Get Answers: Government vehicle use

Posted at: 11/09/2009 6:35 PM | Updated at: 11/09/2009 8:57 PM
By: Jeremy Jojola, Eyewitness News 4; Matthew Kappus, KOB.com

A viewer asked Eyewitness News 4 why a Bernalillo County government vehicle was being used by an employee who was off the clock. The question lead the county to change its policy.

The viewer's anonymous call led us to a home construction project in the South Valley. For several days, we watched as a man worked on his home while his Bernalillo County truck sat on the lot. The viewer was concerned that the man was doing personal work on taxpayer time.

We asked the county about it. A spokesperson says the employee was on vacation but was allowed to keep his government truck during time off. Now, the county plans on changing that privilege with some of its employees, says Bernalillo County manager Thaddeus Lucero.

"If you're going to take an extended period of vacation, you're going to leave your county vehicle at the shops. And we are looking at that county-wide as a policy," he said.

Lucero says the policy has already been changed among county public works employees.

"Government vehicles should only be used for government purposes. I think it was something good that was brought to our attention and made us aware of how public perception of government is," he said.

The county says the policy won't effect employees like sheriff's deputies and others who work in public safety.

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