County supervisors to make case for vehicles

Adrienne Packer

Friday, Nov. 3, 2000 | 10:35 a.m.

Clark County supervisors will be given two chances this month to plead their cases for government-issued vehicles under new guidelines created after an audit showed some departments had taken advantage of the benefit.

The Automotive Review Committee will determine whether employees who have possession of vehicles 24 hours a day in case of emergency truly need them.

More stringent conditions were put in place this week, more than a year after an internal audit concluded 60 of the 79 vehicles issued for emergencies were probably not needed for that purpose.

Employees eligible for the vehicles are frequently called upon after normal business hours, such as fire department personnel.

The new committee, which is made up of Assistant County Managers Mike Alastuey and Rick Holmes, Finance Director George Stevens and auditor Jeremiah Carroll will likely be more strict than past review committees.

After a similar audit in 1990, 70 vehicles were taken away from departments but shortly thereafter 52 were reinstated.

In making its decisions, according to the county report, these are the elements the committee will consider:

In his report, Carroll wrote that many supervisors and managers who do not respond to emergencies are driving 24-hour vehicles. Other departments had vehicles more pricey than needed.

As a result, he wrote, the county faces higher maintenance and fuel costs and unnecessary liabilities in the event of accidents.

The divisions under highest scrutiny during the committee's meeting Tuesday and on Nov. 13 will likely be the Public Works Department and the Department of Aviation. Public Works has 40 vehicles, including the two more expensive Chevy Tahoes.

The aviation division was issued 23 vehicles, but unlike Public Works it does not operate on taxpayers' money.