In recent weeks bloggers have requested info about town cars being taken home. In response to the inquiries I asked the commissioner to provide members of the Town Board with a list of town employees authorized to take home a town car. This is the response. The Police Chief and two of the captains are also currently authorized to take home cars.
I have again advised dept heads that they must comply with the rules and also have advised them that the town is not going to assume any liability if there is an accident involving a town vehicles unless the driver (during non working hours) has written permission to use town cars.
The cars authorized for take home use are as follows;
Car 10 – Commissioner of Public Works
Car 11 – Deputy Commissioner of Public Works
Car 30 – Ass’t Sup’t of Water and Sewer
Car 97 – Park Superintendent
This list does not include any Police vehicles.
You do not mention whether the vehicles that have been observed are vehicles with Town Seals on the doors or not. From my understanding the Code Enforcement Officer in the Building Dept is out on the streets during off hrs. at least two nights a week and an occasional Weekend day. In addition, the pump station operator from the water shop is out often at unusual times checking reports of water leaks and other emergencies. Is it possible that the vehicles being observed are unmarked Police cars? If you get any additional details such as vehicle numbers or license plate numbers please advise. Thanks
Albert S. Regula
Commissioner of Public Works
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40 comments:
97 has no town logo on it.
Dear Mr. Feiner,
It has oft been mentioned that by education, you are an attorney. I am not.
If I were hit or my property were damaged by a Town vehicle, operated with or without your permission, would I not be seeking consideration from the Town, the owner of the vehicle and the deep pockets?
Would my lawyer say, Hal we cannot sue the Town because the Town Supervisor "has advised department heads that the Town is not going to assume any liability if there is an accident (druing non working hours) has written permission to use town cars."
Perhaps something along the lines of the Town's failure to control the use of its fleet might come up in Court (even in passing)...and what safeguards are in place to see that only authorized persons have access to these cars.
But, for sure, let's ask the guy who is leaving town employment in a few weeks.
The question Mr. Supervisor (you need to take responsibility for the people you employ) was how many employees are authorized to take home cars?
You are free to ask anyone you want to assist you with the answer that YOU give but I would like YOU to answer as the head of the Town, not to pass it off to others.
Again, Mr. Feiner, how many persons are permitted to take home town cars? For any reason, from any department.
When it comes to answering a direct question with a direct answer, that is when you shine as a lawyer.
If you keep posting these half-assed pseudo responses, you are inviting residents to your funeral.
Dear 7:28 if this is true that the vehicle has no Town Seal on it something should be done about it rite away.
It seams as though the Commissioner neglected to expose the 4 or so suburban's that are taken home by the DPW foreman.
Mr. Regula is this true about foreman taking home vehicles, if this is in fact true how could you choose to omit this. Or is it possible that you as Commissioner have no idea what your own men are doing.
Stop the Freebies we give enough away.
Car 97 – Park Superintendent ?
What kind of emergency could a Park Superintendent have? Blade of grass to high ? Tree needs watering ? Leaf got away ? Are you kidding me. This one has got to go.
How about the 3 chevy suburbans driven by highway foreman. I can see the on call foreman taking one home but all of them?
I can't get over the irony of this post. We should all investigate and snitch? gather evidence? Why don't those paid to manage & supervise know what's going on with their employees?
How is it that we get a scolding about tarnishing someone good name deservedly so (mr. xposure) yet we should drag town employees through the mud here?
Why should anyone believe Regula. He has lied his way to retiring with a good paension which he does not deserve.
Who pays his tolls when going and coming to work.
AQre there any other persons taking cars home that have to pay tolls.
Who pays for this.
Paul, it doesn't matter what you say about the town not having liability if a town vehicle is driven without your knowledge or consent. The town's liability is absolute, period.
You should know better than to make a statement such as you made.
Dear 11:09,
Are you just catching on that Paul doesn't know what he is talking about.
