Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 1993.10.21 - 23791October 21, 1993 MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #93230 BY: FINANCE COMMITTEE, JOHN P. MCCULLOCH, CHAIRPERSON IN RE: CENTRAL SERVICES- LEASED VEHICLES - ADOPTION OF THE COUNTY POLICY ON LEASED VEHICLES TO THE OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen: WHEREAS the County Executive has reviewed the County's Leased Vehicle Policy as amended by Miscellaneous Resolution #91235 and recommends the policy be amended to clarify the assignment principles (Attachment A) thereby reducing the number of County vehicles; and WHEREAS the revised policy clarifies the criteria for assigning vehicles and restricts the assignment of vehicles on a Home/Work (Overnight) status; and WHEREAS the effect of the policy change is to encourage the use of pool vehicles; and WHEREAS because the County personal mileage reimbursement rate is below other counties in the area and below the IRS allowable average and because the effect of this policy may increase the use of personal mileage, it is recommended that the personal mileage rate be increased from $0.25 to $0.28 per mile for non-represented employees and represented employees whose contract includes a "Me Too" clause for fringe benefits or personal mileage; and WHEREAS the policy changes effectively could reduce the number of vehicles in the County fleet by as many as seventy five vehicles saving the County an estimated $210,000 in annual operating expenses and $945,000 in capital costs; and WHEREAS the County Executive has analyzed the rate at which vehicles are replaced in the County fleet and has instituted the revised replacement program with an estimated savings of $47,700 in annual operating expenses and $847,600 in capital costs; and WHEREAS the effect of increasing the personal mileage reimbursement to $0.28 would incur additional costs of $66,000 for the governmental funds; and WHEREAS the combined saving of the programs is $191,700 in annual operating expenses and $1,792,600 in capital costs for a total of $1,994,300. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners adopts the attached County Leased Vehicle Policy to become effective January 1, 1994. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Executive is directed to develop the appropriate amendments to the County Executive's 1994 -1995 Biennial Budget Recommendation and present those to the Finance Committee for incorporation in the 1994-1995 Adopted Budget. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that effective January 1, 1994 the personal mileage rate be increased to $0.28 per mile for non- represented employees and represented employees whose contract includes a "Me Too" clause for fringe benefits or personal mileage. Chairperson, on behalf of the Finance Committee, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution. FINANCEI6MMITTEE COUNTY POLICY ON ASSIGNMENT OF COUNTY VEHICLES AS AMENDED AND RESTATED BY MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION 93 230 - OCTOBER 21 , 1993 It is the policy of the County of Oakland to provide the most economic and feasible method of travel for those departments requiring transportation to accomplish their mission and goals. It is recognized that, under certain conditions, vehicles are tools and are necessary for the transport of persons, equipment, supplies and specialized activity. When these conditions are not met and a personal vehicle is necessary for the conduct of County business, the employee will be eligible for mileage reimbursement in accordance with County travel regulations. The use of a County vehicle shall be based on the principles stated herein. A vehicle may be drawn from a central pool as identified in Section I; a vehicle may be assigned to a department under the guidelines provided in Section II. I. CENTRAL POOL The Central Pool consists of vehicles housed at the Central Garage which are to be used under the following conditions: A. When departments are in need of unscheduled, intermittent or out-of-county transportation. Generally, these vehicles are checked out for short periods of time. B. When it is necessary that vehicles be identified as County property or when specialized equipment/vehicles are necessary for the conduct of County business. C. When replacement vehicles are necessary for assigned vehicles undergoing normal preventative maintenance or repair service. II. PRINCIPLES OF VEHICLE ASSIGNMENTS The County Executive is responsible for the assignment of vehicles. The basic principle in the assignment of a County vehicle to a department, a group of employees or an employee, for the conduct of County business, shall be in the best interest of the County in terms of economy, improvement or necessity of operations. In determining vehicle assignments, the County Executive must comply with the following factors and conditions: A. Mileage Driven: Where it is determined that the average work mileage driven by an employee or group of employees is in excess of 1,000 per month. The mileage of vehicles assigned to specific departments under this provision shall be inspected annually to determine if sufficient miles are being driven in County business to necessitate continued assignment to the department. 