MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ — As a result of the rise in gasoline costs, 69 Monmouth County employees, including most department heads, will no longer be permitted to use all-expenses-paid county vehicles to commute to work, according to the Asbury Park Press. The cars affected will be reassigned as pool vehicles and be available to the employees during work hours only, according to County Administrator Louis Paparozzi, who was one of the employees losing the privilege. The elimination of the 69 cars from the take-home inventory leaves 179 employees who are still assigned round-the-clock, cost-free cars. Those 179 workers provide critical public safety and health services and are required to be available 24 hours a day. The cut of take-home cars comes after criticism of the county’s overtime and spending habits. Ac-cording to the Asbury Park Press, the cuts are just the beginning of efforts to reduce Monmouth County’s overall fleet, which could result in the eventual sale of some vehicles. Among the county employees who will lose their take-home cars Sept. 30 are 22 department heads, including the top officials in the Purchasing, Engineering, Library, and Planning departments.