For a person without an iota of management skill, he's had a long run but it has to end. The Town can no longer afford to let him lead decisions or speak for it.
His itinerary for years has been damage control by way of misdirection.
On days that I feel sorry for him I see giving him a sinecure in some role like the official town greeter to welcome foreign dignitaries to town.
We would have shut him down via a term limits petition had Mr. Bloomberg not interfered.
Now the only solution is to get someone to run (not me) on a platform to make the Town Board mostly a symbolic vehicle with a Professional Town Manager in the driver's seat. Get someone in, get the appropriate legislation in place, hire the manager and get out if so desired. Just two years out of their life.
Two fresh faces in as Town Council and you have the just three votes. It can all be over but the shouting in as little as a year from now.
Plans are afoot.
The only really important topic to be discussed is not cars authorized to be taken but Town Board members to be sent home.
11:09 is right, but that isn't the whole story.
By announcing that town cars may be driven without authority Feiner can't stop the town's liability, but he may have given the insurance company a basis for denying coverage, since coverage depends on authorized use.
What's next?
I agree with Samis. Bloggers, announce your agreements as well.
hal - welcome aboard. jim lasser ran on a platform of having a professional town manager.
all the villages have them.
what we have is a bunch of "heck of a job brownie" amateurs running the town board.
and the symbols of this pathetic lot - look at that hideous wall on central avenue near presser park courtesy of feiner and juettner.
look at francis sheehanigans' ramp for the imaginary library patron and his pollyana comprehensive plan.
kevin morgan - might of looked good on paper - not so good in the flesh.
as for sonja - she reigns over the cesspool that is the tdycc. her interest in the town at large is nil.
all we get from these clowns is politics without policy (thx to rachel maddow for that thought)
if they had any character they would resign - they are clueless how to run a government.
not only should the park superintendant not drive to Rockland county everyday. we should get rid of that title all togretherand let the two foremen run the maint. dept.
please be advised that I have not authorized cars to be driven without authority. I am sending a clarification to dept heads
Paul,
Other than unmarked police cars, all Town cars, trucks, etc. should have our logo on them. Lets get on it.
Dear Paul,
please post a clarification of:
"please be advised that I have not authorized cars to be driven without authority. I am sending a clarification to dept heads
11/21/2008 1:25 PM"
Dear Mr. Feiner -
In addition to "posting a clarification" how about DEMANDING and answer to the question, "How many vehicles are being driven home - whether authorized or not?"
Is the Town so far out of control that you cannot compel your own department heads to answer a simple question?
If you cannot get an answer (within 5 minutes) then there is no further need of your services as Supervisor and you should be returning your entire salary, not just the publicity gimmick set aside you regularly get for "performance". You said having a professional manager would cost more - the mistakes you made just by carrying an inadequate amount of insurance coverage would have paid for a professional manager for every year of your tenure. Compared with your incompetence a professional manager would be the bargain of the century. Now you're at it again - recklessly exposing the Town to liability claims because you aren't supervising the department heads whose employees are driving Town vehicles.
Down with the Peoples Democratic Republic of Greenburgh, its Paulitburo and its Commissar!
What is this Mickey Mouse way of supervising? How embarrassing!
If 97 does have to come out at night, keep the car at the job. If 30 does not come out at night, keep it at the job site. The only highway truck to be taken home should be the one that is on call. All others keep at the job site. What is so difficult about this? Also, 93 takes his truck home. This was not mentioned. However, being in charge of buildings, his take home is necessary.
I'm pleased with the town. Pleased at the transparency. Greenburgh probably allows fewer employees take home car privileges than other governments.
really?
why not let outside auditors look at the tdycc budget - outside auditors being ones who have not contributed to re-election campaign of paul feiner
Dear Mr. Supervisor,
Your list or that provided by Mr. Regula is so inaccurate as to be laughable. Unfortunately you are still asleep in you bed or at home when the Town vehicles start returning from their "overnight" stays. Try getting up at 6 AM and just sit outside some of the Town facilities. What an eye opener that will be. I'll buy you the Starbucks to jolt you out of your complancency, not to mention "deep sleep".
