HomeMy WebLinkAbout20100816 - VI-06
To: Mayor Hicks and City Councilmembers
From: Melanie Mesko Lee, Assistant City Administrator
Date: August 10, 2010
Re: Take Home Vehicle Policy
Recommended City Council Action:
Approve Take Home Vehicle Policy, as presented.
Background:
There are a number of employees who have been issued a City take-home vehicle for after hours
emergency response. In an effort to achieve consistency, staff is recommending a standard policy
for any eligible employees who would be issued a take-home vehicle. The policy as proposed
follows recommendations from the League of Minnesota Cities, the City’s insurance provider,
and essentially documents the process which has been in place for employees issued a take home
vehicle.
City of Hastings
Take Home Vehicle Policy
August 10, 2010
The city of Hastings recognizes that certain positions may be required to respond to
emergencies or specific job responsibilities outside their regular working hours.
Accordingly, those positions deemed necessary may take vehicles outside the City limits
in compliance with the City’s policy. Violation of the City’s take home vehicle policy
may result in discipline.
The City’s LMCIT liability insurance on the vehicle will cover the employee or any
authorized other operator of a city vehicle if the use is within the scope of what the City
has authorized.
Permitted Use:
Only employees given specific permission may take a City vehicle home to be used to
respond to emergencies or specific job responsibilities outside their regular working
hours.
Written permission to take a City vehicle home is granted by the employee’s
department head, with the approval by the City Administrator. That approval is kept
in the employee’s personnel file.
Only the city employee may operate the vehicle at any time. Family members and
others are not permitted to operate the vehicle except in case of a bona fide
emergency.
Anyone operating a city vehicle is expected at all times to obey all traffic laws, with
the exception of emergency vehicle operations in accordance with Minnesota statute.
An employee who drives in an illegal, careless, unsafe, or negligent manner may be
subject to discipline, up to and including dismissal.
The employee may not operate the vehicle after any consumption of alcohol under
any circumstances, with the rare exception of authorized and supervised undercover
police investigations and/or other infrequent emergency response circumstances
specifically allowed by departmental policy or as part of a joint powers agreement.
Employees may not use City vehicles for personal use, absent incidental use en route
to/from the employee’s primary residence and City offices. Incidental use is defined
by the City.
City public safety employees, subject to immediate emergency call-back and
authorized by Minnesota statute to operate a designated emergency vehicle, may be
granted broader personal use authority if such use facilitates immediate response to
urgent City matters of public safety importance, as determined by the department
head and City Administrator. City public safety personnel must have department
issued emergency equipment (i.e. turnout gear, police department issued firearm,
public safety radio) in their possession and be prepared to respond any time a City
vehicle is being operated, including for personal use.
All provisions of the City personnel policy apply to employees permitted to take a
City vehicle home.
The City reserves the right to revoke the permission for personal use for a City
vehicle at any time.
Any and all exceptions to this policy must be explicitly granted in advance by the
employee’s department head and the City Administrator, and must be documented
and attached to the employee’s take home vehicle written permission and
acknowledgment forms.
Approved by the City Council:
City of Hastings
Take Home Vehicle
Vehicle Issue and Policy Acknowledgment Form
Name of Employee:
Date:
Vehicle Issued:
Special Conditions Date:
(if any)
I acknowledge receipt of the City’s Take Home Vehicle Policy. I understand that I am
responsible for complying with all provisions of the policy, including any special conditions
which may be authorized. I further understand that it is my responsibility to request clarification
if I am unclear about any parts of the policy. Finally, I understand that failure to comply with the
provisions of the policy may result in discipline, up to and including termination
Employee Signature Date:
Department Head Signature
Date:
City Administrator Signature
Date:
Forwarded to Personnel File
Date: