In an effort to reduce claims for mileage, council here has approved the purchase of a used vehicle for use by staff and council members while attending conferences or on other township business.
Treasurer Yufang Du presented council with a report at the July 23 meeting in response to concerns expressed by councillor Neil Driscoll at previous meetings about the amount of mileage claims showing up in the monthly accounts payable.
Driscoll had wondered why staff weren’t using the building department van, or other township vehicles, rather than utilizing their own vehicles and charging mileage.
In her report, Du pointed out staff mileage claims are for travel to out-of-town meetings or conferences. She said that mileage is included with other expenses in the monthly breakdowns presented to council, which could make the mileage figures appear higher than they actually are, and noted she is considering providing a more detailed breakdown in future reports.
“It should be noted that very little has been paid for mileage within the township with the exception of by-law enforcement,” Du pointed out.
“Administrative staff use their own vehicle in picking up the mail and doing bank deposits, and generally do this on their way home for lunch.”
Total mileage costs to the end of June for all departments, including council, were $7,334. Of the total, $606 is attributed to council members.
The current township mileage rate is 47 cents per kilometre.
By comparison, Du reported, Canada Revenue Agency’s 2013 automobile allowance rates are 54 cents for the first 5,000 kilometres, and 48 cents per kilometre thereafter.
The report explains the building department van, purchased in 2001, has 189,761 kilometers on the odometer.
“Very little use has been made of the van in 2013 due to numerous mechanical issues,” the report states.
Issues identified by the township’s fleet and safety manager include:
– heating and air conditioning systems don’t work properly;
– windshield wipers operate only sporadically;
– moisture getting into the vehicle causes an “unwelcome odour”;
– brakes and tires need replacement; and
– body work previously repaired has now rusted through again in several spots.
Given the age of the vehicle and “significant financial implications to carry out these repairs,” staff recommended the vehicle be replaced with a used vehicle in the $15,000 to $18,000 range.
The report indicates building department staff generally schedule their time to share use of a 2012 pickup truck.
“Where this is not possible and they have short travel limits for inspections, they have been using their own vehicle for the past six to eight months and have not charged mileage,” the report indicates.
The shortage of reliable vehicles also impacts the by-law enforcement officer and “much of the mileage paid is attributed to the unreliable condition of the municipal van,” the report explains.
Figures prepared by the director of finance indicate most of the mileage paid to staff is for attending conferences that are some distance away and often two or three days in duration.
“From discussions with various staff, it would not be feasible to take one of the public works trucks for extended periods of time,” Du noted.
Council approved Du’s report, which indicated there is currently $7,000 in building department reserves which could be used towards the purchase of a replacement vehicle, with the balance to be taken from future capital expenditure reserves.
“Replacing the van will not alleviate all mileage claims by staff, as there are times when more than one staff ore attending meetings. In addition, there will be ongoing fuel and maintenance costs,” the report concludes.