2 B. Specialized Equipment: Where it is determined that the vehicle must have specialized equipment to properly perform the functions of the job. The impracticability of drawing a vehicle specially equipped from the Central Pool shall be shown. Examples of such equipment are: 1. Emergency lights and sirens 2. Two-way radios 3. Specialized truck bodies 4. Snow removal, field mowing and earth moving equipment C. Specialized Vehicles: Where it is determined that a specialized type of vehicle is required to efficiently carry out regular functions of the department for the purpose of transporting materials, equipment, supplies and personnel to job sites. The impracticability of drawing such a specialized vehicle from the Central Pool shall be shown. Examples of items to be transported may include: 1. Construction tools 2. Surveying instruments 3. Radiological equipment 4. Heavy parts inventories 5. Testing equipment 6. Pumps and compressors 7. Laboratory equipment 8. Chemicals 9. Grounds and maintenance equipment D. Specialized Vehicle Usage: Where it is determined that a County vehicle is required to effectively carry out the regular functions of the department for the purpose of investigative or undercover work. E. Terrain Conditions: Where it is determined that the travel conditions are not conducive to the use of personally owned vehicles. The impracticability of drawing an adequate vehicle from the Central Pool shall be shown. F. Transporting Non-County Personnel: Where it is a regular function of the department to provide transportation for persons other than County employees. The impracticability of drawing an adequate vehicle from the Central Pool shall be clearly shown. Examples are as follows: 1. Prisoner transportation 2. Transporting wards of the Court 3. Making arrests 4. Transporting hospital patients. G. Elected Officials: The County Executive, Clerk/Register of Deeds, Drain Commissioner, Prosecuting Attorney, Sheriff, Treasurer, and Chairperson of the Board of Commissioners and his/her Chief Deputy(ies) will be permanently assigned a vehicle as part of the office. The assignment of a County vehicle is in effect a trust. County Vehicles are not to be driven by family members or persons other than county employees authorized to operate county vehicles. The County Executive reserves the right to revoke such assignment, or invoke such other penalties as shall be appropriate under the circumstances, whenever the employee is guilty of improper care or use of such vehicle. Prior disciplinary action on the part of the department or institution head will be considered by the County Executive prior to any action taken. Recognizing the conditions under which an assignment has been granted may vary from time to time, each department or institution head in whose department assignments have been made, shall notify immediately the County Executive via the Central Services Department of any changes of circumstances calling for a change of previously approved 5 assignment within that department. To this end, the County Executive will require annual justification of all regular assignments. III. HOME/WORK ASSIGNMENTS It is the intention of this policy that home/work assignments shall be kept to a minimum. In any case where it is determined that it is to the County's advantage to have the employee take a County vehicle home at the end of the normal work day, it is understood that the vehicle is to be used for the conduct of official business only, and, not for personal activities. The County Executive, in determining "Home/Work" assignments will give consideration to the following: A. Reporting to Job Sites Rather than the Home Office: Where it is determined that it is to the County's advantage to have the employee report directly to the job site rather than to the home office and later travel to the job site. In such cases, the dollar savings in efficiency of operation must be shown or the need to provide an expected public service apparent. An example is; if the employee normally started work at 8:30 a.m. and had to report to the office first, he/she would not actually start work on the job until after 9:00 a.m. B. Responding to a Job Situation During Off Duty Hours Where the employee must report immediately to a job situation during normal off— duty hours, under the conditions described in Section II, paragraphs B, C, D, E and F. Whenever possible such assignments shall be on a rotating basis from a vehicle 6 pool. The assignment of vehicles to an "Home/Work" status, are required to be justified annually by the assigned department and approved by the County Executive. IV. GENERAL FLEET PROVISIONS A. FLEET EXPANSION: Each request for additional new vehicles (other than replacements of existing vehicles previously approved by the Board of Commissioners) shall, upon affirmative recommendation of the County Executive, be submitted to the Finance Committee in specific resolution form for approval. Further, the Finance Committee, when recommending the addition of a vehicle to the Board of Commissioners, shall include in that resolution an appropriation sufficient to cover the acquisition cost plus monthly lease charges for the balance of the current year. B. COUNTY SEAL PROVISION: All vehicles, less those used for undercover or investigative work or those permanently assigned to elected officials and chief deputies, shall be marked with a minimum eight-inch sized County decal before a car is placed in service. Seals are not to be removed after the vehicles are placed in service. 