RED BANK, NJ – Mayor-elect Pasquale “Pat” Menna and his Republican challenger in the recent election, Councilman John Curley, would like to put the borough’s fleet of vehicles on a diet, according to the Asbury Park Press. Both agree that the borough needs to reduce the number of vehicles and, when possible, replace bigger gas guzzlers with more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Borough Administrator Stanley Sickels said he’s preparing an updated list of all vehicles for the new administration. The borough has a total of 95 vehicles, ranging from trailer-mounted generators, to boats to firetrucks and police cars, he said. The department of public works alone has 41 vehicles, including trailers. Borough officials have made some reductions in the size of the fleet, Sickels said. Some of those reductions have been made when employees leave or when jobs are consolidated.

Currently, the borough has 17 vehicles that are permanently assigned to various department heads, fire chiefs, and police officials, although one is not being used because it is assigned to an official who has retired. Of those, 10 vehicles are “class A” for officials who are on call 24 hours a day and respond to emergencies. The others are considered “class B workers,” who are on call and may be summoned to respond to an emergency, according to the Asbury Park Press.

Class A and B vehicles are assigned to the borough administrator, police chief, deputy chief, three fire chiefs, the emergency management director, public works director, fire marshal, code enforcement official, three public works supervisors, and a foreman. The fire department has a backup chief’s vehicle.

Class C vehicles are not assigned vehicles and include police cars, firetrucks, dump trucks, trailers, and boats.