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A. Valid Driver’s License and Insurance. County vehicles shall be operated only by authorized county employees/officers possessing a valid California driver’s license or from a neighboring state if the employee is a resident of that state, of the proper class for the vehicle being operated and shall be required to have a current policy of private liability insurance.

B. Seat Belts Required. Seat belts shall be worn while operating or riding in county vehicles. The driver of the vehicle shall be responsible for passenger adherence to this rule.

C. Use Requirements.

1. All county employees, when using vehicles on county business, shall:

a. Operate vehicles in a safe, reasonable and responsible manner consistent with the intended use of the vehicle.

b. Observe all traffic laws, rules and regulations. Fines and penalties imposed for violation of traffic laws, rules and regulations are the responsibility of the driver. Fines and penalties for defects of a county vehicle are the responsibility of Sierra County.

c. The cost of repairs for damages to a county vehicle, caused by an employee while not in the course of his or her employment, or which is due to willfully or imprudently operating the vehicle in an unsafe or illegal manner will be the responsibility of the driver.

d. Inspect any assigned county vehicle before leaving on a trip to ensure that the vehicle is in safe operating condition.

e. Inspection shall include safety components such as stop, turn and tail lights, head lamps, windshield wipers, tires, snow chains and seat belts. In addition, engine oil and coolant levels shall be checked and filled, if needed.

f. If there is evidence of accident damage, it shall be reported immediately to the department manager or designee before leaving on a trip.

2. Use of all county vehicles shall be recorded in a log book which shall be kept in the vehicle. The log book shall require identification of each user, list of the beginning and ending mileage of each trip or for the day, identification of the beginning and ending point of each trip or day’s use, the purpose of each trip including a notation as to whether the vehicle is taken to the employee’s or department manager’s home. The log shall indicate all commuting or personnel use. The log shall correspond to the odometer in total.

Each department manager shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with these requirements by his or her employees and for reporting to the County Auditor the personal use of county vehicles commuting to work that is other than de minimis in each month.

3. Annually, no later than June 30th of each year, the department manager shall submit a statement to the County Risk Manager, or in the absence of a Risk Manager, to the County Auditor, certifying that for each vehicle assigned to his or her department all customary maintenance has been properly performed on the vehicle during the course of the year and that there are no known safety issues with regard to each vehicle.

D. Law Enforcement. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a peace officer, acting within the course and scope of their duties, from operating a county vehicle in an otherwise lawful manner that is consistent with the pursuit, use of force, or other applicable policies and procedures established by the Sheriff or other applicable authority.

E. Driving under the Influence of Alcohol, Drugs and Medication. Employees shall not operate motor vehicles or motorized equipment following the consumption of or with any detectable level of alcohol. No employee shall operate any motor vehicle or motorized equipment having consumed any drugs or medication that (1) may cause drowsiness, (2) which contains a warning to avoid operation of equipment or vehicles, or (3) which otherwise affects the nervous system without first reporting such use to his or her department head and in the absence of the department head, to his or her immediate supervisor. The department head or immediate supervisor shall be authorized to prohibit the operation of vehicles or motorized equipment by any such employee if there is any concern about the employee’s capacity to function in a safe manner. For the purposes of this section, if an employee is uncertain as to whether a drug or medication contains a warning to avoid the operation of equipment or vehicles, or if an employee has consumed any drugs or medications which are not distributed in compliance with a regulatory scheme requiring warning labels, the employee shall treat the drug or medication as though it were so labeled. This shall include but not be limited to medical marijuana.

Employees on-call to receive county-related calls shall not consume intoxicating substances, nor shall they respond to an on-call request to perform services if they have taken any drugs or medication which can cause drowsiness or impair their ability to operate a vehicle without first notifying their supervisor of that fact.

F. Transport of Noncounty Personnel Prohibited. Except for department managers assigned vehicles on a “permanent assignment” (SCC 11.42.080), use of a county vehicle to transport members of an employee’s family or any other persons not connected with county business is prohibited.

G. Personal Use Prohibited. Except for department managers assigned vehicles on a “permanent assignment” (SCC 11.42.080) and except as set forth in the “Exceptions” below, use of a county vehicle for personal business or activities, or use of the vehicle after work hours is prohibited.

Exceptions: With department manager approval, an employee may take a county vehicle to his or her residence under the following circumstances:

1. When the employee is placed on-call or subject to emergency calls for service outside the assigned working hours.

2. When the employee is required to attend meetings outside the assigned working hours.

3. When the department manager can document that such use is in the best interest of the county.

Any employee authorized to permanently or temporarily retain a county vehicle shall not use said vehicle for any private purpose while the vehicle is within his or her possession.

Any commuter miles shall be maintained in the car log and provided to the Auditor’s office monthly for inclusion in the employee’s pay as required by the IRS.

All employees assigned a car for taking home shall sign a statement at the time the vehicle is assigned and annually thereafter that no personal use of the vehicle is allowed other than required commuting miles and de minimis use per IRS Reg. §§ 1.132-6(d)(3) and 1.132-6(e)(2).

H. Overnight Parking. County vehicles on overnight assignment to an employee shall be locked and stored in a manner which reasonably provides for the protection of the vehicle.

I. Night and Weekend Storage. Except as permitted under preceding sections all county vehicles shall be stored nights and weekends on county premises. All vehicles shall be locked unless stored in a locked enclosure.

J. Courthouse Parking. County vehicles bearing “E” or “Government” license plates are not to be parked in the parking lot located between the front entrance of the Sierra County Courthouse and the front entrance of the Western Sierra Medical Clinic.

*Classified employees include all county employees except department managers. Nonclassified employees include members of the Board of Supervisors and department managers. SCC 3.04.010.

(Ord. 1069, eff. 5/5/16; Ord. 994, eff. 2/21/08; Ord. 850, eff. 4/17/97)