YOUR MONEY: Gloucester City's Fleet of 141 Vehicles/Equipment is Valued at $5.4 Million
Friday, February 19, 2016
William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNewsnet
(CNBNewsnet) GLOUCESTER CITY N.J. (February 19, 2016)If you travel around the City of Gloucester City you can’t help to notice a large number of city-owned trucks and cars driving past. Gloucester is not a big city; it is about 2.78 square miles. No doubt that is one of the reasons why you will always see a police car, a fire engine, a highway department vehicle, a public works vehicle, water department vehicle, housing vehicle drive by.
Even so there are times when so many city cars/trucks are going up and down Broadway you think it is a parade. It also makes one wonder if there might be too many vehicles in use. For example, during the summer, there were five public works employees putting together the new playground equipment at Martins Lake. Parked nearby as they worked on the project were five city trucks, one for each employee.
Curious to know the numbers CNBNews submitted an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) with Kathy Jentsch, Gloucester City Municipal Clerk and Records Custodian for information pertaining to the size of the City’s fleet of motorized vehicles and heavy equipment. CNBNews asked for a breakdown of vehicles for each department, along with the total cost of fuel, and insurance for all of the equipment.
A review of the documents released reveals the city has an inventory of 141 pieces of equipment, which includes 77 vehicles, with a total value of approximately $5,406,025.
A further breakdown shows:
Department of Public Works/Highway Departments has 41 pieces of equipment of which 17 are vehicles, for a total value of $1,649,977.
The Police Department has 38 pieces of equipment of which 28 are vehicles, total value $878,112.
The Fire Department has 29 pieces of equipment, of which 11 are vehicles, total value $1,934,756.
The Water/Sewer Department owns 27 pieces of equipment of which 16 vehicles, total value $860,731.
The Housing Department has six pieces of equipment of which five are vehicles, total value $82,449.
A sampling of city police equipment:
2014 IP office telephone system Value-$65,085
2009 Court telephone system 19,500
2007 Bullard thermal imager 5,100
2005 AMSIG speed sign 8,000
2005 Message Board 16,000
2007 TTT night vision 20,000
Mobile data computer system 60,000
2007 Scout thermal image 14,500
2007 Video enhancement system 5,000
1996 Haz-mat trailer……………………………..9,000
Radio, light bars……………………….. 90,000
Equipment for critical incident team 35,000
A sampling of city fire equipment:
27 ft. Marine Model Patrol Rescue boat 2007
/two motors…………………….. Value- $170,000
1998 Cargo express trailer …………………….. 16,000
Base Station………………………………………… 6,604
1995 Spec. Ops trailer 5,500
2003 Haz-Mat trailer 12,000
2001 Carolina Skiff boat/motor/trailer……… 16,000
1995 International tractor/trailer 68,144
2001 Carolina Skiff boat/motor/trailer………….. 22,000
Two boats/trailers/motors………………………………. 16,000
Mobile/portable radios (Camden County) 227,998
2000 Aerial ladder……………………………………………….500,000
A sampling of DPW equipment:
2001 lawn mower…. ………………………………Value- $ 8,500
2001 Leaf machine. ………………………………………… 14,100
2011 Compact wheel loader 62,500
2007 Utility diesel tractor 59,600
2008 Leaf collector ……… 32,000
1988 Ford tractor ………………………………………………..18,000
2013 leaf collector…………………………………………………34,000
2011 trash truck……………………………………………………123,000
A sampling of water/sewer equipment
2013-26 hp tractor……………………………………………Value…….$40,921
Centrifugal Bypass pump………………………………………………… 33,905
2006 pump with trailer 40,000
2014 pump with trailer 40,000
2006 GMC dump truck 49,357
A sampling of highway dept. equipment
1983 Ford bucket truck Value- $40,000
2006 Trash truck 109,000
2002 Ford pickup………………………………………………………. 32,000
In 2015, taxpayers spent a total of $805,708 for insurance premiums with the city insurance carrier, the Camden Municipal Joint Insurance Fund. A breakdown of that figure reveals:
Property $126,999.43
General Liability/Auto Liability 215,741.65
Workers' Compensation 403,422.35
Environmental Liability 12,556.43
Public Officials/Employment Practices Liability 46,987.93
2015 Insurance costs ………………………. $805,708
The totals spent by department for vehicle repairs and maintenance in 2015:
Fire $ 31,646
Public Works Autos 43,391
Public Works Trucks, Loaders, etc. 29,019
Housing 3,252
Police 34,356
Environmental Utilities 36,793 (includes trucks, loaders, etc.)
2015 Vehicle/Equipment Repairs costs …………………$178,457
In 2015 local taxpayers spent $98,734 with Pedroni Fuel and Majestic Oil Company to supply gas and diesel fuel for all city equipment. The city school district and housing authority reimbursed the city $5,839 for fueling their vehicles leaving a net cost of $92,895.
2015 Gas costs ……………… $92,895
The grand total for 2015 vehicles/equipment expenses………………$1,077,060
Gloucester City's budget in 2015 was an estimated $19,602,934
EDITOR’S NOTE: We like to publicly thank Jentsch along with Frank Robertson, the city’s chief financial officer for their patience and help with our requests.