| Bruce Sets New Policy For City Vehicles |
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By JOEL McNEECE The Bruce Board of Aldermen set a new policy on city vehicles and approved some updates to the gazebo on the square at a recessed meeting Tuesday night. Alderman Lyn Parsons raised the question at the previous meeting, asking what the city's policy was for employees driving city vehicles home. Parsons said he had questions regarding the city's liability with Rod Gray, an employee in the water department, driving a city truck home to Pittsboro. Attorney Jim Beckett explained Tuesday the law clearly states the board must determine if it's "a benefit to the city" for the employee to drive the vehicle home. Mayor Robert Edward Oakley said Gray was first authorized to drive the vehicle home when the city was utilizing prison-work-crews every day. Gray could carry them back to the jail at Pittsboro on his way home and save the city time and money. Oakley said the city no longer has those crews. In the previous meeting, Gray said he gets called out at night from time to time on city business. He mentioned three examples since June. Gray is certified to handle emergencies at the city wells. Oakley pointed out that even after hours, Gray, because he lives in Pittsboro, has to drive right by the city shed where all the vehicles are when responding to anything in Bruce. "I don't see the justification," Alderman Steve Nelson said. "I agree," Parsons replied. The board decided to authorize Public Works Superintendent Larry Blackwelder and Police Chief Stan Evans to drive their vehicles home. They also gave Chief Evans the authority to designate any other police officers to drive a police vehicle home when he deems necessary. In other business, the board agreed to improvements to the gazebo on the Bruce Square. The Bruce Improvement Group (BIG), made up of representatives from the Fine Arts, 20th Century, GRACE, and Rotary clubs, has raised more than $1,000 to make landscape improvements around the gazebo. During their planning stages they discovered a lot of rotten wood that needs replacing. The city agreed to allow BIG to seek bids from contractors to replace the rotten wood, power wash the gazebo and paint it. The new design for the gazebo is to paint it white to highlight the wood features and add wooden hand rails down the steps. The city will pay for that work. The BIG committee will then utilize its funds for new, more colorful landscaping around the gazebo. The meeting concluded with the board entering executive session to discuss a personnel matter. |