall be limited to Town employees; committee and board members; and individuals who are directly associated with a Town work activity (consultants, contractors, and so on).
8. Family members shall not be transported in Town vehicles.
9. Management personnel may utilize their vehicles during the day for in-Town transportation incidental to normal work day activities such as lunch.
l0. If a Town vehicle is utilized for personal business due to unforeseen emergency circumstances, the Town Manager shall be advised and reimbursement shall be arranged.
11. In no event is the vehicle ever to be utilized to transport alcoholic beverages or controlled substances, with the exception of police vehicles transporting evidence and/or contraband associated with the employees official duties and responsibilities.
12. In all instances, vehicles are only to be driven by Town employees who are properly licensed.
13. The Town Manager may authorize specific provisions for individual management personnel required to respond to unanticipated situations.
Distribution: All Department Heads
APP # 27
APPENDIX A
CATEGORY OF VEHICLE USE/DEMANDS
1. Standby - Employee specifically designated and compensated to standby and be available to respond to emergency situations. Service vehicle taken home on duty only. Normally this individual is a line employee, rather than a manager.
2. On-Call - Employee designated to be generally available to respond off-hours to emergency or extraordinary situations. Normally this individual would be the direct operations manager-first level supervisor for a line work unit with an assigned responsibility to respond to service disruptions or public safety emergencies outside of the normal work week.
3. Emergency Availability - Employee has supervisory responsibility for a line department which provides or is responsible for direct community services on a 24 hour, seven day schedule. Department operations are characterized by employees who work a six or seven day week; extended hours; and/or frequent overtime. Employee is called for emergencies which demand his or her expertise, experience, knowledge, judgment and command ability. The vehicle is assigned to insure the department head always has one available to respond if called.
4. Service Supervision - Due to the nature of the position; the position responsibilities and the organization of the department, the individual is required to supervise programs and services at night and on weekends to insure employees properly perform their job. The key difference between this category and the Normal Management Demand category is the nature of the activity; the amount of activity; and the fact the activity is demanded by organizational considerations; rather than personal preference.
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