Payson reviewing car allowances

PAYSON — City leaders are taking a look at the car allowance given 11 department heads one case at a time.

The city pays each department head $550 a month in a tax funded benefit to cover car expenses, Mayor Bernell Evans said. Last week the City Council considered Brian Stevenson's turn to justify his car allowance, which was scheduled to expire. Stevenson heads the power generation department.

The council extended his allowance for six months. As other department heads' car allowance expires city leaders will decide if they will continue the allowance or cut it back for each supervisor.

Under the present system the city doesn't have to buy or maintain vehicles for department heads.

Employees who don't receive a car allowance — and that's most of them — use city-owned vehicles on the job, Evans said.