Lassen County Municipal Code Ch. 2.52 County-Owned Automobiles

(a) This chapter is adopted pursuant to the provisions of Sec. 25305 of the Government Code of California, and shall be known and cited as the "Lassen County Automobile Policy."

(b) Definitions.

"Automobile"

as used herein includes every device defined as a "vehicle" by California Vehicle Code Section 670, those vehicles defined as "motor vehicles" by California Vehicle Code Section 415, and those motor vehicles defined as "motor trucks" by California Vehicle Code Section 410, owned, leased or rented by the county of Lassen;

The term "county employee"

as used herein includes all Lassen County officers, those permanent or temporary employees of the county of Lassen who are members of the classified service of the county, as said classified service is established by Chapter 2.36 and all amendments thereto and resolutions adopted in pursuance thereof, and those persons who are parties to any duly authorized written contract of employment to render specialized professional services to the county, including without limitation, the staff of the Lassen County department of mental health and the director of the Lassen County recovery house program.

"Lassen County officer"

means judicial district officers, county officers as enumerated by Government Code Section 24000 and their deputies;

(Ord. 418 §§ 1, 2, 1975)

Automobiles shall be operated only by county employees who hold a valid driver's license for the type of equipment operated.

(Ord. 418 § 3, 1975)

No county employee shall permit any person not a county employee to operate any automobile.

(Ord. 418 § 4, 1975)

All automobiles shall have affixed thereto the county seal of Lassen County, unless specific exemption shall be given by the board of supervisors. All automobiles shall have affixed thereto a decal or seal bearing the words "OFFICIAL USE ONLY."

(Ord. 418 § 5, 1975; Ord. 418(C) § 2, 1988)

(a) The following officers and employees are subject to twenty-four-hour call by virtue of their duties. Accordingly, those officers and employees are authorized to utilize automobiles in traveling to and from their homes to their respective offices:

(1) Sheriff;

(2) On-call personnel in child protective services unit welfare department;

(3) On-call personnel of probation office;

(4) County administrative officer;

(5) Members of the board of supervisors;

(6) Road commissioner;

(7) Road superintendent;

(8) Road department foremen;

(9) Welfare investigator;

(10) Building inspector;

(11) Agriculture commissioner/sealer/APCD officer.

(b)

(1) The sheriff shall adopt such regulations for the utilization of automobiles assigned to the sheriff's department as may be necessary to the operations of his or her office, including authorization for the deputies in charge to utilize such automobiles in travel to and from their homes, and to park the same at locations other than provided in subsection (c) of this section;

(2) During such times as any officer or employee enumerated in subsection (a) of this section is charged with the custody and care of such automobile, the automobile shall be deemed to be in service and shall be exempt from the provisions of subsection (c) of this section.

(c)

(1) All county automobiles other than those actually taken home by the officers and employees designated in subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall be parked at the close of business of the respective office each night at the following locations:

(2) The preceding paragraph shall not be construed to require an automobile in service at the close of business of the department to which it is assigned to be parked at the location specified in subsection (c)(1) where so doing would necessitate either: (A) the traveling of extra distance; or (B) the incurring of overtime on the part of the employee operating the automobile.

(Ord. 418 § 6, 1975; Ord. 418-A §§ 1, 2, 1975; Ord. 418-B § 1, 1984; Ord. 418-C § 1, 1988; Ord. 418-D § 1, 1988)

Whenever feasible, departments having automobiles assigned to them will make them available to other departments not having automobiles assigned, for use of these departments on authorized out-of-town trips.

(Ord. 418 § 7, 1975)

Automobiles are to be utilized by county employees and officers only in the actual performance of their official duties. No county employee shall utilize an automobile for any purpose personal to the employee and not related to his or her official business. The use of county vehicles on lunch hours shall not be considered to be in the performance of official duty.

(Ord. 418 § 8, 1975; Ord. 418-B § 2, 1984)

Any person authorized to use an automobile upon official business may, when his or her private vehicle is disabled or otherwise unavailable to him/her utilize an automobile assigned to him or her for private use; provided, that in each such instance a written report thereof shall be made to the county administrative officer and reimbursement at the rate of twenty-five cents per mile for such private use is made by such person to the county of Lassen.

(Ord. 418-C § 3, 1988)

A violation of any provision of this chapter is a misdemeanor, and shall be punished, in the instance of a first offense, by a fine of not more than twenty-five dollars. Conviction of a second offense shall constitute grounds for dismissal from the county service in the case of an employee; such subsequent offenses committed by officers shall be referred to the Lassen County grand jury for such action as it deems appropriate.

(Ord. 418 § 9, 1975)