Kolesar for Town Manager and Hal Samis for town council. Let the campaign begin (I think it already has).Watch your back Feiner/Juettner/Sheehan.
Dear Mr. Feiner blogging anonymously at 7:24PM -
Please, answer the simple question - How many vehicle go home with employees at night?
The question is not whether it is more or less than other towns, it is simply HOW MANY?
Your inability or unwillingness to answer the question is staggering.
If you can't answer the question, you are not supervising.
If you won't answer the question, you have forfeited our trust.
Down with the Peoples Democratic Socialist Republic of Greenburgh, its Paulitburo and its Commissar!
Anon 9:01 asks good questions. And then he spoils it all with that ridiculous last sentence. Who can take such a person seriously.
I believe the list of cars going home is completely false and the public deserves to know the rite answer. Congratulations that Al is leaving in a few weeks but even on one of his last assignments he continues to lie.
Paul you keep trying to take everything away from the blue collar working man. Yet you keep giving away the house to management. Now is the time to stop the freebies. Listen to what the public has to say. Is it really needed to have a vehicle that goes home at night for recreation. Please list how many times 97 was called back to work after hours. A matter of fact if this car was ever called back for an emergency it should have been documented. I bet if you check back their was never a need for 97 to come back after hours.
You want to trim the fat. I believe those were the words of the comptroller, well if so start with the vehicles. After that maybe you should start up an advisory board to look into some of the management in this town. They have been getting away with a lot of things for way to long.
Will a department still run if the boss doesn't have a town vehicle. Let me think about this very tough question. Absolutely it will, if the person or persons that run the departments don't like the fact that their freebies are taken away oh well for them. Paul step it up be a man.
WHITEHEAD STILL MAKING THE BIG BUCKS AND DOING NOTHING!
Finally a qualified, educated Commissioner with an established track record has been hired for the TDYCC, However in a total waste of taxpayer dollars, Whitehead who is under police investigation is still getting the double salary raise, not punching in, leaving the work place, and doing absolutely NOTHING! Why is Sonya so determined to champion this misfit!?!?!? Whitehead must have the goods on someone. What a rotten message to honest town employees who are working hard every working day. Worse still is the public sees the ENTIRE Center as being under investigation when it is ONLY VALERIE WHITEHEAD who committed thief of services crimes. But the whole Department's reputation is being made to suffer because of her selfishness, greed, and need for power. A blind person could see that she accomplished NOTHING during her time as Interim Commissioner. She gave away the farm to no show staff, including her nephew. So now as a result of her overspending, legitimate services will need to be cut. She is an affront to any person who is decent. Yet she dares calls herself "blessed". Actually she is indeed blessed...
Blessed by Greenburgh taxpayers who AREN'T calling for her termination.
Dear 11:01PM -
Sorry my rallying cry leaves you cold -
Still, here we are nearly a full day later and Mr. Feiner either can't get the answer, or can't be bothered to get it.
I'll leave out the "Down with..." and see whether there is any response.
Mr. Feiner: How many vehicles are taken home at night by Town employees - whether or not YOU have "authorized" it?
Dear 11:10A.M., What does this matter doing under the subject of unauthorized vehicles being taken home? Is that you George? Why don't you take the assistant job to Mr Carter. We could use a good laugh.
No cars are taken home if they weren't authorized. If we find out that an employee takes a car home without authorization there will be ramifications to the employee who is breaking town policy.
Since when did you look at the town policy on anything.
If someone does not mention to you as to what is going on you go on your merry way thinking that you are doing a good job.
False.
You should have been managing this town much better than depending on some department heads that have to cover up their dishonesty by allowing certain people to take cars home.
Boy Paul you seem to be sleeping on all important features of town policy.
