| Author |
Message |
    
jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 694
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 8:52 am: | 
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Does anyone know why the position of town adminstrator warrants a company car? Is this common practice? Isn't this basically an office job? And for those times, when travel is required, can't he submit an expense account for a rental. or for a mileage allowance on his own car the way most companies work?
And what kind of car is it that the town provides?
If we are looking to save money, why isn't this on the table? Is it because the CFO is also the town administrator? Talk about conflict of interest. |
K_soze
Citizen
Username: K_soze
Post Number: 464
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 10:53 am: |
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does anyone know how far he lives, it guess it's nice not pay for gas these days. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5455
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 3:58 pm: |
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K If someone is the Town Adminstrator of a town, should they be required to live in said town? |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3548
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 4:48 pm: |
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Are they paid enough to afford to live in town?
(not a trivial issue, I suspect) |
SO1969
Citizen
Username: Bklyn1969
Post Number: 353
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 5:25 pm: |
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See other thread, in this case salary is $157K.
That said, if we were looking for a new administrator, I wouldn't want to limit the pool by forcing that requirement on anyone new to the job...kind of nice to think about recruiting someone new.
At first blush a car wouldn't seem necessary. Maybe there is more travel / use of the car than I'm guessing. Since I don't know, I'd go with what the "norm" is in comparable municipalities. Anyone know?
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SO Ref
Citizen
Username: So_refugee
Post Number: 1928
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 5:30 pm: |
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For a town with obvious infinite resources and a wide array of ratables, a car is but a pittance in the packet of fringe benefits we should offer our noble town administrator. Let's hope to God he doesn't have to drive it himself...
"Jeeves, drive me past the Avenue on the way out of town this evening; it always brings me a bit of a chuckle." |
joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 617
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 6:41 pm: |
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Does he need a driver to help him get from Village Hall to Village Diner, or wherever he administers the affairs of this small town?
Who else gets a car as a perk for working here, in The Incomplete Village?
I claim exclusive rights to The Incomplete Village, a trademark for incompetent governance, including false representations to the public during public meetings, negligent contract work, arrogant and contemptuous disregard towards the public, sweetheart real estate development dealing with friends, tax breaks for the powerful and connected, and the like.
However, all posters on MOL have a royalty free and non-exclusive right to use of The Incomplete Village for posting purposes only.
jd |
MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 4283
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 12:28 am: |
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Uh, Joel...last time we received free "rights" to something as a gift, it cost us over $250,000!  |
Crazy_quilter
Citizen
Username: Crazy_quilter
Post Number: 340
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 9:56 am: |
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how many people in our town government get cars? |
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 2026
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 10:16 am: |
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I could care less about the specfics of how he's compensated, as long as the total package is fair and reasonable against other similar towns.
The issue then shouldn't be vehicle or no vehicle, the issue is job performance overall. I don't know enough about his job, other than seeing him at trustee meetings, to say.
To the extent that he may be part of the reason for The Incomplete Village (thank you jd for that term) -- well, that's another thread...
/p |
Shanabana
Citizen
Username: Shanabana
Post Number: 621
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 10:35 am: |
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I care about the car. It's dumb. It's a waste of money. |
joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 618
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 1:49 pm: |
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Why compare ourselves to other towns and then proceed lockstep?
Why the car is the question; not "why not" the car.
jd |
joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 619
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 1:57 pm: |
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"Why the car?" is the question; not: "why not" the car.
jd |
Old and Gray
Citizen
Username: Pastmyprime
Post Number: 389
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 2:52 pm: |
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Whats the big deal...he would get to use one once he gets to the office, like most town employees...so whats the big deal if he takes it home and parks it in front of his house...He lives in town, so its not a big deal. |
jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 695
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 7:23 pm: |
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I find it hard to understand why anyone in the village should be given a car which presumably can be used for private purposes. You have police cars for the police, and cars for the parking authority to patrol around in (not sure how many are needed, but more than one seems excessive since they have to walk the village anyway to see and issue violations). Then maybe you have one municapl vehicle which can be signed out and used for municipal purposes and travel for village business only, with appropriate expense account reporting. Beyond that, I can't figure out any reason why the village administrator needs his own car. BTW who actually holds the title to it - the village administrator or the village? If its the village, then it is a taxpayer asset and should not be used at all for personal business, including driving to and from work. if its the village administrator, one must ask why he should be given it. |
MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 4285
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 8:50 pm: |
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As I understand it, he also receives paid Medical Benefits for life. THAT seems like an even more costly perk that we pay for with OUR money.