7 C. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS The County Executive shall annually submit to the Board of Commissioners, Planning & Building Committee, a report on the County Lease Vehicle program. The report shall include a listing of the number of vehicles assigned to departments, the total number of vehicles in the fleet, and a list of vehicles authorized "Home/Work" assignments, and any significant changes in the County Leased Vehicle program. 8 V. COUNTY VALUATION AND TAXABILITY FOR PERSONAL USE OF VEHICLE A. Vehicle Trip Lo.s All employees with an assigned vehicle under Sections II and III of this policy shall compile vehicle trip logs of all county business and personal use. An annual summary of this log will be furnished to the Accounting Division for use in determining taxability of personal use. B. Valuation and Taxability All employees assigned a vehicle as part of their office shall have included in their income for income tax purposes the personal use of an assigned vehicle as follows: (1) A pro rata share of the annual lease value, as established in the Internal Revenue Code equal to the percentage of personal use as recorded in the vehicle logs. Fair market value shall be the purchase price of the vehicle. (2) County provided fuel used for personal use will be valued at 5.5 cents per mile or at current I.R.S. rates. C. Personal Gasoline Tax Liability The employee shall reimburse the County for any federal gasoline tax liability on gasoline consumed for personal use. The amount of this reimbursement shall be determined by the Department of Management and Budget. D. Commuting Reimbursement All other employees with an assigned vehicle shall have included in their income for income tax purposes for commuting and de mimumus personal use in accordance with the rate established in the Internal Revenue Code. The County shall also be reimbursed for the gasoline tax liability, if applicable, on any personal use exceeding the mileage properly identified as commuting and de minimus use. 9 Resolution #93230 October 21, 1993 Moved by McCulloch supported by Jensen the resolution be adopted. Discussion followed. Moved by Kingzett supported by McPherson to table the resolution and take it up at the next board meeting. The Chairperson stated a "YES" vote would table the resolution and a "NO" vote would not. AYES: Kaczmar, Kingzett, McPherson, Oaks, Pernick, Price, Aaron. (7) NAYS: Garfield, Gosling, Huntoon, Jensen, Johnson, McCulloch, Miltner, Moffitt, Obrecht, Palmer, Powers, Schmid, Taub, Wolf, Crake, Dingeldey, Douglas. (17) A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the motion failed. Discussion followed. Moved by Kingzett supported by Aaron to amend the resolution by deleting, Part II, Section G, entitled Elected Officials on page 5 of the COUNTY POLICY ON ASSIGNMENT OF COUNTY VEHICLES. Discussion followed. Vote on Mr. Kingzett's amendment: AYES: Kaczmar, Kingzett, McPherson, Oaks, Pernick, Price, Aaron. (7) NAYS: Gosling, Jensen, Johnson, McCulloch, Miltner, Moffitt, Obrecht, Palmer, Powers, Schmid, Taub, Wolf, Crake, Dingeldey, Douglas, Garfield. (16) A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the motion failed. Moved by Kingzett supported by Aaron to amend the resolution by deleting "or those permanently assigned to elected officials and chief deputies" from Section IV, B. COUNTY SEAL PROVISION of the COUNTY POLICY ON ASSIGNMENT OF COUNTY VEHICLES. AYES: Kaczmar, Kingzett, McPherson, Oaks, Obrecht, Pernick, Price, Aaron, Douglas, Gosling. (10) NAYS: Huntoon, Jensen, Johnson, McCulloch, Miltner, Moffitt, Palmer, Powers, Schmid, Taub, Wolf, Crake, Dingeldey, Garfield. (14) A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the motion failed. nri D. Allen, County Clerk / October 21, 1993 Resolution #93230 (continued) Vote on resolution: AYES: Jensen, Johnson, Kaczmar, Kingzett, McCulloch, McPherson, Moffitt, Oaks, Obrecht, Palmer, Pernick, Powers, Price, Schmid, Taub, Wolf, Aaron, Crake, Dingeldey, Douglas, Garfield, Gosling, Huntoon. (23) NAYS: None. (0) A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the resolution was adopted. STATE OF MICHIGAN) COUNTY OF OAKLAND) I, Lynn D. Allen, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on October 21, 1993 with the original record thereof now remaining in my office. In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the County of Oakland at Pontiac, Michigan this 21st day (-1 October 1993.