Gillam: Using city cars saves money

The police fiscal officer says borrowing of cars is OK.
By PATRICIA MEADE
and DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITERS
YOUNGSTOWN -- Councilman Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st, says using an unmarked police car to travel out of town is council's standard practice, but that's not another councilman's view.
"I don't know anyone on city council who has ever done it as long as I've been on for three years, just Artis, to the best of my knowledge," said Councilman Mark Memmer, D-7th, chairman of the finance committee.
"There's nothing in council rules prohibiting it, but I just wonder if the city is liable should there be an accident."
Detective William Blanchard, police department fiscal officer, said years ago then-Law Director John A. McNally IV issued a memo that allowed the interdepartmental borrowing of city-owned cars for travel. Blanchard said Gillam always borrows a car for travel.
Blanchard said the police car loaned out is an unmarked Dodge Intrepid used by turn captains. When the car is out for travel, the turn captains use a marked car, he said.
Gillam said he told police Chief Jimmy Hughes that he a needed a car to travel to Washington, D.C., earlier this month for a legislative conference and picked up the keys to the car from the chief's office. Gillam said the car's tank was half-full of gas, so he filled it up before he left for the conference.
What Gillam said
Gillam said using an unmarked police car saves money that would be spent on airfare. He said he's been using a police "travel car" for years.
His wife accompanied him to Washington but "didn't spend a dime of city money" while there, he said. "We're not rich, but we're way from being poor."
Gillam submitted invoices Friday to the city clerk for 840 worth of expenses related to his attendance at the annual two-day conference of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials. Gillam is on the caucus's executive committee.
The invoices were opened Tuesday by city Clerk Faith O'Nesti.
To be reimbursed, Gillam's invoices need the signatures of O'Nesti, who signed them, and Memmer in his capacity as finance chairman.
Memmer said he won't sign the invoices because Gillam failed to follow proper protocol for council travel.
During council's executive session Feb. 7, the decision was made to cancel Gillam's city-issued credit card because he hadn't received prior approval for the trip. Gillam was in Washington at the time and notified by cell phone that the card was being canceled.
The councilman used his own credit card to pay for the trip.
His explanation
Gillam has said he told the council's clerk of his travel plans before the trip.
He has acknowledged holding on to his city credit card between trips instead of having it locked in a safe in the finance department, which council requires.
Gillam said he didn't violate any other council rules.
But Section 7B of council's finance committee rules, approved Sept. 15, 2004, states: "All expense for travel must be submitted to the finance committee for approval prior to any travel." Gillam voted in favor of those rules.
Because Gillam didn't get the finance committee's prior approval, Memmer said he won't be reimbursed.
Gillam can attempt to introduce an ordinance permitting council to reimburse him or to have the 840 come from his ward discretionary fund, Memmer said.
Based on council's unanimous decision to pull Gillam's city credit card, approval of legislation to have the city pay him the 840 appears to be unlikely.
meade@vindy.com
skolnick@vindy.com