(Can someone confirm this is true?) |
Old and Gray
Citizen
Username: Pastmyprime
Post Number: 391
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 9:09 pm: |
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Most of the cars driven by employees are used police cars I thought, I am sure they aren't the nicest of rides out there. I thought Mr Gross received a car because of his EOM status not Administrators job? It isn't that big of a deal, you need to have the ability to be mobile, it actually isn't uncommon to most towns in the area.
If he lived out of county I would have a different opinion but he lives in town. I think it should be limited to township use though, not for private use if he is going to the shore or elsewhere.
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jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 696
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 9:21 pm: |
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Old and Gray-
What is EOM status? And is he in fact using an old police car? And who holds the title? |
joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 620
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 9:29 pm: |
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Does Calabrese get a town car?
jd |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5479
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 3:04 am: |
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I'm not sure what Calbrese actually owns, but I've seen a very nice SUV parked in the space marked as his in the Village Hall Parking lot. |
Old and Gray
Citizen
Username: Pastmyprime
Post Number: 392
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 9:04 am: |
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Sorry that was O.E.M. (office of emergency management) and I am not sure about what he drives, but I assume its titled to the Village, why would the town buy or lease him a car in his name?...its a township vehicle I would almost 99% assume.
Why does it bother you all so much.
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joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 622
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 9:16 am: |
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Why does it not bother you?
jd |
K_soze
Citizen
Username: K_soze
Post Number: 468
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 9:35 am: |
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He doesn't have a used police car, he drives a brand new gas guzzling Durango. |
jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 697
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 10:20 am: |
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Old & Gray-
At one of the BOT meetings, I thought Calabrese was appointed OEM director, and he said specifically that the office did not come with a car. So I don't think Gross has that job. Plus if, K_soze is right, he's not driving some old police car either. |
Brett Weir
Citizen
Username: Brett_weir
Post Number: 1661
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 10:23 am: |
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I think it is pretty standard for towns to provide a car to the township administrator. They are generally recruited from outside and negotiate their own terms, so failing to offer a standard perk such as a car would limit candidates. And an OEM car is likely to be more utilitarian than an economic sedan because emergency management response is usually during adverse conditions, i.e. flood, hurricane or blizzard. You could probably inquire in the Millburn and Maplewood threads to see if they provide one. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 961
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 6:54 pm: |
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I could be mistaken, but I think all town owned cars are able to gas-up for free behind the police station.
I think this b/c I saw an unmarked car with what looked like a businessman fill-er-up there a year or so ago. Could have been an undercover officer, but that was not my impression.
Anyone know for sure? |
Dave
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 9986
Registered: 4-1997
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 9:01 pm: |
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That's right. We get free gas. It magically appears in underground reserves.  |
MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 4293
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 - 9:10 am: |
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Interesting article in today's Star Ledger:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/essex/index.ssf?/base/news-2/115138814911090.xml&c oll=1
Apparently, in Belleville, there was going to be a new Council elected, so the current council proactively FIRED the town manager so as to not let the new Council do it.
In South Orange, when there was a fear there would be a new Government, the politicians gave the Administrator TENURE!
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bets
Supporter
Username: Bets
Post Number: 23388
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 - 4:16 pm: |
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MHD, shouldn't we call him the Treasurer, since that is the position that provides said tenure? He's Village Administrator second or third, correct? |
bets
Supporter
Username: Bets
Post Number: 23389
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 - 4:17 pm: |
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And to that end, Brett - do most towns give their Treasurers a vehicle as a given? |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 1564
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 - 5:18 pm: |
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On the tenured subject, why was the majority of his salary put onto the Treasurers (Tenured?) position? Is there a benefit to this? This all seems to happen in the last year. |
JoRo
Citizen
Username: Autojoe51
Post Number: 122
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 - 5:28 pm: |
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if a government official in south orange is granted tenure (be it current or future personnel), what recourse would the citizenry and/or the board have in changing him or her? would it be done by majority board vote? would the village president have to decree it? i am curious how this would work under our system of govt. |
susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 1626
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 - 8:25 pm: |
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SOParents -- there is a benefit to it, but the benefit is all to Gross (and his wife). The argument that has been given before (by whom I don't recall) is that this helps to retain him.
I too am curious about how hard it is to reverse decisions such as this, once given. |
joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 630
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 - 10:14 pm: |
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Is he of a dying breed?
jd |
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