The mayor responded last night to complaints concerning Piedmont police officers using city-issued vehicles for off-duty jobs.Mayor Charlie Fagan said when an opportunity was made known to him by Jacksonville apartment complex, The Grove, to employ off-duty Piedmont officers for security on the apartment’s property, he “gave permission immediately” for officers to sign up for the job.
As mayor of the city, Fagan acts as the personnel manager for the various city departments.
Officers are already issued take home vehicles, and Fagan said the additional 30-mile round trip to Jacksonville only cost the city around $4.20 in fuel per vehicle.
The benefit of allowing officers to make additional money and also having them available for emergency calls during off-duty hours since they were in their city vehicles far outweighed the cost to the city, Fagan said.
“I’m disappointed that people would complain about this issue,” Fagan said.
“Fifteen miles, in a car, ready to respond to a call at any time – I ask you, is that a waster of taxpayers’ money?”
Fagan said he has told Police Chief Steven Tidwell to no longer allow officers to use city vehicles to drive to the Jacksonville off-duty job in the future.
During the meeting, the mayor and city clerk also warned local business owners to expect to see rise in demand rates again this summer.
While the state’s lakes and rivers have seen an increase in water levels thanks to recent rain, City Clerk Bill Fann said the demand rates will still rise because of “summer peak cycles” when electricity demand increases every year around this time. “It’s not only happening in Piedmont, Alabama, it’s the whole country,” Fagan said.
Fann said the recent rains have had a “positive effect” on the fuel adjustments costs for electricity and business owners should expect to see a decrease in this cost on their bill next month.
Fann announced a Community Development Block Grant public hearing for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
The grant, if awarded to the city, would help fund a sewer extension project along Lakeview Drive and Pine Street and the Garner subdivision.
The next Piedmont City Council meeting is on April 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building.
