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Escondido City Council Grills Finance Dept.

At the Escondido City Council meeting on May 11, councilman Ed Gallo was incredulous when staff members from the finance department asked for $264,314 to replace 12 trucks.

“[T]here’s only three vehicles with over a 100,000 miles, and all the rest have less than 100,000,” said Gallo. “In fact, a couple only have 55,000 and 68,000. My question is, in these financially hard times, why are we replacing these vehicles now? Couldn’t they be made functional at least for another year?”

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Gallo questioned the necessity of a public works collection truck that was 23 years old and had only 55,000 miles on it. “In 23 years, that’s, what…less than 3000 miles a year? Why do we even need the vehicle?”

Jerry Van Leeuwen, director of community services, deferred the question to a staff member. “I’m sorry, I don’t have information on this 1988 truck with the Department of Public Works Division,” the staff member said. He added that he believed it was used on a standby basis and required special equipment.

Mayor Sam Abed agreed with Gallo. “These are not normal days,” said Abed. “These are tough economic times. Being in the business trade for years, I know that the maintenance becomes an issue; and the cost issue versus buying a new one...but not at the 55,000 miles, not at the 68,000, not even at the 100,000 miles... We have maintained cars on a reasonable amount of money at...125,000 [in mileage].”

Councilmembers sent the proposal back to the finance department for better options and clarification as to the evaluation process.

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At the Escondido City Council meeting on May 11, councilman Ed Gallo was incredulous when staff members from the finance department asked for $264,314 to replace 12 trucks.

“[T]here’s only three vehicles with over a 100,000 miles, and all the rest have less than 100,000,” said Gallo. “In fact, a couple only have 55,000 and 68,000. My question is, in these financially hard times, why are we replacing these vehicles now? Couldn’t they be made functional at least for another year?”

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Gallo questioned the necessity of a public works collection truck that was 23 years old and had only 55,000 miles on it. “In 23 years, that’s, what…less than 3000 miles a year? Why do we even need the vehicle?”

Jerry Van Leeuwen, director of community services, deferred the question to a staff member. “I’m sorry, I don’t have information on this 1988 truck with the Department of Public Works Division,” the staff member said. He added that he believed it was used on a standby basis and required special equipment.

Mayor Sam Abed agreed with Gallo. “These are not normal days,” said Abed. “These are tough economic times. Being in the business trade for years, I know that the maintenance becomes an issue; and the cost issue versus buying a new one...but not at the 55,000 miles, not at the 68,000, not even at the 100,000 miles... We have maintained cars on a reasonable amount of money at...125,000 [in mileage].”

Councilmembers sent the proposal back to the finance department for better options and clarification as to the evaluation process.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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