In a previous entry, I raised the issue of insurance costs and town owned vehicles.
The cost isn't cheap and the oversight is non-existent.
It would seem reasonable, since the Town has ~ 212 items insured, that periodic audits are accomplished and departments are aware of the vehicles for which they should be responsible.
Since the Board of Selectmen are charged as AUDITORS in the Town Charter, it is logical the expect them to be progressive in their consideration of the matter.
Voters, who are now paying attention, have raised important issues that a Board that never listened fails to consider.
Does it make sense to conduct periodic mileage reviews and record the use of each department and vehicle? Were that accomplished, could the Town better anticipate vehicle purchases? Should we be examining maintenance costs? Is there a current town-wide maintenance policy or does it get accomplished in a disorganized fashion? Are town owned vehicles being properly maintained?
Does the Assessors' Office usage justify a gas-guzzling SUV?
And what of the fire trucks? Does it make sense to replace the ladder truck when the repairs seem cost-effective?
Are there fleet managers living within the Town who could offer assistance?
Since each vehicle costs ~ $5,000 to insured, voters have questioned whether the 12 spare cruisers parked around the police station make sense.
And voters seem to have many more questions the current Board of Selectmen aren't hearing or addressing.
Would it make sense to have an Equipment Planning Committee?
5 comments:
I as a concerned tax payer would like to know if you are able to answer a question for me. I would very much like to know who gave permission to do repairs on town owed property by firefighters to remove a pump, go get a pump and reinstall a pump on fire equipment. Were these firefighters certified mechanics? Is this the way repairs have been done and are currently being done? According to the police/fire chief that wears two hats he stated at the selectman meeting this was done. For all we know, if this has been an ongoing practice, this may be how some of the problems are happening to these trucks. Could they be doing more damage than good in their mickey mouse fix it? Also, if one of them get injured while doing mechanic work on duty and one gets injured or killed, how does the town pay that off? IN THE LINE OF DUTY?
The "offical" Middleborough town web site lists "Fire Apparatus Repair" as a principal town industry. Is this still true? If so, someone should get an estimate for repairs on the ladder truck before they go out and spend $900,000.00 on a new one. It seems to me a vehicle that is needed maybe once or twice a year doesn't need to be brand new.
anonymous,
I'm sure there are many getting a good laugh about the 'Official Town Web Site'!
It is my understanding that the ladder truck currently being discussed was constructed by Maxim in 1989 as one of the last 2 fire trucks the company constructed immediately BEFORE going out of business and leaving the Town.
In other words, Middleboro has not had a fire apparatus company within the town in almost 20 years.
That the Official Town Web Site lists that entry defines the information contained within the site, much of it outdated, poorly formatted, inaccurate.
If you look at the web sites of the School Dept. or the Middleboro Library, it is clear that competent IT people are employed by the Town in other Depts. that could help Mr. Brunelle improve the Town's site.
But regardless of the pathetic condition of the Town's web site, the ladder truck seems repairable from the information that has been made public, but the BOS are not spending their money. They're spending your money and truly don't care to consider other options or make informed decisions.
I would request that you do a google search of the pertinent terms and learn what you can about the issues. You will find that much mis-information has been publicly stated.
The Water Dept. spent $160,000 for a 10 wheel dump truck that mostly sits while the DPW has equipment that is poorly maintained and falling apart. The landfill has an excavator that's rarely used that cost about $140,000 a total waste of the town's money because these people don't know what they're doing. A highway dept employee drive a front end loader from one side of town to the other with the bucket empty hardly the appropriate use for the machine and a waste of fuel.
This board is incapable of managing the town.
Are you sure it was 1989? I have always maintained that the town website hasn't actually been updated since 1993.
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