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North Bergen to cut the number of officials assigned township cars

News - Reprints
By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
 
NORTH BERGEN -- The number of township officials with an assigned municipal vehicle for use 24/7 is about to be chopped from 23 to 14.“It is just a continuing effort to make our services and operation more efficient,” said township spokesman Phil Swibinski. “It was a cost savings opportunity that the township identified and decided to pursue.”

The announcement came after The Jersey Journal filed an Open Public Records Act request asking how many vehicles were assigned to township employees and how much it cost to fuel the vehicles.

Swibinski said the decision to cut back on the assigned vehicles was made before The Jersey Journal filed its public records request. Township officials said the yearly cost to taxpayers to fuel and maintain the 23 vehicles was $54,000.

Swibinski said the decision on the assignment of vehicles was made on “a case by case basis,” but said generally they are people who “routinely respond to emergencies or other situations after official work hours and it was determined that their job responsibilities merit a vehicle.”

The township provides gas for all the assigned vehicles.  

Beginning Aug. 1, the nine employees who will now have to sign for their vehicles each 
day and return them at the end of each work day are: the coordinator of special transportation, the supervisor of recreation, the clerk of the handicapped parking board, the crossing guard supervisor, the code official, the public health investigator, a recreation aide and a supervisor in the department of parks and recreation.

“The nine employees who will no longer be assigned 
a vehicle were chosen because their job functions do not 
demand the use of a vehicle 
during off hours,” Swibinski said.

The officials who will retain their vehicles are:

• Mayor Nicholas Sacco (2011 Chrysler 300)
• Commissioner Hugo Cabrera (2012 Chevy Tahoe)
• Commissioner Anthony Ferraro (2011 Buick Le Sabre)
• Commissioner Frank Gargiulo (2011 Buick Le Sabre)
• Commissioner Allen Pascual (2009 Chrysler Aspen)
• Police Chief Robert Dowd (2012 Chevy Tahoe)
• Deputy Police Chief Peter Fasilis (2012 Chevy Tahoe)
• Health Director Janet Castro (2012 Ford Explorer)
• Supervisor of Parks Joe Rotondi (2012 Ford Explorer)
• Superintendent of the Department of Public Works John Shaw (2012 Ford Explorer) 
• Sacco Confidential Aide Anthony Vainieri (2012 Chevy Tahoe)
• Sacco Confidential Aide John O’Dell (2009 Ford Escape)
• Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Dave Ricigliano (2007 Dodge Durango)
• Supervisor of Streets Emil Fuda (2011 Buick Le Sabre)