This has to be someone other than the Supervisor writing @ 5:14.
Why is he continuing to avoid making the definitive statement:
there are _____ cars that are allowed to take town cars home at night. The persons authorized to drive these cars are: ___________________________________
I actually had to look up the word ramifications to see if it included "consequences" as a prefered use -- it did. 'Larn me something new every day. Soon I'll be smart enough to teach at Xposure. What I didn't learn from either the dictionary or Feiner is what these ramifications will entail.
Seems to us plain folks that if there such a policy exists, the ramifications would be spelled out. Using the old-fashioned "word to the wise", if employees knew of such sanction, perhaps there would be less misuse of town vehicles.
I guess it's the lawyer in Feiner that never allows him to give a straight answer to a simple question. Mr. Feiner supplies his own car in lieu of burdening taxpayers. He also provides this blog in penance for screwing the public out of time at Town Board meetings.
However, as a result of or despite these "gifts" to the public, Mr. Feiner keeps driving us around in circles.
This does not make him the big wheel he wants to be.
I dont understand why every town car, other than unmarked police cars, dont have the town logo prominently displayed on them.
Stop the bull Paul you knew who was permitted to take cars and who wasn't
Did you care?
NO.
Now that we the tax payers are rebelling you want to make things look as though you had no knowledge.
Your department heads are to blame too for the misuse.
So far one department head is retiring before the s--t hits the fan.
Kind of odd how this retirement came at this time .
Did he have any knowledge what is and what will be coming down in the next few months.
He made sure that he screwed the home owners with his new garbage plan.
What happens to the new small dumpsters that he purchased.
Could they be sold to get back some money since they will not be needed anymore.
What else has he done before his departure????.
We could have 200 cops and still have burglaries in Edgemont/Hartsdale/Fairview or anywhere! The Chief does not have to cut street crime. He should cut swat and tech rescue.Take the inside officers and put them on the road, and at last make all paramedics/emt's civillians!
If we really want to save money, have the State Police take over.
They have of the special units already.
WHITEHEAD'S OVERSPENDING CAUSES LAYOFFS
To 4:30 pm, instead of playing "guess the blogger", how about doing something intelligent like showing how Whitehead was justified in hiring all those extra staff during the summer? Why is SHE, NOT the CENTER, under Police Investigation? It's easy to attack bloggers. What’s the matter? Are the answers too painful for you? What a kick in the head to have good people get laid off because of the misconduct of one person, VALERIE WHITEHEAD. Her stamp on the Center: A $10,000 one day trip to Playland? Running away from the Police? Crying at an Advisory Board Meeting? Hiring problem staff including her felon nephew? No Education. No one else interviewed for the Job as Interim Head? Letting a private swim team get pool time with an outstanding $20,000 bill? DEMOTION IS NOT ENOUGH.
WHITEHEAD SHOULD BE FIRED and the MONEY USED TO REHIRE LAID OFF STAFF!
Town Board, are you still going to let Mike from parks and rec drive a town vehicle home across the TZ bridge everyday?
there is no reason for anyone to take a town car home its cheaper to pay the mileage charge and you would save ware and tear on the cars they would last longer and you would purchase less cars and gas also. whens the last time you had to call the police chief in or the parks dept. please the parks whats he need for someone put a hole in the grass come on..you will save alot of money right there alone do the math per car + gas + service on the car etc..
just want to let all you town tax payers now how you have a fire dept. in your town that (1) has a fire chief that is (4) years over the state required retirement age and the board of fire commisioners and the state keep approving him for a (2) year extension he now 74 or 75 his wife is his secretary and sit's in on the commisioners board meetings which is her job and you don't think she goes home and tells him what goes on which is a major confict of intrest..
(2)fire fighters get unlimted sick time which means if i go out after work crash my car & can't work for 6 months i get full pay i do not go on disabilty and another fire fighter works for me at time and a half is that a great job or what...
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