Old Tappan council weighs hiring part‑time fleet manager to oversee municipal vehicles and surplus sales

Mayor Gallagher reopened discussion about a possible fleet manager position to centralize procurement and surplus‑sale responsibilities for the borough’s vehicles and equipment. He said the position would have covered golf‑course equipment, police vehicles, fire and EMS apparatus, building‑department vehicles and other municipal equipment and that the council should decide whether to include the position in the 2026 budget.

Council members said the borough previously relied on a council member who ran a related business to perform that work and that the knowledge of where to source parts and when to sell surplus equipment produced savings. Some members argued a full‑time salary may not be cost‑effective; one councilor suggested a small stipend of up to $5,000 a year or paying a DPW mechanic a consultant fee for surplus sales and parts procurement. Another member said broker services or procurement consultants typically charge a commission tied to demonstrated savings, but that arrangement can be more expensive than a fixed stipend.

Speakers urged the borough to start by drafting a clear job description that would specify whether the role would handle large‑ticket purchases (ambulances, fire trucks) or focus on parts, sales and vendor relationships. Several council members recommended consulting department heads (police, DPW, fire, building) to define service needs and to ask the high school or nearby municipalities about auction vendors that handle municipal surplus. The mayor directed staff to re‑circulate an existing job description and asked departments to identify average needs so the council can consider the role during upcoming budget discussions.

No vote or formal direction to hire was taken; the council agreed to revisit the item during the 2026 budget process once a job description and preliminary cost estimates are available.