New borough cars don't please everyone

POTTSTOWN — The borough's codes department will soon have three new cars for its inspectors to use, but not everyone on Borough Council is happy about it.
');
}
//-->
What seemed at first to be a routine matter before council instead turned into a split vote when council's finance committee recommended adding the purchase of two more cars for the codes department onto a planned purchase of one.Council Vice President Greg Berry said the 2008 budget has money for the purchase of one Chevrolet Cobalt but that recent repair estimates for other Cobalts exceed the value of the vehicles.Because the Code Enforcement Office has been without a director for a number of months — a new director was hired last week — that salary line has been accumulating money, providing enough to purchase the other two cars.Before the recommendation could be acted upon, Councilman Steve Toroney wanted to know about "the two SUVs I see parked at borough hall all the time."He was informed they are used by Borough Manager Ray Lopez and Assistant Borough Manager Jason Bobst.Both he, Councilman Mark Gibson and Councilman Greg Berry began to discuss the issue of whether the borough ought to be buying two new vehicles if it already has two that are infrequently used.Council President David Garner said the questions were off the point of the vote, but Gibson replied "if it will save us money, let the codes department use those vehicles. We're always crying about how we're trying to save money.""So you want to use SUVs for the codes office instead of Cobalts?" Garner asked."If it saves us money," Gibson replied.Mayor Sharon Valentine-Thomas noted that the low mileage on the SUVs could counteract any savings from not buying new, higher mileage vehicles.Bobst said the Cobalts get between 30 and 35 miles per gallon.He said the vehicles will cost roughly $13,000 a piece, but the borough will get a deal for buying three at the same time.In the end, Gibson and Councilman Jody Rhoads voted against the purchase.

Pottstown Mercury - 09/12/08 - http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=20118167&BRD=1674&PAG=461&dept_id=635482&rfi=8